Reader's Digest salutes St. Pete's 'mowing mailman'

By Lane DeGregory, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Apr 17, 2008 02:03 PM

Mailman Eric Wills, 30, wears a large smile after drinking a nice cold drink supplied by a concerned neighbor after cutting Clifford Andrew's lawn. It took Wills more than an hour to cut the yard that Andrew says is the same size as five lots. For the last two years, Wills has been spending his days off mowing older men's and women's yards for free.
	[WILLIE J. ALLEN JR. | Times (2007)]

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St. Petersburg mailman Eric Wills stands smiling beside his lawnmower in the latest edition of Reader's Digest.

The 31-year-old St. Petersburg native, who delivers letters along a 10-mile route through the city, was named one of the "Best of America" in the May issue, which hit the stands on Tuesday. His title: "Best Special Delivery."

Wills' story was first told in an Dec. 11 story in the St. Petersburg Times. Two years ago, after noticing overgrown lawns on his route, he started mowing them for free for elderly and infirm customers. Today, he mows 18 lawns for free. (Click here to read the story.)

After the story ran, readers sent him $3,500 for gas. Others donated a riding mower and trailer.

Wills does not receive any money for the Reader's Digest recognition, but his photo appears in the more than 80-million copies of the magazine, which circulates in 21 countries.