He went from six Instagram followers to raising more than $300,000 with one bowl for Ukraine.
Gabriel Clark's woodworking hobby just became very, very cool.
One of the tough things about being middle-school-aged is that interests and hobbies that are cool to everyone who isn't middle-school-aged are often seen as not cool by your peers. Unfortunately, that can lead a lot of kids to abandon things they love.
A dad who didn't want to see that happen inadvertently set off an avalanche of support and generosity when he tweeted about a lack of peer support for his son's woodworking hobby. Gabriel Clark, his 12-year-old son, has loved making things with wood since he was first handed his grandfather's hammer when he was 3 or 4 years old. "I've always had a real passion for it," Gabriel told PEOPLE, "and I've just taught myself everything I know."
Gabriel's father, Richard Clark, explained how sharing his son's struggles with his peers over his hobby blew up the internet over the past few weeks.
"Three weeks ago my youngest, Gabriel 12, came home upset," Clark wrote in a tweet on April 15. "His love of woodwork was not deemed cool, nor was only having 6 followers on his Instagram.
"His Dad was upset too. It's hard watching your children battling with life. But what to do? Mum wasn't around, so Dad, the impulsive fool that he is, instead reached out to the lovely people on Twitter. Maybe he could persuade some of them to follow his son?"
A wee thread about a young boy and the tweet that got away. Feel free to RT.\n\nThree weeks ago my youngest, Gabriel 12, came home upset. His love of woodwork was not deemed cool, nor was only having 6 followers on his instagram. 1/15pic.twitter.com/FRGQ6GCMzM — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034811 Clark's tweet on March 25 had read: "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. So I was wondering if any of you fancied giving him a boost and following him on instagram at clarkie_woodwork it would make his day. Thanks in advance and feel free to retweet!" Clark said his son was aiming for 60 followers. He was aiming for 60, the magic number in teen world when your instagram page is apparently no longer deemed an embarrassment. \n\nSo he posted the tweet and got on with cooking tea. 3/15\ninstagram - clarkie_woodwork — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034814 But very soon, Clark's Instagram follower count rocketed into the hundreds, then the thousands. When he woke up the next morning he had over 33,000 and still it kept going. By the end of the weekend he had over 225,000 and was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of kindness and support. 5/15 — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034815 Within days, that number had exploded to more than 225,000—and more than 20,000 orders for Gabriel's handmade bowls and chopping boards. But Gabriel was certain of one thing - he wanted to share the kindness. So instead of carving 20,000 bowls, he would carve just one special one - his #BowlForUkraine 7/15pic.twitter.com/IZznkQCebK — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034818 Knowing there was no way for him to fulfill that many orders—or anything even close to it—the young man decided to just make one special bowl to auction as a fundraiser for Ukraine. See on Instagram He created a bowl made of beech wood, which includes a blue band and a yellow band, reflecting the colors of the Ukrainian flag. See on Instagram The Clark family set up a Just Giving page with a goal of raising £5,000 and invited people to donate for a chance to win the bowl in a drawing. Within 24hrs of going live you wonderful, kind-hearted people once again blew our goal out of the water, donating over \u00a350,000!!!\n\nThe press got even more excited so Gabriel gave up a chunk of his holiday to run around doing interviews in the hope of raising even more. 9/15pic.twitter.com/xi2rtKTKyy — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034822 And as happened with Gabriel's Instagram following, the amount just kept growing and growing. But how it ends is up to you. It's your story. Certainly we could all pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Save the Children are already enormously grateful for the very real difference this money will make.\n\nBut what if there was another ending? 11/15\n#BlowForUkraine — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034825 With the increased giving came increased hope. "What if we threw caution to the wind and let go of our cynicism and really went for it?" Richard Clark wrote. "What if we blew this silly tale of a small boy and his bowl out of the water with a last swing shot around the moon?" He suggested people pool together to chip in and see if they could give the Save the Children Ukraine Appeal £100,000. We're all so tired of covid and war and division. What if we came together in one big, generous, soppy, silly last hurrah and we RT'd the shit out of this and all chipped in to give Save the Children \u00a3100,000?