The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Opinion

July 11, 2010

Good Samaritan turned away for fear of lawsuit

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---- — Corn wasn't the only thing that was “knee-high by the Fourth of July” this year. So was the grass in some neighborhood yards, and incredibly at some area armed services facilities as well.

A recent front page photo in The Herald showed that grass was extremely high at the Pendel-Caminiti Army Reserve Center in Farrell. A center spokesman said there was no money to pay the company usually hired to cut the grass. Supposedly, the center used up its maintenance funds for snow removal last winter.

The office of Rep. Jason Altmire intervened and eventually the grass was cut by a private firm. However, that’s not the full story.

Seeing the photo in the paper, a former Marine grabbed his lawn mower, went to the center and started cutting the grass. A Good Samaritan, so to speak.

The guy deserved a medal. But what did he get? He got a visit from the police, who were called to stop the volunteer.

The center supposedly was concerned about liability if the good-deed-doer were injured.

First of all, we need to question why the reservists don’t cut their own grass. Yes, we understand that at times they are called to active duty. And we all appreciate their service. But when they are simply sitting around at the reserve center doing nothing — inactive duty if you will — why can’t they cut the grass themselves?

One reservist who talked with The Herald said he would have welcomed the grass-cutting to help pass the time at the center.

Why do taxpayers foot the bill for reserves and also have to pay a private company to cut the grass? If reservists can cook and maintain vehicles, surely they can run a lawn mower.

While we’re on that, why not buy a detachable plow that can be mounted on an Army vehicle to plow the center parking lot in the winter?

That said, we need to give credit to that former Marine who again wanted to provide a service for his country — and for neighbors of the reserve center.

There is a need for volunteer grass-cutters everywhere, not just at reserve centers. Local communities are besieged by complaint calls from residents about unkempt yards in their neighborhoods. Because of absentee landlords and abandoned properties, the grass and weeds get extremely unruly.

Unfortunately, local municipalities, especially in the Shenango Valley, are strapped for cash. They have cut back on maintenance crews and can hardly keep up with mowing city or borough properties.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, today it also takes a village to cut the grass.

If we can have neighborhood watches to help curb crime in city blocks, we also can have neighborhood cooperation to cut the grass on vacant properties. If people take turns, it really isn’t that big of a challenge.

You can bet that your municipal leaders, as well as neighbors, would welcome the effort. Just don’t get hurt and file a lawsuit against the property owner.

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