If you've spent time with a child in the last 20 years -- or God help you, tried to walk across a carpet in the dark after a little one has been playing with their tiny plastic toys -- you're familiar with the Lego Group, which was founded in 1932 and has since gone on to become one of the biggest playtime companies in the world.
Over the years, they've created thousands of different models, including figures and sets based on Disney movies and characters, "Star Wars," "Harry Potter," "Batman," and many more.
Even though it's an unofficial release, folk hero and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is now getting his own version of the toy, along with a Molotov cocktail Lego.
The products were created by Citizen Brick, an independent retailer based out of Chicago, which has raised over $16,000 for Ukraine relief efforts amid the ongoing war with Russia.
Zelensky's figure is being sold on the website for $100, and it says in the product description that "all sales will be donated to charities supporting Ukrainian refugees."
"This is a special item created to help people in crisis. Thank you for your support," Citizen Brick added.
If you're interested in supporting the cause, but don't want to spend that much, the Molotov cocktail figure is only $20 on their website.
Citizen Brick said in their Facebook post about the products on March 4 that all proceeds would go towards Direct Relief, a Santa Barbara, CA-based nonprofit who has helped the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine by providing medical aid, according to CBS News.
The company followed up two days later and announced that they had sold out of Zelensky figures within 24 hours, and raised a total of $16,540 to help the people of Ukraine.
"A huge thank you to everyone who donated to yesterday's fundraiser for Ukraine. Through the sale of the President Zelenskyy minifigs (and Molotov Cocktails, which got our last post pulled down. Go figure.) we we able to raise $16,540!!! The entire amount was donated to @directrelief to assist their efforts to bring medical supplies to those in need," Citizen Brick said in the post.
"As you may have noticed, the minifigs sold out almost immediately. We made as many as possible in a frantic 24 hrs, with the CB crew coming in on their day off to print."
Then on March 16, Citizen Brick announced that they will be making another run of the Zelensky figures with the goal to raise $100,000.
"Due to overwhelming interest in supporting this charity campaign, we have arranged to produce another run of the Zelenskyy figures," Citzen Brick said. "Our hopes are to raise $100,000, all of which will be donated to @directrelief to support their efforts in providing medical supplies to Ukrainian refugees."
Citizen Brick was founded by artist Joe Trupia in 2010 who had a dream to "print his own wildly inappropriate unique designs" on the Lego toys we've all grown to love. Other creations besides Zelensky include characters from Breaking Bad, Sopranos, and a handful of others that official Lego probably wouldn't approve.
Related
Related
