Last month, a boy from South Surrey launched a fundraiser for The Happy Herd farm sanctuary in Aldergrove.
And last Saturday, eleven-year-old Matthew Farden, who attends Surrey鈥檚 Morgan Elementary school, received an unexpected $10,000 donation towards the cause from the 鈥渕ister Blake Foundation鈥� 鈥� a Vancouver philanthropic organization that aims to make a difference locally and globally.
The founder and owner of the foundation only goes by the name 鈥渕ister Blake,鈥� and he called Matthew a 鈥渟mart, intelligent, well-groomed young man.鈥�
After seeing Matthew鈥檚 fundraiser on the news, mister Blake toured the farm with Matthew and offered a $10,000 donation to build a roof on a new barn that is under construction.
鈥淚 went out and checked the place out. I think they鈥檙e doing very well on a small scale,鈥� said mister Blake.
On his own, Matthew raised $3,500 for The Happy Herd through a GoFundMe campaign by asking friends, family, and community members to make a donation in lieu of gifts for his 11th birthday.
Matthew was inspired to raise the money for the farm because he鈥檚 been volunteering there every Saturday for the last six months.
With the latest contribution, Matthew has fundraised $13,500 in total for the farm.
Matthew鈥檚 mother Traci Farden, said her son鈥檚 campaign has been 鈥�91原创enal,鈥� as Matthew鈥檚 efforts exceeded his orignal goal of $1,000 very quickly.
鈥淲hen we hit $1,000 we were pretty excited and it kept climbing. It鈥檚 been such an amazing experience. I鈥檓 super proud of him [Matthew], it makes me emotional. I can鈥檛 believe a little boy鈥檚 wish, such a simple thing, has grown to be so wonderful and have a great impact. He鈥檚 very subtle about it all.鈥�
After hearing that mister Blake wanted to donate to her son鈥檚 campaign, Traci said it was 鈥渆motional鈥� to see so much support.
鈥淲hat a heart of gold. It鈥檚 a pretty neat thing that someone local can see someone on the news and want to be a part of it,鈥� added Traci.
And the large donation came at the perfect time, as the farm鈥檚 expenses increase approximately 30 per cent in the winter because the animals require more bedding and food to stay warm, according to The Happy Herd co-owner Diane Marsh.
鈥淲e are amazed at the kind of response we get, [and] the love. And the people that come here and send us emails saying 鈥榳hat you鈥檝e done has affected us so much, we鈥檝e gone vegan,鈥� that鈥檚 what keeps us going. It鈥檚 not money, it鈥檚 the love that comes back.鈥�
More information on The Happy Herd can be found online at
