Let's Deal: Clay Aiken Montage for Avalanche of Votes

Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Clay Aiken
Tried & True montage by LovesClaysVoice
View full screen at YouTube.

Final Push for $50k Pepsi Grant

Montages Spotlight T&T, Dance

NOTE: The National Inclusion Project wound up #17 in September's Pepsi Refresh Challenge, and voting began anew at midnight in the October drive for the $50,000 grant.

A new blog entry is forthcoming. Meanwhile, thank you for participation and do keep those computer, Facebook, and text votes coming in! - Caro

Here's the deal -- two very creative montages for all the votes you can round up for the National Inclusion Project in the final hours of September's Pepsi Refresh Campaign.

First, LovesClaysVoice spotlights Clay Aiken's lush "Cant Take My Eyes Off You" from the June 2010 Decca Tried & True CD with clips from recent interviews and appearances by the singer.

READY, AIM, VOTE for National Inclusion Project in Pepsi Refresh!

At camp, my son does not have Down Syndrome, wear hearing aids, or have difficulty with his speech. He is simply a camper. - A mother

NIP Supporters Pull Out Stops

An avalanche of additional votes is imperative to move the National Inclusion Project from #16 into the top 10 during the final hours of September's Pepsi Refresh Challenge, which ends at 12 midnight ET tonight.

The pay-off, a $50,000 grant, would help fund Let's ALL Play Camps in which children with disabilities can experience life with their peers.

Here are a couple of fresh ideas shared in CA message board posts earlier today:

queenmama247: I asked everyone who stopped by if I could use their phone. Got six extra text votes in. My sister promised she would keep texting. Even got my home health nurse to text!

ncgran4clay: Just called my daughter, who works in an inpatient hospice facility and told her to tell everyone I would bake them a cake if they would all text a vote for the "National Inclusion Project." So far she has gotten 12 votes and hasn't caught everyone yet!

I also went around to all my employees and made them text. One didn't know how, so I did it for him.

Inclusion Project Targets Top 10

In a special edition of The Voice newsletter this weekend, Inclusion Project supporters were encouraged to enlist additional daily voters and provided tools with which to help the charity place in the all-important top 10:

We need your help to spread the word so we can bring Let's ALL Play training to more programs across the nation and open doors for ALL children to participate in all that life has to offer!

Here are ways to recruit potential voters:

1. Home Page Splash: Check out all the ways you can vote by visiting the National Inclusion Project home page!

2. Daily Reminders: Sign up to receive a daily email reminder and become eligible to win a free iPad if we finish in the top 10 and win $50,000! Sign up here: Inclusion Project/Pepsi Challenge.

3. Facebook/Twitter Updates: Join us on Facebook and Twitter!

4. Forward the NIP email and share the info on message boards, Facebook, Twitter, in blogs.

5. Schedule a group text! Have the attendees turn their cell phone sounds on and walk them through sending a text together. When Pepsi texts back, the feedback will be amazing!

The National Inclusion Project was founded in 2003 by singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel, mother of a son with autism.

Originally the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, the charity, which is based in Raleigh, NC, changed its name in 2009 to better describe the organization's mission and programs.

Foundation Forms Voting Alliances

The National Inclusion Project has established voting alliances with other participants in the Pepsi Challenge. Besides offering opportunities to garner more votes, this also helps build awareness of the foundation's mission.

In reality, each person has 30 votes to use daily via text, Facebook, and through the Pepsi site. If you haven't already done so, register at Pepsi site and vote for the National Inclusion Project and these voting alliances:

National Inclusion Project - Text 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi)
RETT Syndrome - Text 100842 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Safe Places To Play (Cal Ripken) - Text 102661 to 73774 (Pepsi)
BRIDGES - Text 101364 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Blind Cat Rescue - Text 102422 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Children's Rare Disease Network - Text 102614 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Congenital CMV Foundation (childhood disability) - Text 101692 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Courageous Disabled Kids - Text 100058 to 73774 (Pepsi)
1p36 Deletion Syndrome - Text 101439 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Lake Reba Playground (handicapped) - Text 102102 to 73774 (Pepsi)

Be sure to copy/paste a message similar to the one below so the organizations will know the Inclusion Project is supporting their cause:

A vote from the National Inclusion Project! Help us help kids with disabilities experience life with their peers. We're going for $50K. http://www.refresheverything.com/nationalinclusionproject. Text 102308. Thank you for your support!

