HAPPY BIRTHDAY! - The Clay Nation hopes to deliver a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant for the National Inclusion Project as a gift for Clay Aiken, the foundation's co-founder. Graphic by AmazingCA with photo by Kareneh.
CA Fans Mark Birthday by Voting
DECEMBER 1 UPDATE: The National Inclusion Project fell two spots short of securing the $50k Pepsi Refresh grant. However, we are off and running in the December campaign.
The voting widget has temporarily been updated and will receive further revisions tonight. Thank you to all who are working to make the grant for inclusion a reality this month!
Two important events headline the network of Clay Aiken message boards -- a continuous Cyber celebration of the singer's 32nd birthday and the final push to provide his foundation, the National Inclusion Project, a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant.
The latter would be one of the best birthday gifts fans could give Clay, whose commitment to connecting children with special needs to all life has to offer was his focus as a special education major prior to the American Idol step into fame.
In July 2003, during the American Idol 2 Tour, he and Diane Bubel of Charlotte co-founded the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, renamed the National Inclusion Project last year.
Amid the Clay Cyber cavalcade of birthday greetings with accompanying art work are reminders to pull out all the stops, vote with every available account, and recruit new supporters in the final hours of the grant campaign, which ironically ends at midnight on the singer's 32nd birthday.
Vote 3 ways to expand inclusive programs for all children.
New participants need to register at the Pepsi Refresh site (bottom left corner) and vote three ways: US-based email, Facebook, and by sending a mobile phone text: 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi).
The NIP Voting Widget includes links and text numbers for the Inclusion Project, as well as partner charities that have supported the foundation these past three months. The Pepsi emblem below links to the widget where one can vote for the NIP and and its alliances/partners.
Jerry Aiken, executive director of the National Inclusion Project, urged supporters to take these steps in the final hours of the campaign:
Today is the final day. Please would everyone take on the personal objective to get 5 new votes. Five new votes each could be the difference for success.
We have all worked so hard; let's make it happen. Your support of our partners is appreciated and likewise their support of us has helped us to be this close.
I hope tomorrow I can post - WE DID IT ... WE DID IT! Thank you so much!
Hopefully, National Inclusion Project supporters will be marking the midnight hour of Clay's birthday and the close of a long, three-month campaign with a $50k grant for inclusion!
Below are clickable birthday wallpapers by graphic artists AmazingCA, 1, 3, and Fountaindawg. Photographers include Kareneh, 1; Solitaire30 and dc4clay, 2; and Permaswooned, 3.
Among the many celebrity websites sending birthday greetings Clay is Hollywood Gossip with this special post:
He's an American Idol finalist, a father, a former Broadway star and, now, a 32-year old man.
Indeed, Clay Aiken celebrates a birthday today, as Claymates around the world are likely sending their favorite artist a slew of best wishes as we type this. We encourage readers to do the same.
After all, we're talking about one of the most humble, charitable artists around, one who spent the summer promoting the release of his fifth studio album and touring with Ruben Studdard. Aiken seems like a very nice guy and we hope he's having a terrific day!
'In My Life' a Tribute to Teachers
As a music instructor from a long line of educators, I especially was touched that Clay performed John Lennon's "In My Life" as a tribute to the teachers in his life during the Tried & True Live! PBS Special, still airing on stations throughout the country.
On such an important day in his life, I think it appropriate that Clay sign off this blog entry with that exquisite rendition.
In My Life from Clay Aiken: Tried & True ~ LIVE!
View full full screen at YouTube.
Caro
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11 comments:
What better gift to give to Clay than $50K for The National Inclusion Project? Just one more spot - we're hanging in there, let's see if we can get 'er done!
Gorgeous graphics, beautiful voice - thank you!
Happy Birthday Clay. Hoping and Praying that we can give you the best gift of all, reaching the #10 spot for The NIP. Been sending out emails all morning with the link. Hope it pays off.
Happy Birthday Clay!! Fingers crossed
we get the NIP into the top 10 today!
Hi Caro,
Just catching up on your wonderful blogs......the last one brought tears, remembering "Ashes." I think of her daily, oh how I miss her. I love the "What is a Friend" in her blog, how true it is.
I sure hope we are able to give Clay and the NIP that gift of $50,000, what a great Birthday gift it would be.
Hope your having a good week, busy getting ready for those Christmas Cantatas I'm sure.
Hugs,
Marlyne
Hi Caro and Happy Birthday to Clay. I hope NIP wins for a wonderful Birthday gift to Clay = Inclusion.
Thanks you for sharing the graphics and I love the song In My Life. :)
Sending ((HUGS))
Kathy/Aspiegirl
Beautiful blog, Caro! Love the video and all of the lovely graphics.
Hope the NIP can make it to the top 10. Right now they are at #12. Keeping fingers crossed!
Happy birthday to Clay!! Hard to believe he is 32.
BTW, your previous blog about Ashes got me choked up. I miss her, as I'm sure all her friends do. She was a special and dear friend. Sure wish she could have been here to enjoy Clay's new CD, his tour with Ruben, and his upcoming tour.
Love and hugs,
Barbara
Happy Birthday Clay! ♥ What a beautiful blog for his birthday. Thanks so much!
I didn't get to see the video of "In my life" and so glad you featured it. One of my favorite songs and Clay's rendition of this song is outstanding.
Here's hoping for a top 10 for the NIP. I know how much this means to Clay.
More power to you Caro for the wonderful blogs you bring.
((Hugs)) ♥
T.
Hello!
Special thnx to AmazingCA and Fountaindawg for their handsome birthday graphics of Clay Aiken.
Thank you to all who stop and comment in the Carolina blog entry after entry. You make all the work worthwhile.
Thank you, too, for supporting the National Inclusion Project these past three months. We came close but did not reach our Nov. 30 birthday goal.
However, the December campaign has already begun. We must wait for the NIP to establish alliances, but the voting widget is loaded with partners who supported the foundation (and vice-versa) in the past month.
Let's get started with daily votes for the NIP and these faithful partners! Have a wonderful December, all!
Caro
It's so sad we didn't get to the number ten spot for Clay. Are we going to continue on with the voting? I'll give it one more try, I guess. Maybe with Clay showing an interest, the fans will get more involved. I certainly know that you did more than your share on voting. Lois
I'm sorry that the NIP didn't win the money this month! It would have been a wonderful birthday present for Clay. I hope he enjoyed his birthday! Maybe we can give him a late Christmas present this month!
Thanks for the beautiful graphics and the video of In My Life. Gorgeous performance!
A belated but heartfelt Happy Birthday to our favorite singer man.
Hopefully the year will end with NIP somewhere in the final 10.
Great blog, Caro.
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