With his custom bowl, this 12-year-old raised $325,000 for Ukrainian kids
Gabriel Clark found a way to combine his woodworking skills with his sense of philanthropy.
The 12-year-old lives in Cumbria, England, and has been making bowls and other objects since he first picked up his grandfather's hammer as a young child. Clark spends hours a day on his creations, which he has been selling to raise money for a mountain bike. His dad, television and film director Richard Clark, tweeted about his son's bowls and shared his Instagram account, and soon the tween had thousands of new followers and orders.
With all this attention now on him, Gabriel decided to make a bowl to raffle off, with all donations going to Save the Children to help kids in Ukraine. The bowl had blue and yellow rings, as a nod to the Ukrainian flag, and Gabriel's initial goal was to raise £5,000 ($6,378). He surpassed that number almost immediately, and as of Monday, he has raised £255,000 ($325,217). The raffle winner was announced last weekend, but donations continued to come in.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Gabriel told BBC News he was "blown away" by the response, and the money will be used by Save the Children to "provide more support to kids who've been impacted by the conflict with things like food, water, a safe place to sleep." His decision to help other kids in need came as no surprise to his mom, Teresa McCann Clark, who told People: "The main thing about Gabriel, he's got a really, really big heart. He's talented, he's creative, but more than anything, he's got a big heart."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Is the Gaza war tearing US university campuses apart?
Today's Big Question Protests at Columbia University, other institutions, pit free speech against student safety
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
DOJ settles with Nassar victims for $138M
Speed Read The settlement includes 139 sexual abuse victims of the former USA Gymnastics doctor
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 Grammys
Speed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published