A $50,000 Pepsi Refresh win by the National Inclusion Project would fund the following programs: train staff across the country on best practice inclusion techniques; provide training supplies; give scholarships to children unable to afford programs.

Only a few hours remain to make this happen. Something as simple as recruiting a teen-aged granddaughter with unlimited texting (who has friends with unlimited texting) could make a difference.

Dancing at the Movies - Music Video by Mart138
View Montage full screen at YouTube.

'Footloose' Inspires Pepsi Voting

As promised, here is the bonus montage reward for all the Pepsi Refresh votes garnered today -- a very popular music video featuring a collection of dance clips from almost 40 movies.

Singer Kenny Loggins supplies the vocals, and dancers from Fred Astaire to Michael kick up their heels to "Footloose" in this montage of movie clips:

Movies included are Dirty Dancing, Flashdance, White Nights, Perfect, Saturday Night Fever, Blue Skies, Pulp Fiction, High Fidelity, Clerks 2, American Pie, Billy Elliot, Footloose, True Lies,Grease, Honey, Phantom of the Opera, Step Up,Step Up 2, Moonwalker, West Side Story, Moulin Rouge, Mary Poppins, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Strictly Ballroom, Happy Feet, Singing in the Rain, Fame, Fame2009, Save the Last Dance, Mamma Mia, Mask of Zorro, Coyote Ugly, Wild Hogs, Get Smart, Airplane, A Knights Tale, High School Musical, and Austin Powers.

Bet you can't watch just once!

Just a few hours remain to amass the avalanche, so spread the word and drum up the votes! Have a very productive Sept. 30, Clay Nation!

Caro

Thank you for for visits and comments in the Carolina blogs. To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro

Clay Aiken's 'Unchained Melody' Showcases DWTS 11

Clay Aiken/DWTS Season 11 - 'Unchained Melody'
View montage by LovesClaysVoice full screen at YouTube.

Final Surge for Pepsi Grant

Montage Pairs Aiken, DWTS 11

The 11th season of Dancing with the Stars is barely a week old; but, thanks to a new montage by LovesClaysVoice, three couples are already dancing the Viennese Waltz to Clay Aiken's signature rendition of "Unchained Melody" on YouTube.

Featured in the magical video are dancers Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough, Rick Fox and Cheryl Burke, and Brandy and Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

"Unchained Melody," a track on the singer's new Tried & True CD, can be downloaded via iTunes and Amazon at YouTube.

Clay Aiken - Suspicious Minds 2005 - 2010
Montage by Wowzers4Clay. View full screen at YouTube.

Montage Traces 5 Years of SM

In her latest montage, Wowzers4Clay intertwines Clay Aiken performances of "Suspicious Minds" from the past five years. Represented are the 2005 GMA Summer Concert Series; the 2005 Jukebox Tour concert in Clio, MI; and this summer's Timeless Tour show at Chautauqua.

Contributing videographers include Scarlett, MnM, Mrs Loki, and Roy Ferrer.

PEPSI REFRESH -- Inclusion Project needs huge final four days!

At camp, my son does not have Down Syndrome, wear hearing aids, or have difficulty with his speech. He is simply a camper. - A mother

NIP Supporters Plot 4-Day Push

A groundswell of additional daily votes is imperative to move the National Inclusion Project from #18 into the top 10 during the final four days of September's Pepsi Refresh Challenge.

The pay-off, a $50,000 grant, would help fund Let's ALL Play Camps in which children with disabilities can experience life with their peers.

In a special edition of The Voice newsletter this weekend, Inclusion Project supporters were encouraged to enlist additional daily voters and provided tools with which to help the charity place in the all-important top 10:

We need your help to spread the word so we can bring Let's ALL Play training to more programs across the nation and open doors for ALL children to participate in all that life has to offer!

Here are ways to recruit potential voters:

1. Home Page Splash: Check out all the ways you can vote by visiting the National Inclusion Project home page!

2. Daily Reminders: Sign up to receive a daily email reminder and become eligible to win a free iPad if we finish in the top 10 and win $50,000! Sign up here: Inclusion Project/Pepsi Challenge.

