Now that spring is in full swing, it is time for yard workers across the country to fire up their equipment.
For those green thumbs who may have sat out the last lawn mowing season, the Auburn branch of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers held its 20th annual lawnmower clinic Saturday.
It is the organization's main fundraiser for the year.
The purpose of the clinic was for engineering students to repair lawnmowers, as opposed to instructing normal citizens how to repair the mowers themselves, which can be dangerous, or at least a big hassle.
Members of the club volunteered to help out at the clinic.
Professors were at the clinic to supervise and participate in fixing the mowers.
"Some of the professors in the department have done it for 20 years, so we have experts, I suppose," said ASABE President Jonah Taylor, senior in biosystems engineering.
Somebody realized early on there are a lot of people in need of having their lawnmowers serviced and this service was a good niche for the agricultural and biological engineers to fill, Taylor said.
ASABE charged $25 for maintenance, and offered a pick-up and delivery for an additional $10.
"It's very reasonable," said David Rohling, who dropped off his mower to be repaired. "Of course, not that I've priced checked it around town, though. I saw $25, and that's worth it."
Dennis Evans, who drops his mower off to be fixed each year, said he was pleased with the job members of ASABE have done in past years.
"The maintenance could be done on a specific lawnmower in 10 to 15 minutes," Taylor said. "But there are normally 100 mowers, so it's kind of first come, first serve."
Riding lawnmowers were unable to be fixed at the clinic.
They are harder to service because of their size, Taylorsaid.
Taylor said approximately 130 people came to have their lawnmowers repaired this year.
ASABE raised approximately $3,000 from the clinic.
The money raised by the event covers operational costs for performing the maintenance. It also helps cover the initial capital or start-up costs for service projects members want to do throughout the year, Taylor said.
ASABE will be holding another clinic at the beginning of March next year.
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