Bernie Sanders’ Viral Meme Turned into a Cute Doll Fetches $40,000 in Online Auction for Charity
A week past the US Presidential Inauguration Day and Senator Bernie Sanders is still the most important highlight from the historic day. Memes of viral ‘Grumpy Bernie’ has still not stopped ruling the social media. In a beneficial outcome, a crocheted doll of the seated Bernie has fetched a large sum for charity during an online auction.
The doll is the exact copy of Bernie Sanders from that moment, sporting an average-guy’s green jacket with over-sized woolen mittens while sitting on a chair. It has now raised a sum of $40,000 on an eBay auction and the maker of it has pledged 100 per cent of the profits to the charity.
Tobey King decided to make the doll and sell it following Sander’s initiative of selling some hoodies with his meme printed on it, and then donating the entire amount to Meals on Wheels Vermont, which caters to elderly people. King too, decided to do the same.
“With the attention it was getting I was hopeful Meals on Wheels would get a good donation,” King said in a report by CNN.
On Sunday, the starting bid for the handmade doll was only 99 cents, which eventually got 167 bids by Tuesday and the winning bid went up till $20,300, ultimately closing it at $40,000.
Sanders reportedly has been an advocate for Meals on Wheels for a long time, and it is “incredible” to see how his actions have influenced many others to come forward for the charity, noted Jenny Young from Meals on Wheels.
The 9-inch crocheted doll took Tobey seven hours to make. The mother of two has been crocheting for eight years and she patterned it off on an earlier Sander’s doll, by adding few more details.
ALSO READ: Bernie Sanders is Showing up in Odd Places after His Inauguration Day Mittens Went Viral
Senator Sanders grumpy chic look is all over and as it seems, Sanders’ campaign team is already set on putting the trend to good use.
The Bernie campaign website has launched sweatshirts that have the iconic picture of the socialist Democrat leader. The product is described as Chairman Sanders Crewneck which is priced at $45. The unisex clothing is made of combed ring spun organic cotton fleece and all the proceeds from the product goes to Meals on Wheels, Vermont. Sanders has announced to give the money from the sweatshirts to charity. The kind of leader the world needs indeed!
Recently in an interview, the photographer behind this iconic Bernie look opened up about his thoughts around this entire meme fest. However, he said that the picture itself was not that nice. “It’s not a great composition. I’m not going to be putting this in a portfolio,” he remarked.