3. Facebook/Twitter Updates: Join us on Facebook and Twitter!

4. Forward the NIP email, and share the information on message boards, Facebook, Twitter, in blogs.

5. Schedule a group text! Have the attendees turn their cell phone sounds on and walk them through sending a text together. When Pepsi texts back, the feedback will be amazing!

The National Inclusion Project was founded in 2003 by singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel, mother of a son with autism.

Originally the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, the charity, which is based in Raleigh, NC, changed its name in 2009 to better describe the organization's mission and programs.

Foundation Forms Voting Alliances

The National Inclusion Project has established voting alliances with other participants in the Pepsi Challenge. Besides offering opportunities to garner more votes, this also helps build awareness of the foundation's mission.

In reality, each person has 30 votes to use daily via text, Facebook, and through the Pepsi site. Below is the current NIP voting alliance list:

National Inclusion Project - Text 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi)
RETT Syndrome - Text 100842 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Safe Places To Play (Cal Ripken) - Text 102661 to 73774 (Pepsi)
BRIDGES - Text 101364 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Blind Cat Rescue - Text 102422 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Children's Rare Disease Network - Text 102614 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Congenital CMV Foundation (childhood disability) - Text 101692 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Courageous Disabled Kids - Text 100058 to 73774 (Pepsi)
1p36 Deletion Syndrome - Text 101439 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Lake Reba Playground (handicapped) - Text 102102 to 73774 (Pepsi)

Be sure to copy/paste a message similar to the one below so the organizations will know the Inclusion Project is supporting their cause:

A vote from the National Inclusion Project! Help us help kids with disabilities experience life with their peers. We're going for $50K. http://www.refresheverything.com/nationalinclusionproject. Text 102308. Thank you for your support!

A $50,000 Pepsi Refresh win by the National Inclusion Project would fund the following programs: train staff across the country on best practice inclusion techniques; provide training supplies; give scholarships to children unable to afford programs.

Four days remain to make this happen. Something as simple as recruiting a teen-aged granddaughter with unlimited texting (who has friends with unlimited texting) could make a difference.

I plan to send an email again to my circle of friends, relatives, students/parents, etc., who might want to win an iPad. Just think what would happen if the NIP got a huge influx of four-day voting from new blocks of people.

Just four days to pull out all the stops! Have a productive week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Thank you for for visits and comments in the Carolina blogs. To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro

Clay Aiken KUHT 'InnerVIEW' Non-Stop Winner

Clay Aiken on KUHT-TV InnerVIEW: Photo by keepingfaith.

Clay Aiken Comes 'Home'

KUHT 'InnerVIEW' Runs Gamut

Clay Aiken, featured on Thursday's "InnerVIEW" with Ernie Manouse of KUHT-TV, Houston's PBS station, literally spoke non-stop on subjects running the gamut form A to Z.

According to reports by Houston fans, Manouse just let Clay talk. Most CA fans know the basics of the topics covered, but the Houston PBS special resulted in a much more in-depth interview.

The overview below was shared in message board recaps by keepingfaith, merrieeee, JoJobugs, and texwriter. The screen caps were taken with keepingfaith's cellphone camera.

CLAY: There's a song on my first album I've never been comfortable with and never performed. I didn't like it and didn't like the way it was produced.

ERNIE: Your fans are going to want to know which.

CLAY: Oh, they are well aware of which one.

* He has become comfortable with his life now and doesn't mind when he is recognized in public.

* Clay talked about the Idol process and said that he had been cut three times, once in Charlotte, once in Hollywood, and on the final show. At the end, he said, "That's it; I'm not losing anymore."

* Clay thinks that since he had a quick rise, it took him a while to know what he wanted. At the beginning he was content to let people dictate what to record.

He likes to think that after doing what he's been doing for seven years, he has gained the respect of the people who work around him enough that in the areas where he has a grasp on things, he's good at saying, "I want to do it this way."

* He's not a diva, but he's picky and believes he is more involved in the nuts and bolts of his career than any of his peers.

Song Choices Must Meet 'Live' Criteria

* His goal for every song from now on is that it's something he loves to sing "live."

* There was a line somewhere in the past seven years that when he crossed it, things stopped being so "GASP" and became just his life.

* Clay talked about being at the Apple store with a friend waiting in line. He told his friend to watch while he signed into Twitter on his iPhone. Almost immediately, there was a tweet: "I'm standing in line next to Clay Aiken at the Apple store!"

