Clay Aiken Sings 'Both Sides Now,' Spurs Campaign

BOTH SIDES NOW - Singer Clay Aiken and signer Debra Leisey perform beautiful duet that describes the purpose and programs of the National Inclusion Project. View 2010 Gala video by Scarlett full screen at YouTube.

Aiken's BSN Defines Inclusion

Song Inspires $50k Grant Drive

Throughout August, this blog has outlined the mission and importance of the programs of the National Inclusion Project so that everyone who can will support the Raleigh, NC, charity in its campaign to obtain a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant.

All along, no words, photos, or voting links were needed. Just co-founder Clay Aiken performing the Joni Mitchell song "Both Sides Now" with Debra Leisey signing the inclusive lyrics.

Enjoy their performance from the 2010 Champions of Change Gala, annual meet when honorees are recognized for achievements opening doors for young people with disabilities.

In 2003, singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel of Charlotte co-founded the National Inclusion Project, formerly the Bubel/Aiken Foundation. to expand inclusive programs for all children.

One Pepsi Power Code a Day!

After watching the video, please make it your goal to purchase one -- or more -- Pepsi/Diet Pepsi products with a yellow cap each of the final four August days.

Email, text, or PM an NIP supporter the 10-character power codes by 6 p.m. ET Aug. 31. The codes will be voted before the contest ends at midnight ET Wednesday.

Clickables show much-needed power code caps.

In one swoop, the "powerful" codes increase a single vote from 5 - 100 points. The National Inclusion Project must be in the Top 10 to land a grant, and we definitely need your help.

The Pepsi site linked above is complicated for casual voters. However, everyone can easily follow this simplified routine for four days:

1. Text a daily vote: 108169 to 73774.
2. Vote for the NIP daily via Facebook.
3. Gather 4 power codes from Pepsi products and email/PM them via Facebook to an Inclusion Project supporter.

The National Inclusion Project has four days to secure the Pepsi grant. Thank you to all who join in this final power code effort!

Power caps are at a premium this final week. If you have trouble locating them at grocery stores, check the coolers at Best Buy, the Dollar Store, and other establishments.

BOTH SIDES NOW

Bows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air,
And feathered canyons everywhere,
I've looked at clouds that way,
But now they only block the sun.
They rain and they snow on everyone.
So many things I would have done,
But clouds got in the way.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now,
From up and down, and still somehow,
It's clouds illusions I recall.
I really don't know clouds ... at all.

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels,
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real,
I've looked at love that way.
But now it's just another show.
And you leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know,
Don't give yourself away.

I've looked at love from both sides now,
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall.
I really don't know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud,
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds,
I've looked at life that way.
But now old friends, they're acting strange
They shake their heads and tell me that I've changed.
Something's lost and something's gained from living everyday.

I've looked at life from both sides now,
From win and lose, and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall.
I really don't know life.

I've looked at life from both sides now,
From up and down, and still somehow
It's life's illusions that I recall.
I really don't know life ... at all.

MAKING INCLUSION A REALITY: Inclusion is giving people their rightful opportunity to participate. The National Inclusion Project works every day to make full inclusion a reality. Montage by SueReu features Clay singing "These Open Arms."

While coming home from camp, my son asked if I knew that everyone's brain was different. He explained that some kids at camp are different from other kids because they have certain disabilities.

When asked what he thought about that, he replied, "It's all good, Mom. We're all special and unique in our own way." -- Profound statement by a 7-year-old participant in a Let's ALL Play Camp.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE - The National Inclusion Project provides opportunities for all children to participate through nationwide Let's ALL Play Camps and other programs throughout the year.

Have an awesome week, and thank you for joining the cause of inclusion for all!

Caro

Clay Aiken Montage 'Refreshes' Pepsi Grant Drive

Clay Aiken: 'Where Do I Begin' from Tried & True Tour.
View montage by SueReu at YouTube.
Download video with this Sendspace file.

