Talented young singer gets family, friends and bricklayers to sing for fundraiser

Updated : 2019-03-14Source :
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Jack Brown wants to be in a band when he grows up. "Probably rap, rock and country," he says.But for now, the 10-year-old Masterton boy is using his talents and determination to raise money for his school, and he's already exceeded his target three times.He said raising the money, which is for a new playground at his school, Masterton Intermediate, was just something he wanted to be a part of.

Initially the plucky youngster set a goal to raise $400 towards the completion of the playground, and lent his formidable pipes to a version of Oscar-winning Lady Gaga song Shallow to encourage people to donate. And donate they did – meaning Jack had to bump up his goal just two days later, to $700. But fans weren't left wanting, as Jack posted another video, this time singing Maroon 5's 2002 hit song Sunday Morning.Again that goal was hit, so a new goal of $1000 was set and on Wednesday Jack produced his fundraising pièce de résistance. 

Cutting together contributions from far and near, Jack managed to get Dad (Jarrod Brown), brother Fynn, 8, and sister Polly, 4, to sing, on camera, a cover of Bob Marley song Three Little Birds. He also recruited his great grandmother, his babysitter, auntie, some neighbours, a classroom of kids from China and even Dad's bricklaying colleagues. By Wednesday night, Jack had single-handedly raised $1382.95.Jack would like to raise as much as he can for his school, and thought he could still raise $2800 before the March 12 deadline.Masterton Intermediate principal Russell Thompson said Jack was a "cool guy" with a "great attitude"."We're certainly proud of young Jack's efforts. It's an outstanding effort, individually."

Stages one and two of the playground redevelopment, which had been designed by students, were complete, but stage three required another $35,000. Thompson was hoping students would be able to raise $18,000 of that, with other funding sources coming through the the school's board of trustees. Nicole said she was "super proud" of what Jack had done, and Jarrod said his son could have "just done his afternoon of doorknocking and been done" but he had gone beyond that and shown grit."He got a whole lot of bricklayers to sing, so he's done pretty well."