LAWN ORDER Landscaper overcomes, strives to be a cut above

Kenny Bledsoe is an alumnus
of Youngstown city schools’
defunct hearing impaired unit.

By ANGIE SCHMITT

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

SOME OF THE FINAL SIGNS THAT Rosalyn Kirkland’s father had fallen ill were the high grass and dandelions that began overwhelming his South Side lawn.

That’s when the family called Kenny Bledsoe for help.

Kirkland’s mother, Jean Bobo White, knew Bledsoe from her childhood in Struthers. Despite being stricken deaf by a high fever as an infant, Bledsoe was known around his hometown for his skills as a mechanic. Later he became a recognized figure around Youngstown as the result of his long career as a mail carrier.

Kirkland’s sister Rita Wilson knew Bledsoe was currently operating his own landscaping business. He and his five-man, all-deaf crew cut the lawns at Mill Creek Children’s Center, where Wilson is a registrar.

So, Bledsoe, 60, came by the house and returned order to the lawn.

Later, Kirkland wheeled her ailing father out to appraise the job.

“He put his thumb up,” she said, “said it looked nice.”

Clients increase

Today, the White household, where Kirkland’s mother still lives, is a permanent part of Bledsoe’s growing client base. Ken’s Lawn Service manages close to 50 residential and commercial customers across the Mahoning Valley, Bledsoe said through interpreter Dena Haren, his secretary.

In the White case, as in others, word of mouth has been kind to Bledsoe. His marketing strategy is wholly reliant on a set of business cards and his wide-ranging good reputation.

Ask him how many clients he has and he’ll reply, “Too many.”

“People know me,” he said. “They know I do a good job.”

“One day I’m going to get around to putting a sign on my truck.”

Hard work

When needed, Haren manages some communication aspects of the Ken’s Lawn Care. But Bledsoe’s strong speaking and lip-reading skills, and some help from text messaging, allow him to operate fairly independently. He manages his business in much the same way he managed his physical obstacle — with hard work and problem solving.

Bledsoe began speech therapy at the tender age of 3. His refined his speaking and lip-reading skills while attending the now-defunct hearing impaired unit of Youngstown city schools. While Bledsoe was enrolled, deaf students were forbidden from signing and forced to rely entirely on lip-reading and oral communication, he said.

“You have to listen really well, but you can understand what he’s saying,” Kirkland said. “And if not, he’ll write a note.”

Bledsoe’s speaking skills have earned him the honor of being named a “great communicator” by the local deaf community.

“I’m just like normal,” he said. “I have no problem [dealing] with people.”

Bledsoe fought a battle with the Youngstown Postal Service to be named the city’s first deaf mail carrier. He has also served as president of the Youngstown Deaf Club.

His four assistants are old friends from the hearing impaired unit. In winter, the crew plows snow.

Bledsoe also keeps busy maintaining and repairing his equipment. He moonlights in remodeling.

“He likes to keep busy,” Haren said. “He doesn’t like to sit.”

Dedication

Kirkland’s father, Jetson White, passed away a week after Bledsoe’s first visit. Soon the yard was again in need of taming, and Bledsoe was invited to return, Kirkland said.

The day before a memorial service was held at the home, Bledsoe and his crew arrived just as rain began to fall, Kirkland said

“Mom wanted the lawn done, just to have the property looking decent, in case anybody wanted to go outside,” she said.

Bledsoe apologized, and Kirkland assumed the lawn would have to wait. But when the storm had passed three hours later, Bledsoe and his crew reappeared, Kirkland said. He mowed the Whites’ lawn that Sunday night until 9, and everything was in order for the service the next day, Kirkland said.

The job helped Bledsoe gain a customer down the road, she said.

Another small milestone lends credence to Bledsoe’s favorite expression: Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.