Fans Ferret Out Power Codes

Montage Replays Tour Opener

While coming home from camp, my son asked if I knew that everyone's brain was different. He explained that some kids at camp are different from other kids because they have certain disabilities.

When asked what he thought about that, he replied, "It's all good, Mom. We're all special and unique in our own way." - Profound statement from a 7-year-old participant in a Let's ALL Play Camp.

Fans of Clay Aiken, co-founder of the National Inclusion Project charity that provides camps and a variety of activities for children with and without disabilities, are competing for a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant to fund more "special and unique" experiences.

What better way to open this blog than with the extraordinary new montage by SueRue of the singer performing "Where Do I Begin" (Theme from "Love Story") along the 2011 Tried & True Tour trail.

The montage should be inspiration for all inclusion supporters to seek new avenues for adding votes and the all-important power codes required to secure the Pepsi funds.

The video features footage by MBlovesClay, Scarlett, goldarngirl, dlh7777, and Thankful4Clay.

Below are three clickables SueReu provided from the montage.

Fan Successfully Dives for Codes

Less than a week ago, Shamrock took her own advice and attended a local minor league baseball game in search of yellow power caps. She and her sister located 32 yellow caps that night, yielding 500 points in the National Inclusion Project's August campaign for the $50k Pepsi Refresh grant.

Following lunch on the 20th, she and her sister had planned to drop by their state fair where Pepsi was the official drink. While driving to the fair, her car was struck by an inattentive driver and totaled.

Between them, the sisters have a cracked rib and a sore neck, and their power code mission was halted long enough for them to be checked at the emergency room.

Shamrock dives for power codes.

By Sunday, the sister duo was back dumpster diving at the ball field. Here is Shamrock's story in her own words:

Well, I did it. I went dumpster diving today, and my sister helped me. I went back to the ball field to ask someone in authority if I could look in their recycle bins. The gentleman in the ticket office gave me the name of someone to call, but I couldn’t reach him.

As we were driving away, we passed the recycle bin. All the little bins had been emptied into a dumpster. The bags were clear plastic, and we could see some yellow caps. We decided to open a few. We were able to find 111 caps before we had to stop.

Tomorrow I’m calling to get permission to continue. So far we were able to vote 60 caps by my mom, husband, sisters, and a friend. The first 60 caps were worth 700 votes.

Checking the bags in the recycle dumpster wasn't very messy. There were lots of yellow caps since the ball park only sells Pepsi products, beer, and water.

We couldn’t reach all the bags because we were not prepared. We needed a step stool, a pole with a hook, old clothes, and rubber gloves. Tomorrow we’ll be ready if I get the okay!

If you are reading this blog and drink Pepsi/Diet Pepsi or have a way to collect the power codes from yellow bottle caps or the carton tops of cans, send or take them to an Inclusion Project supporter via Facebook PM, Direct Message on Twitter, or some other means.

The NIP is in a real battle for a Pepsi grant position in the top 10. Power codes are the wild card in this competition, and efforts have been stepped up to locate them.

Online Power Vote Party Nets 965!

At 11:35 p.m. Sunday, Scarlett and I were chatting on Facebook and decided to enter as many codes from her stash as we could before midnight. Neither of us has seen the elusive "100," but we both hit an occasional "50." In 25 minutes, we cast 850 votes!

About five minutes before midnight, we started receiving messages asking if we were sure we wanted to continue as the day's deadline was approaching. Pepsi didn't realize how quickly we were moving.

I cast all my votes except one, which I saved for a few minutes into Monday. Just to be safe, I went back through and checked my list of codes to make sure they had all been used. Sure enough, there were five that I had skipped.

The early Monday votes amounted to 115 points, so in 30 minutes we logged a total of 965 votes. When you see supporters asking for you help in locating power codes, remember how many votes this 30-minute spree produced!