\n\nIsn't that the ending we should go for? 13/15\n#BowlForUkraine — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034826 And if you do want to follow a little lad making bowls, and other things from wood, feel free to follow on instagram: clarkie_woodwork\n\nHappy Easter to you all! 15/15pic.twitter.com/N6TUpen2a6 — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650034830 As it turned out, £100,000 was not only doable, but surpassable. As of April 16, they'd raised £150,000 and Gabriel shared a message of thanks. He's properly blown away. As we all are. Truly humbled by your generosity and with 24hrs still to go! Someone else better set a target as we're clearly rubbish at it! \nSo much incredible kindness out there. \nhttp://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bowlforukraine\u00a0\u2026\n#BowlForUkraine https://twitter.com/rclarkie/status/1514981921411026949\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/cK5Tm5BNLy — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650106159 The drawing was held, but it still wasn't over. The Ukraine bowl has now gone to a donor somewhere south of where the Clarks live… And so we come to the end of our little tale of the boy, his bowl and the tweet that jumped the fence.\nThe #BowlForUkraine is off on new adventures, journeying South, but remaining in this fair land. 1/7pic.twitter.com/FibQjge7Fh — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650290654 …but the Clarks decided to keep the fundraiser open a little bit longer, as people moved by Gabriel's story were still wanting to donate. Save The Children pass on their immense thanks and gratitude for all that you have done. Lives, children's lives, will be made immeasurably better because of you, and, in some cases, saved. That is no small thing. 3/7pic.twitter.com/POeJLXZyuk — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650290656 With Gabriel's Instagram following blossoming to 250,000, it only seems fitting that the fundraiser should push for £250,000. Is is just me or can others see the stirrings of destiny in these numbers? \nOf a young boy, who, not three weeks ago, had but 6 followers and now has 250,000... Of a fundraiser still inching up and now on \u00a3243,599... 5/7pic.twitter.com/YbRZXmkqoy — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650290658 As of the writing of this article, it's at £246,711 (over $320,872). Clark said the fundraiser will stay open until Saturday. "It's all too much. I need to sleep," Richard Clark wrote. "I leave everything to you. RT if you wish. Or not. You've all done more than enough. The fundraiser closes on Saturday regardless. Tread kindly good people and bless you all." Social media really can be used for good, friends. It's all too much. I need to sleep. I leave everything to you. RT if you wish. Or not. You've all done more than enough. The fundraiser closes on Saturday regardless. \nTread kindly good people and bless you all. 7/7http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bowlforukraine\u00a0\u2026 — Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Richard R Clark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650290659
Clark's tweet on March 25 had read: "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. So I was wondering if any of you fancied giving him a boost and following him on instagram at clarkie_woodwork it would make his day. Thanks in advance and feel free to retweet!"
Clark said his son was aiming for 60 followers.
But very soon, Clark's Instagram follower count rocketed into the hundreds, then the thousands.
Within days, that number had exploded to more than 225,000—and more than 20,000 orders for Gabriel's handmade bowls and chopping boards.
Knowing there was no way for him to fulfill that many orders—or anything even close to it—the young man decided to just make one special bowl to auction as a fundraiser for Ukraine.
He created a bowl made of beech wood, which includes a blue band and a yellow band, reflecting the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
The Clark family set up a Just Giving page with a goal of raising £5,000 and invited people to donate for a chance to win the bowl in a drawing.
And as happened with Gabriel's Instagram following, the amount just kept growing and growing.
With the increased giving came increased hope.
"What if we threw caution to the wind and let go of our cynicism and really went for it?" Richard Clark wrote. "What if we blew this silly tale of a small boy and his bowl out of the water with a last swing shot around the moon?"
He suggested people pool together to chip in and see if they could give the Save the Children Ukraine Appeal £100,000.
As it turned out, £100,000 was not only doable, but surpassable. As of April 16, they'd raised £150,000 and Gabriel shared a message of thanks.
The drawing was held, but it still wasn't over. The Ukraine bowl has now gone to a donor somewhere south of where the Clarks live…
…but the Clarks decided to keep the fundraiser open a little bit longer, as people moved by Gabriel's story were still wanting to donate.