The photos below were taken by keepingfaith with her cellphone. Click to expand:

Clay Always Loved Singing

* Faye Parker, Clay's mother, always said he was singing at 18 months. It didn't seem like a big deal until he had Parker, who is "almost 2" and barely talking. Clay believes he got his musical talent "biologically."

There aren't a lot of four-year-olds who are great talents; there also aren't a lot of four-year-olds who are willing to stand up and sing for people anytime. He always loved it.

* Having a child changes everything. He can't just think about himself. He has to think about how his actions affect his son. It changes most of his decisions in everything he does.

* Most people who are picky in their regular jobs are called "Type A." In Clay's business, they are called "divas." He considers himself Type A because he is a micro-manager and likes to have control. He's picky. He never pretends to know things he doesn't. He's quick to defer to others when it's not his experience.

* He wasn't passionate about Idol until the Wild Card spot, and that's when he decided he really wanted it.

ERNIE: Is there a time when you worry that Clay Aiken is no longer yours?

CLAY: I worry about that; it's something that I'm aware of; and I'm aware that when I go out, I still am me. So I don't know if Clay Aiken has been lost, but I don't get to be "off."

Singer Records T&T Sans Lyrics

* Choosing songs is easy for him. He chuckles when people ask him, "How do you get yourself in that place to ... ?" And he says, "I don't know; I listened to my iPod and picked some songs I liked. Either that cheapens me or makes me brilliant."

* When he recorded Tried & True, Clay went into the studio without the lyrics because he knew the songs so well.

* He thinks he's now the "original me." Everything is shed, he's more comfortable being himself and saying what he wants. He has no pretense, walking to that interview in his pajamas and "cinnamon toast crunch" t-shirt.

* He had little pretense before, and he has none now. Last words: "I am me."

KUHT Membership Nets Interview

The exclusive interview, which will air again in Houston and in select markets after January. Check with your local PBS station for more information.

Fans may purchase a copy of the KUHT-TV interview for a basic membership fee of $40. If you are interested, place your order with the Houston station: (713) 748-8483.

"The interview was 90 percent Clay talking! I didn't want it to end. He came across as very articulate and smart," merrieeee reported.

Ernie asked him questions, and he let Clay answer. Thirty minutes of hearing Clay talk was great. The info was a lot of what "we" already know, but he was allowed to expand on his responses.

If you did not know him before, it was a good introduction to Clay Aiken, not just the star but also a human being.

I think he succeeded in distancing himself from the tabloid stuff and the stars that crave that kind of attention. He seemed to be so real and finally where he wants to be with regards to his life and career.

The last few months it seems to me that Clay Aiken has finally come "home"!

Keepingfaith added, "Where he stays in LA is close to a paparazzi mecca; and every time he goes out, 30 minutes later a picture of him walking down the street appears on a website.

He is constantly amazed that people care. And someone will say, "Well, you know you can't walk out of the house without doing your hair. And I say, "Why not? Everybody else does."

According to texwriter, "Keepingfaith will have quite a challenge in translating everything because Clay talked a mile a minute. Poor Ernie could hardly get a word in edgewise."

At #17, NIP Still Needs Votes!

The National Inclusion Project, stuck on #21 for days, has moved to #17, still seven slots shy of the target top 10 needed to secure a $50,000 grant in September's Pepsi Refresh Challenge.

Send prospective new supporters to Clay Aiken Fans Campaign for $50k Inclusion Grant for information and handy voting links.

To order a 2011 calendar by the Nov. 22 deadline, see 2011 Clay Aiken Calendars Slated for Gala. This is also an Inclusion Project fundraiser.

Have an awesome weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

Thank you for your comments in the Carolina blog. To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro

Clay Aiken Winter Tour To Debut in Chicago

CHICAGO CONCERT 22 days and counting! - Graphic by AmazingCA.

Oct. 14 Tried & True Concert

Widget Counts Down to Chicago

"Clay Aiken in Concert," an exclusive one-night only performance in Chicago's intimate Park West Theatre, is just 22 days away!

Sponsored by WTTW, the Oct. 14 concert will feature the singer's chart-topping hits, as well as songs from his new album, Tried & True. Single tickets can still be purchased here.

