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(CNN) - A shirt inspired by a young Tennessee Volunteers fan, who was intimidated by his home-made design, is selling wildly after the news of the child's creativity and team spirit went viral.
The campus bookstore has received more than 16,000 pre-orders for the “College Colors” shirt since it began selling them last week, said the Director of Media Relations at the University of Tennessee (UT), Tyra E. Haag, in a statement. The demand was so high that the store's website collapsed over the weekend.
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The university is not benefiting from the $ 14.99 shirts, Haag said. Printing costs $ 7.50 per shirt and the rest of the money will be donated to the Stomp Out Bullying charity, Haag said.
The shirt was designed by a Florida elementary student, who loves Tennessee football, but did not have a shirt to wear on his school's college colors day. The boy drew his own version of the UT logo on a piece of paper and put it on an orange t-shirt.
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His teacher wrote in a Facebook post that it was shared more than 10,000 times that the boy was devastated when other children made fun of the shirt he was so proud of.
The university sent a box full of shirts, hats, pens, water bottles and other UT treats that the boy shared with his classmates, the teacher said.
Smokey, the mascot of the University of Tennessee, wore his own homemade paper logo in a video posted over the weekend thanking the boy for his support.
Be a true volunteer and always wear your college colors with pride. #endbullying… this is the video we sent to Mrs.Synder to share with our Pal! pic.twitter.com/E8Xwnz6a4C
- Smokey (@ UTSmokey_00) September 7, 2019
The fans also painted the logo on "The Rock," a milestone on the Knoxville campus of the university.
The Rock today #GoVols 🍊 pic.twitter.com/eGyBPRlhZZ
- UT Knoxville Alumni (@tennalum) September 9, 2019
“Like the Volunteers, the University of Tennessee believes in putting others before ourselves. We are very happy to have been able to support this student, put a smile on his face and bring more orange to his life. In the true spirit of UT, alumni, fans and honorary volunteers from all over the world have taken a step forward, ”Haag said in a statement.
The child has not been identified, but will have a lot of material from the University of Tennessee to use on September 21, when the team goes to Gainesville, Florida, to play against the University of Florida.
Bullying