At a time when rising costs and fixed incomes make basic home maintenance difficult for many older residents, one local landscaper is using his skills to give back.
28-year-old Hesperian Chadler Gregg is helping the elderly and handicapped of the High Desert with free landscaping services twice a month.
The owner of Gregg’s Grading and Yard Services, Gregg has been paying his workers out of pocket for the acts of kindness for 10 years, which he says his workers look forward to.
“Some clients break down and cry because they are so grateful,” he told the Daily Press. “That’s why we do it. It makes us feel really good to help someone in the community like that.”
By providing free yard and cleanup services to seniors who can no longer do the work themselves, Gregg is helping elderly homeowners stay safe, preserve their independence and remain in the homes they’ve lived in for decades — one lawn at a time.
‘There is more to work than money.’
The landscaper comes from an entrepreneurial family that has been in Hesperia for more than 40 years. Both his grandfather and uncle own tile and fencing companies, respectively. Gregg, who is father to a 4-year-old and an 11-year-old, says it was an easy choice for him to go into contracting for himself, which he fully decided at the age of 15 while attending Mojave High School.
His only regret is not being able to serve all who sign up for help. There are more than 100 residents on his landscaping waitlist now, who hope to make their homes a little lighter with Gregg’s expertise.
One such waitlistee was Suni Johnson, 86. For her, the neatly trimmed lawn meant more than curb appeal; it was a reminder that someone in the community cared. Johnson, a retired CHP officer, shed tears of gratitude when Gregg agreed to service her home free of charge.
Unfortunately, Gregg’s Grading has run into its fair share of adversaries who try to take advantage of the good Samaritan services, lying about having an elderly grandparent inside the home who, coincidentally, never makes an appearance.
Despite the setbacks, Gregg still encourages High Desert residents who are actually handicapped or older than 74 to contact him at 760-442-5847 for a complimentary yard service.
“There is more to work than money,” Gregg said. “Seeing people happy is what it’s really about.”
McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Hesperia man sprouts kindness with free landscaping help for seniors
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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