Count down the days/minutes/hours/seconds until this concert by keeping tabs on the sidebar widget created by Scarlett with Cotton's photo from the Foxwoods Timeless Tour Concert. Below is a double clickable of the widget art:

Photo by Cotton

Wednesday afternoon Pink Armchair posted information for Chicago concert goers on several message boards:

Park West is "first come-first served" general admission. And that’s still true for the seats in front on the level closest to the stage. That level, which has tables and chairs, is a flat dance floor about 30 feet deep.

Further back from the area down front, there are rows of booths on progressively elevated tiers, some seating 2-3, others seating 4-6. In the last row of booths, you are no more than 60 feet from the stage. Besides a great view of the stage, the acoustics are incredible, too.

By special arrangement with Park West for this show, ticket holders can call and reserve a booth, for as long as they last. If you aren’t particular about being right down front and don't feel like standing in line, give the venue a call (773-929-1322) between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT.

For those who choose to stand in line, there will be no stampeding for seats. It's not allowed. Ushers will seat concert goers an individual or group at a time.

Official Fan Club pre-sales, currently underway for 19 or the 22 Tried & True Winter Tour concerts, will end at 10 a.m. PT Thursday. OFC members should see Appearances at the fan club site.

Tried & True Winter Tour

Oct 14 Chicago, IL - Park West
Feb 10 Miami, FL - Arsht Center
Feb 11 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
Feb 12 Sarasota, FL - Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Feb 14 Houston, TX Jones Hall*
Feb 16 Atlanta, GA - Cobb Center for the Arts*
Feb 17 Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre
Feb 19 Cleveland, OH - Playhouse Square
Feb 20 Waterbury, CT - Palace Theater
Feb 22 Baltimore, MD - Kraushaar Aud at Goucher College
Feb 23 Charlotte, NC - Blumenthal Center for the Arts
Feb 24 Greenville, SC - Peace Center for the Arts
Feb 26 Westbury, NY - Theater at Westbury
Feb 27 Glenside, PA - Keswick Theater
Mar 01 Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theater
Mar 02 Fort Wayne, IN - Embassy Centre
Mar 04 Waukegan, IL - Genesee Theater
Mar 05 Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
Mar 07 Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall
Mar 08 Grand Prarie, TX - Verizon GP
Mar 10 Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center*
Mar 12 San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom

It's Only Make Believe- Tribute to DWTS Winners
Montage by SueReu with vocals by Clay Aiken
View full screen at YouTube.

DWTS + Clay = Delightful Montages

This week marked the beginning of a new season of ABC's popular Dancing With the Stars, and it's just a matter of time before new montages pairing the song stylings of Clay Aiken with favorite clips from the show emerge.

In the above montage, SueReu seamlessly merged 10 seasons of DWTS winners with "It's Only Make Believe" from the Tried & True CD, Clay's June release by Decca Records.

Winners of the 10 seasons include Kelly Monaco and Alec Mazo, 1; Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke, 2; Emmitt Smith and Cheryl Burke, 3; Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough, 4; Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough, 5; Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas, 6; Brooke Burke and Derek Hough, 7; Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas; 8; Sonny Osmond and Kym Johnson, 9; Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough, 10.

Sacrificial Love - DWTS 9 contestants dance Viennese waltz.
Montage by LovesClaysVoice with vocals by Clay Aiken
View full screen at YouTube.

Montages Span Recording Career

DWTS montages with CA accompaniments span the singer's recording career from the 2003 Measure of a Man album to A Thousand Different Ways (2006), On My Way Here (2008), the 2008 single "Just You," and Tried & True (2010).

This list represents a sampling of the countless DWTS montages at YouTube. You are welcome to suggest others in the comments:

Everything I Have - Season 10 contestants dancing the Viennese Waltz, Clay Aiken vocals featuring William Joseph, piano, montage by LCV. (ATDW)

Something About Us - Apolo Ohno and Julianne Hough: The Reunion by sallyboo8892 (OMWH)

Touch - Apolo and Julianne from DWTS by Aspiegirl (MOAM)

Sacrificial Love - DWTS Season 6 Viennese Waltz by musicg57 (OMWH)

Just You - DWTS Season 8, Final 5, montage by LCV (single)

Everything I Don't Need - DWTS Season 8, Final 3, montage by LCV (OMWH)

When You Say You Loved Me - DWTS Season 9, montage by LCV (MOAM)

X2: Thousand Different Ways / Measure of a Man
will be released by Amazon and CD Universe on Sept. 28.