With Gabriel's Instagram following blossoming to 250,000, it only seems fitting that the fundraiser should push for £250,000.
As of the writing of this article, it's at £246,711 (over $320,872). Clark said the fundraiser will stay open until Saturday.
"It's all too much. I need to sleep," Richard Clark wrote. "I leave everything to you. RT if you wish. Or not. You've all done more than enough. The fundraiser closes on Saturday regardless. Tread kindly good people and bless you all."
Social media really can be used for good, friends.
Whatever gets us from A to B, right?
That first car is a rite of passage into adulthood. Specifically, the hard-earned lesson of expectations versus reality. Though some of us are blessed with Teslas at 17, most teenagers receive a car that’s been … let’s say previously loved. And that’s probably a good thing, considering nearly half of first-year drivers end up in wrecks. Might as well get the dings on the lemon, right?
Of course, wrecks aside, buying a used car might end up costing more in the long run after needing repairs, breaking down and just a general slew of unexpected surprises. But hey, at least we can all look back and laugh.
My first car, for example, was a hand-me-down Toyota of some sort from my mother. I don’t recall the specific model, but I definitely remember getting into a fender bender within the first week of having it. She had forgotten to get the brakes fixed … isn’t that a fun story?
Jimmy Fallon recently asked his “Tonight Show” audience on Twitter to share their own worst car experiences. Some of them make my brake fiasco look like cakewalk (or cakedrive, in this case). Either way, these responses might make us all feel a little less alone. Or at the very least, give us a chuckle.
Here are 22 responses with the most horsepower:
"1985 champagne Ford Taurus. Front and back license plates said 'Bernie'. Everyone who rode signed the roof lining. Brittany Spears sticker on the hood. Orange scuff marks lining the side from taking out rows of plastic construction barrels, on purpose." – @StaufferJacob85
Not sure I see the problem here. Clearly that car was work of art.
"My car in high school had a hole in the gas tank, but it was near the top, so you only had to worry about it if you put in more than $7 worth of gas." – @jimmyfallon
"Our son’s first car has electric doors. They often malfunction and open / close at random when he’s parked. He has to time it just right as he dives in and out or he gets stuck!" – @Sohnzie
"The sunroof blew off of #myworstcar the first time I drove it on the highway. I duct taped a piece of plexiglass over the hole & that was the roof for the next 2 years. The electrical system shorted out from water getting in and the alarm would go off randomly and the radio froze." – @hopesstillmedia
"2 months after my Uncle 'got it checked by a mechanic,' the transmission went out. Over the years, the alternator broke down twice, the air conditioner, the serpentine belt, the brakes... I could go on. I think I should get a refund for the $1 gave my uncle." – @rednicknack
"The 1st car I drove in the 80s was a Chevy Chevette in high school. It didn’t have 2nd gear so you had to go from 1st to 3rd. The driver’s seat was broken so we had a short 2x4 wedged between the back of the seat and the floor in the back." – @englishteacher8
"I drove a 98 ford ranger in high school that could only go 45 mph before it started back firing. When you got up to 46, people thought you were performing a drive by shooting. Got stopped by the cops a few times for it." – @amylynnfish
"My mom owned a 1992 Chrysler LeBaron, and its car radio all of a sudden stopped working. So whenever my mom wanted to listen to the 'radio', I had to do all the radio sound effects and static noise, sing random songs and commercial jingles, and recite ad voiceovers." – @DulceFloCruz99
"2004 Honda Civic Coup. where to begin? the muffler that would fall off every couple miles, the ac that never worked, break pad that fell into my hand or the fact only one of the vehicle's TWO doors would open?!" – @moshimotions
"I learned to drive a stick car in '86 on a '76 VW Rabbit. There was a hole in the floor near the shift. I always felt like Fred Flintstone and if I had a problem I could just use my feet!" – @AnnMcD87
"I had a 91 Acura and it had some alternator problem where it would not start if it was hot (I lived in Pasadena at the time) so it was hot a lot. In my 21 year old mind, I decided to not fix the problem, just park the car on a slope wherever I went so I could start it." – @astovesand
"My first car, a maroon Mitsubishi Colt Vista, had a nest of bees living in both the driver and passenger side doors." – @BrnSkr
