He gets down with a little help from his friends
When breakdancer Luca (Lazylegz) Patuelli was looking for ways to promote a fundraiser for his inspirational breakdance crew, he turned to his marketing background from the John Molson School of Business (JMSB).
Last fall, Patuelli approached his former teacher and friend Brent Pearce, a marketing lecturer at the JMSB, for ideas to promote and raise funds for his ILL-Abilities crew, a group of five breakdancers from around the world whose members each have a physical disability.
Patuelli, who was born with a rare disorder that restricts bone and muscle development, was planning a spring tour to visit schools and organizations across Quebec and Ontario with the goal of dispelling misconceptions about physical limitations with the message of “No Excuses, No Limits.”
The tour culminates in a fundraising show May 15 at Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent Blvd).
It needs to be a big one. Patuelli estimates the total price for the tour will be roughly $50,000.
To raise the funds, Pearce offered the help of six students from his winter Direct Response Marketing class. As part of their curriculum, the students helped Patuelli promote the event through word of mouth, social media tools, flyers and wearing by T-shirts around campus.
With the guidance of Patuelli’s former classmate Marc Phelps, the students even raised $1,000 at an ILL-Abilities pre-fundraiser Bowling for Bboys at Montreal’s Forum Sports Bar in March.
“I never cease to be amazed by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of today’s students and their eagerness to support societal causes,” says Pearce. “It’s very gratifying to be able to help in any way I can.”
The collaboration builds on a friendship that began in Pearce’s fall 2008 Direct Response Marketing class, one Patuelli took before graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2009.
Patuelli says among his many great teachers at the JMSB he has always admired Pearce’s “personable nature and willingness to help.”
The feeling is mutual, says Pearce. “If Luca wants me to help in any way, I will always be there for him. How could I ever say no to someone as inspiring as him?”
Related Links:
• “Glory Days at 2010 Paralympic Games” – article from the Concordia Journal, March 18, 2010
• ILL-Abilities
• Lazylegz