'Invisible' Song of the Day

"Invisible," lead single of Clay's first CD, Measure of a Man, was the Legacy Song of the Day for Tuesday, Sept. 21.

Clay Aiken first rose to prominence in the second season of American Idol and has since appeared on Broadway, co-authored a book, produced his own Christmas Special, and released a number of albums that have captivated millions.

How time has flown by. It seemed just like yesterday that Clay was wow-ing Simon and crew over at A.I., now he is a household name who tours the globe promoting his pop hits.

Enjoy Invisible at the Legacy site, one of nine 14 tracks from The Very Best of Clay Aiken on the player. Others include "The Way," "On My Way Here," "This Is the Night," "Here You Come Again," "Measure of a Man," "The Real Me," "Something About Us," and "Mary, Did You Know."

NIP Needs More Votes NOW!

The National Inclusion Project seems to be stuck on #20 in September's Pepsi Refresh Challenge and needs to make a move to the top 10 to secure the $50,000 grant.

Send prospective new supporters to Clay Aiken Fans Campaign for $50k Inclusion Grant for information and handy voting links.

To order a 2011 calendar by the Nov. 22 deadline, see 2011 Clay Aiken Calendars Slated for Gala. This is also an Inclusion Project fundraiser.

Below are clickables of AmazingCA's latest graphics, the opening Tried & True concert art and one with Timeless Tour photos by kareneh:

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Thank you for your comments and props for contributing artists in the Carolina blog. To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Campaign for $50k Inclusion Grant

They are voting. Are you?

In Pepsi Refresh Challenge

Inclusion Project Moves to #22

At camp, my son does not have Down Syndrome, wear hearing aids, or have difficulty with his speech. He is simply a camper. - A mother

Tweaked voting strategies are beginning to pay off as the National Inclusion Project has inched up to #22 in this month's campaign to secure a $50,000 grant through the Pepsi Refresh Challenge.

In a special edition of The Voice newsletter this weekend, Inclusion Project supporters were encouraged to enlist additional daily voters and provided tools with which to help the charity place in the all-important top 10:

We need your help to spread the word so we can bring Let's ALL Play training to more programs across the nation and open doors for ALL children to participate in all that life has to offer!

Here's where you can point people:

1. Home Page Splash: Check out all the ways you can vote by visiting the National Inclusion Project home page!

2. Daily Reminders: Sign up to receive a daily email reminder and become eligible to win a free iPad if we finish in the top 10 and win $50,000! Sign up here: Inclusion Project/Pepsi Challenge.

3. Facebook/Twitter Updates: Join us on Facebook and Twitter!

If you received The Voice, forward the newsletter to family, friends, associates. Post a link for the newsletter on Facebook and Twitter.

The National Inclusion Project was founded in 2003 by singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel, mother of a son with autism.

Originally the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, the charity, which is based in Raleigh, NC, changed its name in 2009 to better describe the organization's mission and programs.

Foundation Forms Voting Alliances

The National Inclusion Project has established a voting alliance with other participants in the Pepsi Challenge. Besides offering opportunities to garner more votes, this also helps build awareness of the foundation's mission.

In reality, each person has 30 votes to use daily via text, Facebook, and email. Below is the current NIP voting alliance list:

National Inclusion Project - Text 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi)
RETT Syndrome - Text 100842 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Safe Places To Play (Cal Ripken) - Text 102661 to 73774 (Pepsi)
BRIDGES - Text 101364 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Blind Cat Rescue - Text 102422 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Children's Rare Disease Network - Text 102614 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Congenital CMV Foundation (childhood disability) - Text 101692 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Courageous Disabled Kids - Text 100058 to 73774 (Pepsi)
1p36 Deletion Syndrome - Text 101439 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Lake Reba Playground (handicapped) - Text 102102 to 73774 (Pepsi)

Be sure to copy/paste a message similar to the one below so the organizations will know the Inclusion Project is supporting their cause:

A vote from the National Inclusion Project! Help us help kids with disabilities experience life with their peers. We're going for $50K. http://www.refresheverything.com/nationalinclusionproject. Text 102308. Thank you for your support!