"My car in college always overheated and broke down in the same place going up a mountain. I often had to drive in front of a sign that said 'Kentucky prison ahead, please do not pick up hitchhikers.'” – @HancockTraci
"My first car when I was 17 had a hole in the pipe that takes the petrol to the tank, I’d put 30 in but average around 15 that made it to the tank if I was lucky. When I drop into the forecourt I would get the “get the f#c@n sand bucket ready” eye roll of the cashier." – @asalllas
"My first car was a 1981 gold Honda civic station wagon called the Jesus-mobile because it had one of those fish stickers on the back and would leak water and make a whine noise." – @KyleKerouac
Oops #MyWorstCar pic.twitter.com/K0a6BVJQBL
"My first car was a Corvair. It had many issues, but the worst was when the motor mounts broke without warning and the engine literally fell out into the street while I was driving." – @styllpoint
"I stapled a tie die tapestry to the roof of the interior and it fell down while my mom was backing out of the driveway and she hit the mailbox." – @JDylanNYC
"I had a Toyota that was 4 different colors. Had replacement parts on it but couldn't afford to get it painted. It had a cracked distributor cap so every time it rained, I had to take it apart to dry it out so the car would start." – @kmacassar
"#Myworstcar was an Acura that my dad bought at the police auction. He made me deep clean it and something suspiciously blood-colored came up from the back carpet." – @KatieKlauss
"In HS I had a 1970 Ford Maverick. Every time I turned left in the summertime, the AC drain drained into the passenger floorboard. Well-placed coffee cans caught most of the water." – @saxmelody
"My Brother and I had to get out and walk to the top of steep hills on family trips because our car was so underpowered." – @Sohnzie
Companies and organizations are on the side of their employees in light of stricter abortion laws.
The leak from the Supreme Court about overturning Roe v. Wade caused many people with uteruses to go into a tailspin. People began scheduling appointments for long-term birth control. Some opted for permanent birth control. Others stocked up on Plan B or called in preemptive prescriptions for the abortion pill mifepristone. In addition to making tangible plans for what the future might hold in some of these trigger states, people took to the streets to make their voices heard. Protests were held across America against the proposed overturning of Roe v. Wade, which protects people’s right to abortion under the 14th Amendment.
People are also organizing over social media. They’re helping locate nonprofits that will help cover the cost of travel from a restricted state to states where abortion will remain legal. Secret Facebook groups are popping up to help arrange transportation and accommodations for those who need access to safe reproductive care. People are coming together in ways you see in movies, all in an effort to prevent inevitable deaths that would occur if people attempt home abortions. It’s both heartwarming and heart-wrenching that this is something that needs to be done at all. It doesn’t stop with determined activists and housewives across the country, this fiery spirit has reached corporations as well.
Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Tesla have all announced they will be reimbursing employees for travel expenses incurred while seeking abortion services, and, without taking an official stance on the law itself, Salesforce has offered to help relocate any employee who wants to move out of Texas in light of Texas' Senate Bill 8. Uber and Lyft said they will cover any legal fees for drivers who are sued due to Oklahoma's new law that would allow citizens to sue someone that helped another person secure an abortion.
Starbucks is the latest large company to throw its metaphorical hat in the ring to help its employees get safe reproductive care. The coffee company isn’t new to championing its employees’ civil rights through its policies and insurance plans. Starbucks’ insurance plans have covered gender-affirming care, including gender reassignment surgery, since 2012.
The insurance plan offered through Starbucks covers the travel expenses for its employees and their dependents. The benefit is available if the employee or enrolled dependent has to travel more than 100 miles from their home to receive the appropriate reproductive care. While Starbucks hasn’t worked out all the details, the move will allow employees to have a sense of control over what happens with their bodies.
