“I live a good life, so I wanted to help make a difference and do my part for the community.”
Max Clement
Max Clement was eager to volunteer for GreenCare for Troops, but when there wasn’t a family in his area it didn’t deter him.
Massachusetts volunteer Max Clement found a Health Care Hero in his community to help during the crisis.
Clement, a 16-year-old honors student from Burlington, Massachusetts, has been mowing lawns and doing other yard upkeep for close to six years. He named his burgeoning business Maximum Weed Whacking and the goal of the business is to help people in his community that need landscape services.
Throughout his experience Clement realized he wanted to make an even bigger impact and after hearing about Project EverGreen through fellow volunteer Johny Crooks’ Blades of Grass YouTube channel, he was ready to get involved.
“I wanted to volunteer because so far in my life I have not had very many challenges,” says Clement. “I live a good life, so I wanted to help make a difference and do my part for the community. Also, my grandpa is a Vietnam veteran, so I wanted to do something that my family was already tied to.”
After registering for the program, Clement was not immediately matched with a military family. He was disappointed because he was excited about giving back, and when he found out about the Helping our Health Care Heroes initiative he jumped at the chance.
Clement immediately asked for nominations on his neighborhood Facebook page and found a health care worker in a neighboring town.
The Massachusetts teen reflects on his volunteering experience by saying, “This opportunity has been extremely rewarding. These health care workers are doing everything they can to help us during this pandemic and that is very brave of them. The least I can do is help them with small jobs around the yard, while they are fighting a global pandemic”.
Clement is an inspiration to all volunteers because it shows that age does not matter, giving back can occur at all stages of life. Although Max is only helping one Health Care Hero right now, he is still hoping to get matched with a military family so he can help as many people as possible.
Volunteers who have the capacity to help can visit the GCFT Cares for Our Health Care Heroes page for more information.
The Title Sponsor of the GreenCare for Troops program is Nufarm. Platinum Partners include Toro and SiteOne Landscape Supply. The Gold Partner is Arborjet/Ecologel and the Silver Partner is the Propane Education and Research Council
Story written by Project EverGreen intern Olivia Mayernik