How Everyone Can Help

In a nutshell, here are ways fans, as well as friends, family, and associates, can help the National Inclusion Project continue funding programs for all children:

1. Text 108169 to 73774 daily.

2. Log into the Pepsi Refresh site and cast a vote for the National Inclusion Project through your Facebook account. See "sign in" at bottom left corner of the Pepsi page.

3. Email, PM, or deliver Pepsi/Diet Pepsi power codes to a Clay Aiken fan/NIP supporter.

4. Register all of your email ID's with the Pepsi Refresh site (bottom left corner again) and vote daily.

5. Scroll back through the August Carolina blogs for a variety of creative ideas shared by supporters.

The campaign is heading into the final week. Be creative and bold in gathering power codes. Please share your successes, as well as businesses conducting Pepsi sales this week, and I will be add the information to this entry.

Have a powerful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Pursue Pepsi Power Codes, Votes

Vote THREE ways to fund inclusive programs for all children.

Supporters Enlist New Voters

Power Codes Prove Wild Card

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

Supporters of the National Inclusion Project are prowling for power codes and a greatly expanded voting force in the charity's quest for a $50,000 grant during the final days of the August Pepsi Refresh Challenge.

Fans of singer Clay Aiken, Inclusion Project co-founder, are casting votes for the NIP and a host of reciprocating charities. Having dropped to #13 Friday, foundation supporters hope to enlist an army of new voters this weekend.

Throughout the year, Pepsi gives away millions to fund charity ideas that refresh the world. No longer is there a month-to-month rollover, so supporters must complete the goal by midnight Aug. 31 and obtain as much mileage as possible from each day's allotment of votes at the Pepsi site, Facebook, and cell phone texting.

The wild card in this season's competition is the power code, which can be obtained from specially-marked Pepsi products inside yellow bottle caps and under the tops of appropriately marked cartons of canned drinks.

In addition to the normal 5 votes allowed (1 NIP + 4 Reciprocals), 10 power code votes can be cast for the Inclusion Project with each registered ID at the Pepsi site. Codes can expand a single vote by 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, or 100 points.

Fans Share Power Code Finds

Below are some of the ways supporters are rounding up more votes. Hopefully, these discussions will spark an idea that works for you. Share suggestions in the comments, and I will add them to the list.

scorpionlady45: My co-worker, who buys 2-liter Pepsi bottles to keep at the office, returned from lunch. I saw him with a bag and asked, "Did you get Pepsi with yellow caps?" He answered in the affirmative and said he had one at his desk that he could give me now.

I also sent out a text to six people and told them they have a mission to complete (text voting). Got three texts back so far with "mission complete."

all4luv: The best place to "shop" for Pepsi caps is a baseball game! Anyone going to a professional game, just stay afterwards and help clean up the park, so to speak. You can fill a bag with caps in no time at all! I'm hoping to go to an Indians game next week and see how many caps I can gather.

Shamrock: I went to our local minor league baseball team play tonight. The stadium sells Pepsi products, so I kept my eyes open for power caps. Most people were drinking beer or water, but my sister and I managed to find 32 caps.

I’m sure I would have found more if I could have opened the recycling bins. I did see one in the trash, and - YIKES! - I reached in for it.

Our 32 caps were worth 500 extra votes. The NIP is still in 13th place, so the charities above us must have lots of voters and lots of caps. I wish I could think of other ways to find yellow caps. The baseball team plays at home for the next 4 or 5 days, so I plan to attend another game.

Clayscience21: Word of caution. Pepsi Max has zero calories but double the caffeine of regular Diet Pepsi. I'll be up all night. But it did taste good, and the liter bottle did have a power code!

Desertrose: Just think of the energy it will give you to clean your house now that we know the wonders of Pepsi in all kinds of cleaning operations.

It is a win-win situation. We support the National Inclusion Project with bonus points, and we get the bonus of extra energy from all that caffeine to clean our houses. Not to mention all the ways Pepsi can be used to clean and repair. [See 51-item related list below].

