On February 26, 2020, I discussed my impending retirement and my work history. Selling water at age 4; peddling Kool Aid on the golf course; working summers at a Boy Scout camp age 14-18; and working in our family factory. Then there was “Scott’s Lawn Service” When I was about 10, I hoofed around the neighborhood soliciting weekly lawn mowing gigs. I cut grass and offered a snow shoveling service in the winter. I passed out pencils marked “Scott’s Lawn Service.” I charged $1.50 for cutting grass but one generous neighbor gave me two bucks every week. I started the mower on my own, filled it with gasoline and shut it down “after work.” A couple other guys in the ‘hood also cut lawns. And then there were paper boys. . . . .

I’m not sure what work opportunities or initiatives there are for young people today. I do see a lot of high schoolers serving as camp counselors and I think that’s a great opportunity – to learn and earn. As to “Scott’s Lawn Service,” we now have landscaping services that handle the lawns, cars that deliver the newspapers and snow shoveling crews that arrive with snow blowers and shovels. That said, given my retirement, if I ever need a few bucks, I may have some pencils printed . . . .