Resources to help people get safe access to abortions are popping up in some unexpected places. In addition to larger companies and nonprofits providing assistance, a group of volunteer pilots has created an organization called Elevated Access to fly people seeking the procedure to an unrestricted state free of charge. Currently there are about 50 pilot volunteers.
If you live in a state that has a trigger law that will go into effect immediately if Roe v. Wade is overturned, you should become familiar with organizations like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. Midwesterners should know about Midwest Access Coalition, which provides travel, accommodations, food, childcare, medicine and emotional support for people traveling to, from and within the Midwest. ARC Southeast helps people in the southern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee with funds for the procedure as well as rides, accommodations and escorting to the clinic. Kentucky Health Justice Network provides procedure funding, travel support and interpretation services for Kentucky clients seeking care, no matter where they have to travel.
While the future of abortion access may seem bleak, organizations, companies and regular people are providing guideposts for people who may find themselves in a situation where these services are needed.
If you know how to fix this tape, you grew up in the 1990s.
There are a lot of reasons to feel a twinge of nostalgia for the final days of the 20th century. Rampant inflation, a global pandemic and political unrest have created a sense of uneasiness about the future that has everyone feeling a bit down.
There’s also a feeling that the current state of pop culture is lacking as well. Nobody listens to new music anymore and unless you’re into superheroes, it seems like creativity is seriously missing from the silver screen.
But, you gotta admit, that TV is still pretty damn good.
A lot of folks feel Americans have become a lot harsher to one another due to political divides, which seem to be widening by the day due to the power of the internet and partisan media.
Given today's feeling of malaise, there are a lot of people who miss the 1990s or, as some call it, “the best decade ever.” Why? The 1990s was economically prosperous, crime was on its way down after the violent ’70s and ’80s, and pop culture was soaring with indie films, grunge rock and hip-hop all in their golden eras.
The rest of the world was feeling hopeful as globalization brought prosperity and Communism fell in Europe and Asia.
The mood in America would swiftly change at the turn of the century when the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 and the 2001 9/11 attacks would lead to the never-ending "war on terror."
A Reddit user by the name purplekat20 was clearly feeling some ’90s nostalgia on May 16 when they asked the online forum to share “What ’90s trend would you bring back?” A lot of people noted that it was a lot cheaper to get by in the ’90s, especially considering gas and rent prices. Others missed living in the real world instead of having one foot in reality and the other online.
Here are 17 things people would love to bring back from the 1990s.
"Inflatable furniture and transparent electronics." — Dabbles-In-Irony
To which HowardMoo responded: "I hate this despair thing that's all the rage these days. I miss optimism."
"The '90s web was the best web. People actually made their own home pages. Now it's all social media." — IBeTrippin
"Ninety nine cent per gallon gas." — Maxwyfe
"The 'mean people suck' statement everywhere. People seemed generally a lot happier and kinder back then. It was a nice reminder to be kind." — simplyintentional
"Being detached. Not being attached to an electronic gadget every minute of every day." — SuperArppis
"Calling fake-ass people 'poser.' The state of social media and 'reality' tv demands that this word be taken out of retirement." — rumpusbutnotwild
"I want movies to be the same caliber as '90s." — waqasnaseem07
Cremmitquada nailed it on the head with their response, "Everything has been redone. It's all recycled ideas now."
"Pants that didn't have to be super-tight to be in style." — chad-beer-316
"People really expressing themselves. Very few people take any risks with style anymore, or they do something 'different' that's just enough to still conform. In the '80s and '90s there were people doing crazy things with hair and piercing and just didn't give a fuck. I don't think I'll ever see that come back." — FewWill
"Great animated TV. Spongebob started in the 90s (99 but it counts), Hey Arnold, X-Men, Batman, Justice League, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Boomerang cartoons... the list goes on." — Phreedom Phighter
"Fast food restaurant interiors." — Glum-Leg-1886
"Hypercolor shirts and neon puff paint designs on t-shirts. But here in a few months, that'll be changed to abortion and voting rights, probably." — TheDoctorisen
"News that was news instead of rage bait." — nmj95123
"We had a stable country with a vigorous economy. In fact, we drew a budget surplus some of those years." — jeremyxt