CTLover1: We stopped at Sam's for a few minutes on our way home. They have a big recycling bin at the bottom of the parking lot and what did I see? A woman "diving"!!! She'd even brought her own ladder! My first thought was, "Wonder if she's looking for yellow Pepsi caps?!?!?!?"

MagicalMusic: If everyone purchased 5 bottles of Pepsi, that would be a minimum of 25 additional votes per person. As was mentioned before, CVS has 2 liter bottles for 88 cents. I bought 5 yesterday and will use the codes tonight. [NOTE: Some stores are running low on the power cap bottles, so call ahead!]

Vickie: Check your local Walgreen's this week. Starting Sunday, the ones around here will have 12-packs, six for $13.

SueReu: I dropped by the bottle return area at the store near my work and found three codes. I'll keep checking!

Thankful4Clay: A friend on Facebook just sent me seven codes. One was for 50 votes, and two were 25's!

morganette: Perhaps some of our Canadian members who live in the border cities will be in the U.S. during the next 12 days (for shopping, visiting, business, etc.) and they could help by picking up some bottles of Pepsi and PM the codes to US message board friends to vote.

I went to the Dollar Store again last night less than 10 minutes away and bought 10 bottles for $1 each. The first one I opened was 50 votes! I've only opened 3 so far. Hope there are some more 50's. Still waiting for a 100!

dancermom2: Wonder if any of our Canadian friends would like to sponsor buying Pepsi for those in the States who can vote?

goldarngirl: I'm in! Just let me know how you want to do this. It's cheaper than my driving across the border to buy 10 bottles.

Jerry Aiken: Power votes are "powerful!" Ask your convenience store about discarded cartons and bottle tops. Sports events have bottle tops being tossed away. CVS has Pepsi bottles on sale and a special for 2 six packs. Let's MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Scarlett: This weekend hold an online Power Voting Party with entertainment, food, and all the extras. Bring clack, but mainly bring power votes.

Hopefully, the energy and excitement of the online party will generate ideas for obtaining more power caps. The whole group can contribute and have fun while doing so!

The NIP ensures that children nationwide can experience all that life has to offer.

Group Texts, Circles of Friends Help

Have you posted a request for assistance from church, school, workplace? A concise message in a daily/weekly communique or posted on bulletin boards could make a difference.

If you have access to a large gathering (club/faculty/business meeting, church group, wedding reception, etc.), conduct a GROUP TEXT. Have everyone take out a cell phone and text 108169 to 73774 with the volume turned up. The mass "thank you" replies from Pepsi will be resounding!

The Pepsi site is complicated for casual voters. However, everyone can easily follow this simplified version:

1. Text a daily vote: 108169 to 73774.
2. Vote for the NIP daily via Facebook.
3. Gather power codes from Pepsi products.

For friends, family, and associates willing to register and vote through Pepsi, point them to the link in the bottom left corner to cast ballots daily for the Inclusion Project. When voting for the reciprocal charities on the NIP Voting Widget, please leave a comment with this info:

The National Inclusion Project is voting for you. We really need your help as we must place in the Top 10 for a $50k grant. Thank you for all your return votes! http://www.refresheverything.com/inclusionproject ... Text 108169.

From the National Inclusion Project website: Need an email you can edit, modify, or use as is to enlist the aid of those in your circle. Click here to download a letter to family and friends to ask for their help.

Alternative Pepsi Uses Yield Codes

So what if Pepsi is not your preferred drink, how can you help gather the all-important power codes? The list below is from a 2008 WiseBread blog entry by Paul Michael: Living Large on a Budget.

