Crocheted doll of Bernie Sanders meme raises $40,000 for charity

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders sit socially distanced as he attends the Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. January 20, 2021. Caroline Brehman/Pool via REUTERS

Tobey King used a little yarn, a crochet needle and some inspiration from Bernie Sanders to create a crocheted doll version of the Vermont senator and raise $40,000 for charity.

After photographs began circulating on social media of Sanders wearing a parka and a pair of mittens at U.S. President Joe Biden’s inauguration, King sprang into action.

“On Inauguration Day, when I saw that that meme was trending, I said, ‘Oh, I’m going to go get that pattern, I’m going to modify it real quick to make it look like his inauguration outfit,'” said King, 46, of Corpus Christi, Texas.

“I made that in about seven hours,” she said.

King later decided to sell the doll on eBay to benefit Meals on Wheels after a friend told her Sanders was selling sweatshirts with the meme to raise money for the charity.

“He’s so down-to-earth and just really somebody that I admire for his goal of really trying just to help people. It’s very inspiring,” said King.

Bidders pounced, garnering a price of $20,300, and eBay pitched in to match the sale price for a total of $40,600.

King, whose husband lost his job to the COVID-19 pandemic, said she has been selling dolls to help her family make ends meet.

“We’re all struggling in 2020,” she said.

“For me… the best thing to do is just start to try and help others. It really makes a difference.”