The National Inclusion Project serves to bridge the gap between young people with disabilities and the world around them.

Plan Pepsi Refresh Group Text

Need more ideas? Below are other suggestions for supporters from the Inclusion Project.

Are you doing a live event in the next two weeks? Do a group text! Have the attendees turn their cell phone sounds on and walk them all through sending a text together! When Pepsi texts back, the feedback will be amazing!

We are currently advertising online with NC State University's Technician, Duke University's Chronicle, and UNC-Chapel Hill's Daily Tar Heel. If you have connections with a local university where a free iPad might be an excellent incentive, feel free to put our information up!

A $50,000 Pepsi Refresh win by the National Inclusion Project would fund the following programs: train staff across the country on best practice inclusion techniques; provide training supplies; give scholarships to children unable to afford programs.

September is more than half over. It's time to move into the Top 10!

To order a 2011 Clay Aiken Calendar, also an Inclusion Project fundraiser, scroll down to the 9/15 Carolina entry.

Have an awesome week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Thank you for your birthday wishes for grandson Kai in the previous entry and for your comments in all blogs. To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro

Happy Birthday to Grandson Kai!

Kai marks 3rd birthday by mowing apartment courtyard.

Fond Memories Replayed

Kai Celebrates Third Birthday

Three years ago today grandson Kai entered the world 21 days early wailing at the top of his lungs. In no time at all, he had charmed not only his immediate and long-distance families but also the hospital's preemie nursing staff and countless "aunties" around the world in the Clay Aiken fandom.

In his three short years, Kai has traveled to North Carolina and, most recently, to Hawaii, logging more frequent flyer miles than his Grandma Caro. Events from his short life have been shared in various Carolina blogs; and, at times, I am convinced he has his own fan club.

His favorite toy during the month-long visit in Hawaii was a play lawn mower, which made his grandmother's gift a no brainer. The lawn mower arrived two days ago, and the courtyard of his apartment complex has never looked sharper.

The smartest thing this long-distance grandmother did in September 2007 was order a good camera for Kai's mother. With the assistance of his artistic aunties -- AmazingCA, Ashes, A Beautiful Mind, Aspiegirl, Sally -- my grandson's first three years have been well-documented throughout the Carolina journal.

In the beginning, an overwhelmed household had no time for photos. Poppy, Kai's grandfather, even sent a roll of pictures to prove it -- dirty dishes in the sink, an unkempt living room, overflowing laundry room.

The stream of pixel-packed photos picked up dramatically once Sally created the "Hurricane Kai" collage of those images.

With a brand new camera and lots of tips from Sally, the new mother became a pretty good photographer, and the graphic artists often enhanced the images as fast as they arrived.

No activity went unnoticed by the artful aunties -- naps, reading a book, holidays, even the initial donning of a Tar Heel jersey sent to Kai by "Auntie" Sandy from Canada. Below are a few you may remember:

Grandson Solves Climbing Hurdle

Our grandson has always loved to climb, and he is constantly seeking paths to the pinnacle of tables, cabinets, sinks, you name it. After the adults leaned the dining room chairs in a manner meant to discourage his "hobby," Kai determined a solution, got down on his hands and knees, straightened an upended chair, and pushed it to the desired location.

Very early in the spring of 2008, the target was the dividing shelf between the kitchen and the dining room. Poppy was still asleep, but Kai knew the phone locator button would blast him wide awake. It did, and another adventurous day was soon underway.

After that, the dining room chairs were flipped upside down when not in use.

Kai Charms Carolina Clan

In May 2008, Kai and his mother flew to North Carolina where he met a whole different set of relatives. Arriving just after the rush of spring recital time, he and his grandmother had a blast getting to know each other, routinely watching kiddie programs like "Mickey Mouse" on TV and penning the Carolina blog together.

Have a very special birthday, Kai!During the month-long visit, Kai learned to crawl, pull himself up to a standing position, and was beginning to talk before flying home with his mother.

Some of his favorite times were spent playing with twin cousins five years his elder. He loved swinging, going to the their t-ball games, and splashing in the pool while the they took swimming lessons. The lush, green grass and tall trees of this state fascinated him.

On 5/25/08, Kai "blogged" about meeting the Carolina relatives in Kai Joins Clay Aiken Fan Club, sharing some of his daily rituals: pulling out a few books from the bottom shelf of a music cabinet as he crawled by every morning; beating out a rhythm on the washing machine and dryer before entering the den; and watching a full lineup of kiddie shows with his NC grandmother.