51 Uses for Coca-Cola (But Use Pepsi Instead!)

1. Remove grease stains from clothing and fabric.
2. Remove rust; methods include using fabric dipped in Coke, a sponge or even aluminum foil.
3. Remove blood stains from clothing and fabric.
4. Make gooey Coke funnel cakes .
5. Clean oil stains from a garage floor; let the stain soak, hose off.
6. Loosen a rusty bolt; pour on some Coke and wait for the magic to happen.
7. Kill slugs and snails; a small bowl of Coke will attract them, and the acid will kill them.
8. Help a lawn become lush and green.
9. Prevent an asthma attack! Apparently, the caffeine in two 12oz cans can prevent the onset of an attack.
10. Defrost a frozen windshield. Apply liberally and wait.
11. Clean burnt pans; let the pan soak in the Coke, then rinse.
12. Descale a kettle using the same method in #11.
13. Neutralize a jellyfish sting.
14. Clean car battery terminals by pouring a small amount of Coke over each one.
15. Cure nausea; let a can of Coke go flat then take a teaspoon of Coke every hour.
16. Also, flat coke can help relieve an upset stomach (aka "the runs").
17. Make a Mentos & Coke exploding fountain. This one takes a 2-liter bottle of Coke.
18. Get rid of hiccups; gargle with a big mouthful of ice-cold Coke.
19. Shake up a can and pour it over your windshield to remove bugs and other crud. [Diet Pepsi works best for this!]
20. Use the method in 19 for your car bumpers, too.
21. Clean your engine; Coke distributors have been using this technique for decades.
22. Relieve congestion; boil a can of Coke and drink while hot to clear you up.
23. Make a sweet BBQ sauce. Mix a can of Coke with ketchup, and brush over ribs or chicken.
24. Baste a ham roast with Coke as it cooks. The sugars will caramelize; the ham will be moist.
25. Add a can of coke to your pot roast to tenderize it and add extra flavor.
26. Make pretty pennies; soaking old pennies in Coke will remove the tarnish.
27. Make your hair curly; pour flat Coke onto long hair, leave for a few minutes then rinse.
28. Age documents and photos; for that antique look, apply Coke, pat with paper, leave to dry.
29. Clean tile grout: pour onto kitchen floor, leave for a few minutes, and wipe up.
30. Mix a can of Coke with a packet of Italian seasoning; cook a tough steak in it.
31. Make better compost; Coke increases the acidity, adds sugars and feeds microorganisms.
32. Dissolve a tooth in it. Use a sealed container, this takes ages. Why would you want to though, unless you’re Hannibal Lector?
33. Remove gum from hair; dip into a small bowl of Coke, leave a few minutes. Gum will wipe off.
34. Get silky skin; mix a spoonful of Coke with regular lotion and apply liberally.
35. Make low-fat brownies .
36. Pour a little in a cup and set it out an hour before a picnic, away from your site; it will attract wasps and bees so they’re not bugging you and your grub.
37. Remove stains from vitreous china.
38. Got a dirty pool? Add two 2-liter bottles of Coke to clear up the water (it acts as rust remover).
39. Add Coke to your laundry to remove bad smells, especially fish.
40. Remove (or fade) dye from hair by pouring Diet Coke over it.
41. Mop a floor with Coke to make it sticky. It’s a movie industry trick to stop actors slipping.
42. Remove marker stains from carpet. Apply Coke, scrub, then clean with soapy water.
43. Clean a toilet; pour around bowl, leave for a while, flush clean. [Also great for cleaning drains!]
44. Apply to skin for a deep tan (although this seems like a recipe for skin cancer to me).
45. Supposedly, drinking an 8oz can of Coke every day can prevent kidney stones.
46. Add it to a Sloppy Joe mix
47. Perk up your azaleas or gardenias.
48. Coke and aluminum foil will bring chrome to a high shine.
49. Strip paint off metal furniture; soak a towel in Coke, sit it on the surface for days. Make sure you keep adding Coke to keep the towel wet.
50. Add it to vodka, rum, or bourbon.
51. Drink it straight from the can, if you can (too sweet for me)

Let's make August a huge fund-raising success for the National Inclusion Project so that children nationwide can experience all that life has to offer!

