Gary's Mower Shop

ORANGEVALE people helping ORANGEVALE business! We have been using Gary’s Mower Shop in Orangevale for the past 30 years, and have always gotten great service for yard equipment repairs. They’ve been in business for 33 years. Yes, I’ve seen some recent negative posts on Yelp in recent months, but listen to what I have to say. About a month ago I dropped my air blower off there (9357 Greenback Lane, Suite 10) for repair. Today I went in to see if it was ready, and a young man (probably high school age) asked how he could help me. I gave him my ticket stub, and he went to look for it. When he came back, his head was lowered with eyes to the ground, and he told me that he hadn’t been able to get to it yet. I could tell he felt very bad. Of course, at first I thought what crummy service that was, and asked why it wasn’t ready after a month. With eyes downcast, he said he was 3 months behind, and trying to catch up. I asked if he was the only one working there, and where was the owner? He confirmed that he was the only one there doing repairs, and the owner hadn’t been able to come in lately. So I told him I would wait for a phone call. I walked to my car, but something told me to go back and ask how I could help. Me...a middle-aged woman. But my heart told me there was more going on. So I walked back in and asked the young mans name, and he told me it was Daniel. I asked if there was anything I could do to help, and I could tell he was trying not to get emotional, and was very sad and overwhelmed. Daniel told me that the owner of the business was battling cancer and the business was 4 months behind in rent. In addition, he had no one else to help him repair the lawn care equipment. He said his first concern was to find someone else to come in and help him with repairs. And the owner was not keeping the books up-to-date. Can you imagine the pressure and responsibility this young kid has had to carry? I finally asked him if he was related to the owner, and trying to fight back the tears he said “Yes,...he’s my dad.” So now the negative posts on Yelp make sense, right? An Orangevale business owner who is suffering and trying to keep his business afloat while he is battling cancer, and his young son thrown into an impossible position of being a store owner and a kid at the same time. I want to help. Do you? I need to do some more research just to check everything out, but if: 1) you have extra time (maybe retired) and have the skills to repair lawn mowers and other equipment, why not go in and see Daniel and tell him you saw this post, and want to help him. Hopefully you’ll donate your time to help him catch up on orders. 2) I am thinking of setting up a GoFundMe account for Gary’s Mower Shop, i.e. Daniel’s business. He is trying to be an adult and do right but he has no idea how to save his father’s business. I’d like your opinion about if I should, so we can take some of the pressure off this young man’s shoulders. I hate it that cancer is the cause of possibly taking another life AND ruining a young man’s hope and future. I want to do all that I can to stop it this time. LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS. Is there anyone that can help Daniel with repairs? And should I start a GoFundMe Page? Or is there any other information that I should know? ~ Kris