Its a bright Saturday morning, and three Yazoo City High School students are out and about looking for work to make themselves some extra cash the honest way.
The boys happened to be in the Country Club neighborhood one day when Mr. Kennith Helton stumbled upon them and decided to say hello.
"My wife and I were driving along Wildwood Terrace and we saw three young men coming down the hill,” Helton said. “We saw that they were very professional looking with the same hats and shirts on, and they each had a garden rake in their hand."
Helton said he was impressed to see these young men taking such initiative.
"I told my wife, That's a tremendous opportunity there. There's three young men out in the community to make some money instead of sitting at home watching television or playing video games. I was really impressed with them because you usually don't find young men that age out looking for work."
Dale O'Banner, Jaheim Martin and Kortney Gilmore started their own yard business, Rake Bros Association, in December of 2016. This is not your typical lemonade stand business either. These boys have gone so far as to invest in their own business cards, a company email account, and they have also built a website with their work information and availability.
"First we purchased some rakes to get us started,” Dale said. “Then we started going door to door to see if people needed their yards raked.”
The boys chose a great time to get started, since December was a month when Yazoo City leaders were dealing with troublesome leaves in people's yards and on curbsides, clogging up the culverts and causing streets to flood.
Jaheim recalled a time when they helped city workers tackle a location that was overcome with leaves and other debris.
The Rake Bros Association finds work by simply traveling door to door in locations all over the community. With the help of family and friends, the boys have made contacts and passed out business cards in the area near the Wardell Leach Recreational Complex, the Country Club neighborhoods, and the areas along Ridge Road and Highland Drive.
"We start about 30 minutes after we get released from school,” Dale said. “We just knock on doors and they'll ask how much we charge and we tell them. We have been getting a lot of phone calls just from passing out the business cards."
The boys quote prices depending on how big the property is, ranging from $8-$10 per person, per hour.
"We cut grass, trim around trees, as well as rake," said Jaheim.
The boys borrow larger equipment like weed eaters and lawnmowers for big jobs when necessary.
When asked how long the boys will stay out looking for work, Kortney said they often stay out until their feet start hurting from walking or until it gets too dark to continue.
Rake Bros Association is available most afternoons during the week except on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and all day on the weekends, aside from Sunday mornings when they are at church.
The boys swelled with pride as talked about their how their efforts have started to pay off.
"It makes me really proud because I have my own responsibilities, and I can buy whatever I want instead of having to nag my parents all the time and stress them out over the material things," said Dale."I feel proud about myself that I don't have to do any illegal things just to make money,” Kortney said. “I have a fair way."
"I just like that I don't have to nag my parents, I've got my own money now and I can buy what I want," said Jaheim.
When school lets out for summer break, Dale, Jaheim, and Kortney will be ready to tackle more jobs.
Call Rake Bros Association to speak with them at 662-528-0492 or 662-571-4581.