Have an wonderfully productive weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

Montage Spotlights Clay Aiken's Signature Song

Clay Aiken - Unchained Melody 2011
View montage by SueReu full screen at YouTube.
Download the video with this Sendspace.

NIP Swings from #8 to #11

Video Frames 'Unchained Melody'

This blog was supposed to be about the signature version of my favorite Clay Aiken song, "Unchained Melody," which SueRue this week fashioned into a beautiful new montage.

Since she uploaded the video a couple of days ago, links for the montage zipped through Clay Cyberspace and social networking sites faster than the speed of light. Video credits include ClayIzzaQT, MBlovesClay, dlh7777, Scarlett, canfly172, and goldarngirl.

If you are part of the minority who have not yet seen this montage, enjoy. If you have already played and downloaded it a zillion times, enjoy again. Included are five clickable screen caps SueReu created from the video.

NIP Supporters Set $50k Goal

With Monday evening's drop to #11, supporters of the National Inclusion Project scrrambled for new avenues to add to the foundation's total votes in the August drive for a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant.

For days the NIP has held onto the 10th position, the lowest a charity can be to win a grant in the $50k division. Renewed efforts paid off, and the foundation moved up to slots 8 and 9, slightly safer waters, before slipping back to #11.

What's your latest creative move to round up additional votes? Several of my music students and their parents are texting daily. Some have promised to bring power codes from yellow Pepsi/Diet Pepsi bottle caps.

Remember the wedding queenmama247 attended this past weekend? Here is her report:

The wedding went off without a hitch. There were 210 guests. The DJ was so sweet when he asked everyone to take out their cellphones. He kept saying, "It's for kids."

We counted approximately 180 votes texted. Some people were having a hard time getting through, but it was a thrill to hear all the phones going off when the thank you messages started coming back!

Power Voting Can Be a Blast

Sunday afternoon Scarlett and I enjoyed a Power Voting Party via Facebook Chat with codes from several 20-ounce Pepsi bottles she had purchased at a 99-cent store. Our grand total was 445 extra votes for the NIP and was it ever fun!!!

My friend doesn't drink Pepsi, but she used the liquid remains as a type of Draino in her sinks. This morning she said her tub was a mite bit sticky. I have located at least three "Pepsi suppliers," so I hope to contribute additional codes soon.

One of the NIP's new voting partners, Nerdy Science, seeks to foster an early love for the science through multi-week, hands on programs.

Check out Exploding Soda in the Nerdy Baby blog. The Pepsi geysers provide an excellent science experiment for young children and provide an alternative way to utilize power code bottles for those who don't drink soda.

This week CVS has 2-liter Pepsi bottles on sale for 88 cents. Just be sure the caps are of the yellow power code variety!

See the previous entry, Clay Aiken Fans Pull Out Stops for Inclusion, for detailed voting instructions. Partner links and text numbers are in the NIP Voting Widget now situated in the Carolina sidebar.

Please share your successes for enlisting more voters and gathering power codes in the comments.

Dr. Phil and Clay AikenTake on Bullying.
View 2005 video full screen at YouTube.

Bullying Headlines Google Search

Somewhere there's a workshop ... or teachers are making lesson plans ... or students already have a school assignment related to preventing or stopping bulling.

During an eight-hour period Monday, Feedjit, the tracking tool associated with the Carolina blog, registered visitors who arrived by googling the phrase Clay Aiken End Bullying. The hits came from all corners of the US, as well as Aruba in the Caribbean and the Republic of Mauritius, an island nation off the southeast coast of Africa.

It's heartening to think that individuals from 27 cities wound up at the October 2010 entry: Clay Aiken Shares Insight on Bullying. Even then, the blog was pointing out the relevancy of remarks the singer had made five years earlier on the Dr. Phil Show.

