MIS pupil Jack Brown has raised more than $2000 to buy his school new playground equipment through a series of singing videos. PHOTO/ELI HILL
Eli Hill
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Forget baking raffles or door to door chocolate sales – renditions of Bob Marley, Lady Gaga and Maroon 5 have helped one Masterton Intermediate School pupil raise more than $2000 for his school.
As part of his school’s fun run fundraiser, 10-year-old Jack Brown uploaded a video of himself singing Shallows by Lady Gaga to schoolfundraising.co.nz, then asked people to donate.
“It took off – I started getting lots of money, like I got $400 and then I posted a video of me singing Sunday Morning by Maroon 5, after that I was aiming for $700.
“My friends were nudging me on and telling me to go good.”
Then came Brown’s piece de resistance – a video of himself, his family, a babysitter, his neighbours, his music teacher, and dad’s workmates singing Three Little Birds by Bob Marley.
From there, the year seven said things had taken off.
“A random person that we don’t know the name of donated $535. I thought that was pretty cool.
“Just heaps of people were donating money – my parents were really proud.”
Brown’s fundraiser is part of the school’s ‘fun run’ where MIS is looking to raise $40,000 for new playground and sports equipment as well as items for the classroom.
As of 4pm on Thursday, Brown who has ambitions to become a singer and professional Lego builder, had raised just over $2100, with five days still to go.
“I thought it would be a good thing to do for the school and the community. It’ll give everyone here more opportunities and we can get new stuff on the playground.
“Our deadline is March 12, that’s when we have the fun run and we’re just trying to raise as much money as we can before then.”
Teacher and fundraiser co-ordinator Juliet Stewart said Brown’s effort was the school’s first singing video fundraiser.
“I wasn’t expecting this at all. Each child is encouraged to fundraise, but Jack went over and above. He aimed for $1000 and doubled that.
“I’m planning to send his video to the national fundraising manager. If everyone’s doing what Jack’s doing we’ll have no trouble reaching our $40,000 goal.”
To see the videos and a link to the fundraising page, go to Jack’s mother’s Facebook page: facebook.com/nicole.brown.9081