Not a day went by that we didn't check to see if the "Monkey Mail" had come. The grand piano was another favorite in his daily routine. At all times, Kai schemed for access to the keys and buttons on the laptop, telephone, and remote control

Back home three months later, Kai celebrated his first birthday; and, again, his artful "aunties" had a field day with the photos.

Kai 'Helps' Mom in Kitchen

With the 5/13/09 birth of baby sister Lia, Kai spent many hours hanging with his grandfather. A favorite haunt became the hardware store where he delighted in spinning wheels incessantly.

His propensity for buttons, snaps, openings and closures of all varieties continued; and Kai also enjoyed "helping" his mother in the kitchen. She created a cabinet shelf for him to routinely rearrange and eventually turned over the dishwasher to him, too.

Drums Add Beat to Birthday

Kai celebrated his second birthday with an impromptu jam session on Poppy's drum equipment, normally kept under lock and key.

Curious, clever, and extremely mobile, Kai knows his grandfather's bedroom is filled with a wonderful array of electronic treasures and percussion instruments.

Poppy, who had left the apartment early to visit his mother, called home the minute he remembered he had forgotten to lock the door.

Too late! Cagey Kai had already made his move and was scampering out of the bedroom with a pair of drumsticks under one arm and a practice pad under the other.

He set up his "drum" on a marble table and alternated between practicing and watching TV. Thankfully, his mother grabbed her camera for a video that the Carolina clan has thoroughly enjoyed.

Additional photos and videos are stored in his mother's Mata808 P/B account.

First Lap in the Barber Chair

A first barbershop haircut was a major milestone for our family's two-year-old. Below are clickable memories of grandson Kai's maiden voyage in the barber chair.

Besides the all-important lollipop, Kai was anxious to learn just
how the clippers worked. That settled, it was back to his sucker.

Next time ... maybe a
shave and a lollipop!

A Fun Day in the Park

With little sister Lia and Poppy taking an afternoon snooze, Kai and his mother slipped away for some sliding and swinging in a nearby park. Fortunately, Mom took along her camera, too.

PARK FUN -- Anyone knows you can't steer without proper sound effects.

SOUND CHECK - Kai investigates slide's nooks and crannies.

LONG WAY DOWN - Even a dare devil scopes out his slide
before diving into a maiden voyage.

SWINGIN' FUN -- Kai tried out several swing positions that afternoon.

Grandma's on the Radar

Being a long-distance grandmother can be difficult at times; but there are some high moments, too. On March 17 of this year, Kai and I began conversing via telephone. Since his sister copies everything he does, Lia is bound to be next.

Once he gets started, Kai delights in providing a running commentary of all that's happening ("The dogs are getting ready to go out ... Lia is taking a nap"), as well as walking around the room pointing out items ("This is our TV; here's Lia's high chair; and this is my dump truck full of Cheerios.")

"Grandmother" has become the voice on the phone so much so that when his mother was talking with a friend in Hawaii, Kai yelled from across the room, "Hello, Grandma!"

I look forward to the time when "across the room" is literally just that.

Family Spends Month in Hawaii

Having lived and worked in Hawaii for five years, my daughter has many wonderful friends there; and in August, she and the children flew 12,000+ miles round trip for a visit.

Kai and Lia experienced many "firsts," with visits to an aquarium, a zoo, and a natural history display, as well as seeing more water than ever in their short lives. They loved the exotic fruit and cool lagoons of the islands.

Below are clickables of Kai and Lia enjoying a beach in Hawaii:

Prior to to the trip to Hawaii, Kai had begun playing games on his mother's Facebook account. A new laptop is being set up this week, and I know Auntie Scarlett will be glad to know her gaming partner should be back on line soon.

Kai received surprise birthday greetings from two of his artistic aunties -- A Beautiful Mind and AmazingCA. Both are clickable:

Have a very special birthday, grandson!

Love,
Grandma Caro

For Clay Aiken fans ordering 2011 calendars and voting daily for the National Inclusion Project in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge, see the previous Carolina On My Mind entry.

The Clay Aiken: Tried and True ~ LIVE! PBS special returns to the UNC-TV lineup at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro