Red Dirt Diaries: Lawn Mowing ‘Dream Team’ Reunited In Chickasha

One-time Chickasha resident Jay Barnes is back in Grady County giving back to residents in need.

Three years ago, Barnes started “The Chickasha Lawnmowers Dream Team.”

He posted on Facebook that he’d be willing to mow any Chickasha resident’s yard if they were unable to do so themselves.

The idea took off. During Summer 2018, Barnes and his teammates mowed over 100 yards.

Over the past week, Barnes and the other volunteers have been mowing again in Chickasha free of charge.

“I like helping others,” Barnes said, who now lives back in his home state of Massachusetts.

A military veteran named Rick Stitt kept up with the lawnmowing after Barnes moved at the end of the 2018.

Stitt and other volunteers are now helping Barnes in Chickasha for the next week.

“I’m not perfect, but I feel like I’m doing that with this,” said Becca Runion, who answered Barnes’ plea on Facebook for volunteers.

“It’s a sense of pride. I want the lawn to look as nice as my lawn,” said Barnes, who hopes those in financial distress, elderly, injured, single parents and veterans will take advantage of their service over the next week.

If you already use a lawn service, Barnes said you are not eligible.

“We don’t want to take anyone’s job,” said Barnes, who now has a lawn mowing dream team operating in Burlington, Mass.

If you’d like to contact Barnes about your lawn in Chickasha, you can email him at Jay.B.Barnes@gmail,com.