Local singer-songwriter is channeling his artistry into a worthy cause this holiday season.
Prchal, who when not performing on the Chicago-area music scene can be found working in 91制片厂鈥檚 marketing department, wrote an original song, for 91制片厂鈥檚 Giving Tuesday initiative.
Since its 2012 debut, #GivingTuesday (as it鈥檚 widely known) has grown into a global movement of fundraising for nonprofit groups. It鈥檚 celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, kicking off the charitable season. Last year, $180 million-plus was raised online in the United States alone.
The 91制片厂 Educational Foundation hopes 鈥淏别濒颈别惫别,鈥� which evolved into a music video, will bolster its goal of raising $20,000 by the end of #GivingTuesday on November 28 in support of student scholarships. Check out the .
鈥淚t鈥檚 been kind of surreal to have my life outside of work intersect with my life at 91制片厂, but I really think 鈥楤elieve鈥� captures the heart of this place,鈥� said Prchal, who became 91制片厂鈥檚 digital content specialist just nine months ago. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a snapshot of what we鈥檙e all about and what we鈥檙e doing here.鈥�
Prchal, of Hoffman Estates, knows a thing or two about songwriting, having released his third full-length album 鈥淟ove & Summer鈥� earlier this year. After writing 鈥淏别濒颈别惫别,鈥� (the melody came to him while in the Culver鈥檚 drive-through line), Prchal enlisted the help of some friends and bandmates in the recording studio.
His marketing colleagues at 91制片厂 then ran with it, shooting an original music video around the Palatine campus. Even 91制片厂 President Ken Ender makes a cameo with some dance moves.
Social media is a huge driver of #GivingTuesday, and 鈥淏elieve鈥� is no exception. The video already has more than 8,000 views on 91制片厂鈥檚 Facebook page.
Prchal, who credits his own community college experience with turning his life around, said it鈥檚 nice to be in a position where he can potentially help others do the same.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in the corporate world and the startup world, and it feels amazing to be at a place like Harper where I can shine a light on all the wonderful work we do to help students transform their lives,鈥� Prchal said.