Recent suicides by young people who reached the breaking point from constant bullying, hatred, and harassment have spurred nationwide efforts to bring an end to this epidemic.

On Oct. 28, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, giving the Department of Justice the authority to prosecute hate crimes, including attacks based on sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability.

Paralleling the new legislation, more and more citizens have begun recognizing the epidemic of hate and are choosing to go proactive, becoming informed and getting involved. Too many, however, remain silent.

The information trail continued into the evening. For whatever reason, surfers in these cities were on the Net exploring the topic of bullying: Birmingham, AL; Bessemer, AL; Phoenix, AZ; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Santa Rosa, CA; Denver, CO; Seymour, CT; Millsboro, DE; Miami, FL; Orlando, FL; Hephzibah, GA; Round Lake, IL; Wichita, KS;

Also Arnold, MD; Baltimore, MD; Genesco, NY; Cleveland, OH; Lebanon, OR; Malvern, PA; Addison, TX; Chatfield, TX; Woodway, TX; Bothell, WA; Ellensburg, WA; Oranjestad, Aruba, and Curepipe, Plaines Wilheme, Mauritus.

And they were still coming when I uploaded this blog. Hopefully, we are witnessing a nationwide -- maybe worldwide -- movement to end bullying forever!

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Pull Out Stops for Inclusion Grant

Vote 3 ways to expand inclusive programs for all children.

NIP at #10 in $50k Drive

Widget Makes Pepsi Voting a Snap

Clay Aiken fans are pulling out all the stops to keep the National Inclusion Project, charity co-founded by the singer, in the top 10 of the Pepsi Refresh Challenge in order to successfully secure a $50,000 grant for the foundation in August.

There is no roll-over from month to month, so supporters must complete the goal during August and get as much mileage as possible from each day's allotment of votes at the Pepsi site, via Facebook, and cell phone texting.

A tremendous tool for Project supporters is the voting widget created by Scarlett with reciprocal info gathered by Royalle.

Jerry Aiken, executive director of the National Inclusion Project, not only approved the widget but also asked that supporters be reminded to vote all three ways and to make use of power codes. "We lose much-needed votes when people take the easiest route and text vote only."

With the one-month setup, little has been said about reciprocal votes this time around, but there are charities supporting the Inclusion Project and vice-versa. Fresh off the press, the voting widget below provides lists of causes supporting the NIP.

Daily, cast your 5 allotted Pepsi and five Facebook votes using two of the five groups (1 NIP + 4 reciprocals) on the widget. Be sure to leave a comment on the reciprocating charity's page. After you vote, look for the link at the upper left corner that takes you back to the "idea page."

Create your own comment, but be sure to include the NIP Pepsi page address and text number. Here is a sample:

The National Inclusion Project just voted for you. Thank you for your return votes! http://www.refresheverything.com/inclusionproject and Text 108169.

The widget will be available in the Carolina sidebar throughout August.

Power Votes Multiply Quickly

The rules have changed since friends of the foundation successfully secured a Pepsi grant in 2010, the biggest being the use of power codes. Below is an outline of the process:

* Advocates can vote 3 ways: Via the Inclusion Project Pepsi Page, a Facebook account, and a daily text of #108169 to 73774 (PEPSI).

* Supporters have 5 votes for each avenue everyday, but only one NIP vote per method (not counting Power Voting). Distribute the other four votes to charities supporting the foundation. They are posting in the comment section on the NIP Pepsi page.

* POWER VOTES: The biggest change in the Pepsi Challenge is the use of power codes found in the specified bottle caps and carton boxtops of canned drinks. The codes will convert a single Pepsi vote into between 5 and 100 power votes.

Locate the power codes on specially-marked Pepsi products listed below. When you enter the Pepsi Refresh site, click on "power votes," enter a code, and you will be shown your total.

