12-Year-old makes wooden bowls to raise money for Ukrainian children

• A 12-year-old boy who sells woodcrafts has raised over $109,450 for Ukrainian children.
• He initially sold carved wooden bowls and cutting boards to save up for a mountain bike.
• Due to the overwhelming support he received, he decided to raise funds for Ukrainian children by holding a raffle. 

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Gabriel Clark was three or four years old when his mother gave him his grandfather’s hammer and he fell in love with carpentry.

Gabriel, now 12, tells PEOPLE: “I’ve always had a real passion for it, and I’ve just taught myself everything I know.”

The schoolboy from Cumbria, England, also has a natural desire to do good, which he put into action this spring.

Richard Clark, Gabriel’s father, tweeted on March 25 about his son’s workmanship and how he’d been putting money aside for a mountain bike by selling his carved wooden bowls and cutting boards. Gabriels’ Instagram (@clarkie woodwork) received thousands of orders for personalized bowls after the video went viral, and his following grew from 6 to over 200,000 in 48 hours.

Gabriel decided to make the most of his newfound fame by helping others. To raise money for Ukrainian children, the skilled young craftsman recently announced a raffle for one of his handcrafted bowls, which is engraved with a blue and yellow ring, the colors of Ukraine’s flag.

Gabriel has raised over $109,450 for Save the Children’s Ukraine rescue effort as of Friday morning.

This Sunday, April 17, a bowl raffle winner will be selected at random.

Gabriel set a goal of generating $6,500 through his raffle and says he’s very amazed by how well he accomplished it.

“I want to know that I can make other children’s lives better by doing a little bit of something in my own life,” Gabriel says.

It all began when Gabriel told his father on Friday, March 25, that he was feeling a “bit down.”

Lovely twitter people – I don't know how many of you are also #instagram users but I'm looking for a wee favour. I've a 12yr old who loves woodwork. He spends hours on his lathe making bowls and creating chopping boards which he's sells to save up for a mountain bike. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/Ny60rFf1TE— Richard R Clark 🇺🇦 (@rclarkie) March 25, 2022

“I asked dad if he could put something out on his Instagram or Twitter. He put out a bit of a tweet saying, ‘My son’s a little bit sad. Can you go support him by following his Instagram?’ And instantly, it completely blew up,” Gabriel shared.

Gabriel received almost 20,000 orders within minutes of his father’s posting. He said he came up with the Bowl for Ukraine raffle as gratitude for the support he received. 

Gabriel’s mother, Teresa McCann Clark, 53, also an artist, says her son’s talented and creative, but more importantly, he’s got a big heart.

To keep up with Gabriel’s Bowl for Ukraine raffle, go to the fundraiser’s website.

Source: People