Lawnmower man cuts across the state for charity

Sometimes traffic is slow because there’s an accident ahead.

Other times it’s because a lawnmower is making its way down the highway at a top speed of 12 mph.

On Thursday, April 8, if you were driving westbound on West Colonial Drive during the day, chances are you saw Chip Hawthorne cruising steadily on his Toro Z Master 4000 — talking nonstop on a Facebook Live feed and, more importantly, raising money for West Orange Habitat for Humanity.

So far, more than $12,000 has been collected.

Hawthorne — service department manager at Winter Garden’s Main Street Mower, the event sponsor — started the 130-mile journey on West Colonial in Titusville and ended in Spring Hill.

“It was a really fun day,” Hawthorne said of the Mowathon. “I was there with my brother and some of my coworkers. … We woke up around 4 a.m. … We knew what we had to do, and we all had our roles, we had some guys fueling it all and some guys driving support vehicles.”

The weather also cooperated all day.

“It went off without a hitch,” he said. “Traffic was light, all of our escorts met us when we were supposed to. … The craziest thing was being on camera for 13 hours and 45 minutes of live stream; just being interactive and on point the whole time, (especially) during stressful situations. At one point, you’re on busy roads and cars are whizzing by. We were safe and kept traffic moving.”

Hawthorne called the Mowathon a unifying event because it brought together his family and friends; the family business, Main Street Mower, owned by his parents, Stan and Sherri Hawthorne; Habitat; and the community.

RUNNIN’ DOWN A DREAM

The Mowathon started as a dream of Hawthorne’s to drive down Highway 50, but he didn’t know if it was legal or even possible. After talking to the marketing team at Toro — and being told he could make it happen if he did it for charity — he was even more motivated to see it through.

He researched charitable organizations and decided to support the local Habitat affiliate.

“I couldn’t be happier with my choice,” Hawthorne said. “I hope a lot of people go out and help Habitat in any way. It’s a great place to reinvest in your community, and it goes to helping people. It really gave the project meaning.”

As Hawthorne cruised down the highway, friends drove by, honking and yelling out their windows. People lined the sidewalk at times just to catch a video or photo of “the lawnmower man.”

“Even in the middle of nowhere, like Tarrytown, people were saying (on Facebook), ‘Look to your right,’ and they were in their backyard waving,” he said.

Viewers continuously popped on and off his Facebook Live feed, he said, taking it to about 10,000 views in the first four hours of his ride.

Hawthorne started with a full tank of gas in Titusville and a support vehicle filled with extra tires, hoses and other necessary items on hand just in case. He stopped at Main Street Mower for lunch with his family, including his four children, before heading out again.

So far, more than $10,000 has been raised on the GoFundMe website; Hawthorne collected another $2,000 in checks donated along the route. Two businesses, Wesco Turf and Forest Stump, donated $1,000 as corporate sponsors.

Businesses donated in other ways, too, he said. Florida Metal Craft built a selfie stick to hold his phone for his live feed, the Original Sign Factory in Ocoee donated the wrap for the support trailer, and Embroidery Magic donated the shirt he rode on the ride.

Hawthorne is thrilled with the way the entire day turned out.

“It was unifying for our town and our business,” he said. “I hope a lot of people go out and help Habitat in any way.”

“We are so happy to work with our partner, Main Street Mower, on this unique event,” said Marilyn Hattaway, executive director of West Orange Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families build affordable homes. “They're a family-run business that specializes in selling and servicing landscaping equipment, but they are so much more than that. They have shown how much they care about our community and affordable housing for hard-working neighbors.”

Main Street Mower was started in 1994 by Stan and Sherri Hawthorne. Chip Hawthorne and his brother, Stu Hawthorne, are sixth-generation West Orange County residents and work for the company. Stu Hawthorne runs the sales department.

MAKE A DONATION

Visit mowathon.com for a link to the GoFundMe page, to hear the Mowathon song and to watch videos created prior to the Mowathon. Hawthorne said the event video will be posted once it is edited.

Donation perks vary.

For $1 or $5, donors receive Main Street Mower’s “undying love and admiration” and a shoutout on social media “for being totally rad.” For higher amounts, donors get a Mowathon bumper sticker, event T-shirt, personal thank-you call from Hawthorne, their names on the website’s Wall of Legends and a digital copy of the “Main Street Mowathon” theme song written by Seth Kaye.

Those who donated $1,000 prior to the event were named official sponsors, got their company logo printed on the support trailer that escorted Hawthorne down the highway and received all the other items.

MOWATHON LYRICS

Ridin’ down the highway, doin’ 12 miles per hour.

I’ve got 31 Kawasaki horsepower.

Three blades like the samurai, catch me cuttin’ in a straight line

Over every county line

East to the west coast under 15 hours!

That’s power.

Hey (hey!) hey you

Cn you imagine all the good we could do

If we just go out on the road, raised some money for a home

That turns a life into a dream come true!

Saddle up your favorite Toro and call your local Florida Man.

At Main Street Mower that’s what we do!

In a day (day!) It’s true.

Because what matters is what matters to you

And we’re coming your way.

Hey!