All of your power votes can be voted for a single idea. You can "cash in" as many as 10 power vote codes daily. After entering the power code in the white area, hit "activate." Just below the number of additional votes the code added (5-100) are two links.

Click on the one marked return to your last idea, and you will be taken back to the NIP voting page to enter additional power codes. Up to 10 daily!

Even if you have cast your ID's 5-vote allotment, you can continue with up to 10 power codes via the Activate Power Voting link at the bottom of any Pepsi page (see yellow cap). If the NIP was not your previous vote, search for the charity's page and then proceed with the power codes. After that, simply click on the "last idea" link.



PEPSI PRODUCTS WITH POWER CODES

10 oz bottle Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (bottle cap)
2 liter bottle Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (bottle cap)
12-can package Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (carton top)
20-can package Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (carton top)
24-can package Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (carton top)

Fans Share Recruitment Tactics

The 8/5 Carolina entry outlined several successful tactics Clay Aiken fans are using to locate power codes and recruit others to vote for the NIP.

Here are some more. If you have suggestions, please post them in the comments; and I will add them to this segment.

queenmama247: My niece is getting married Saturday, and I have been helping. Yesterday we were putting together the wedding favors, and I noticed there was an orange ribbon pin. The groom-to-be has a niece with leukemia, and they are very involved in supporting that charity. They just completed a motorcycle ride for his niece. Besides the pin in the favors, there will be a card with info for donating to the cancer society.

When we were getting ready to leave I had to hurry and text in my NIP vote. The groom inquired about the Inclusion Project, and I was off and running.

Bottom line is at the reception he is going to have the DJ have everyone take out their cell phones and do a group text for the NIP! That will be over 200 people! He said this is in return for my helping them. Dang I am excited!!!

cameocat: I found 20 oz. Pepsi and Diet Pepsi bottles at the Dollar Store today with power vote caps. I got three of them - 50, 10, and 15 power votes! Cheaper than the liter bottles I bought on sale the other day!

I took my own advice and emailed family, friends, music parents/students asking for daily text votes and power codes. Nothing works as well as one-on-one, however. All week I have talked with students and parents about texting and gathering yellow power code caps/canned carton tops.

First thing we did at Jessicca's 1 p.m. piano lesson today was take out her cell phone and text a vote for the NIP. A few minutes later we heard Pepsi's reply loud and clear! The student also promised to have her parents do the same and to continue throughout the month.

Turns out this family drinks lots of Pepsi, and she will be gathering power codes for the NIP the rest of August!

Erica, an eighth grade violinist, and her mother Julie are texting/voting daily. In last year's NIP Pepsi campaign, Erica set a reminder on her cell phone so she wouldn't miss a day of text voting.

Let's move the National Inclusion Project into single digits! Have an awesome weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Honor Parker with UNICEF Donations

Children in the Horn of Africa struggle to survive.
Video is accompanied by Clay Aiken singing "Grace of God."
View montage by SueReu full screen at YouTube.

Donate To Save Children

Fans Celebrate Parker's Birthday

No doubt today's third birthday celebration for Parker Foster Aiken is a joyous occasion for him, his parents Clay Aiken and Jaymes Foster, extended family, and friends.

Fans of the little tyke's famous father, who is also a Celebrity Ambassador for UNICEF, have chosen to honor the 8/8/08 anniversary by making donations to in his name for children at risk in the Horn of Africa.

A $10 donation will feed a child for 10 days, immunize over 30 children, and literally make a difference between life and death.

SueReu's montage, set to the singer's "Grace of God" track, displays the catastrophic need for the two million children at risk in the Horn of Africa -- Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia.

The montage by LovesClaysVoice features earliest images of Parker with his dad singing "In My Life," a Tried & True favorite.

Happy Birthday, Parker Foster Aiken!
Video is accompanied by Dad singing 'In My Life.'
View montage by LovesClaysVoice full screen at YouTube.

Africa's worst drought in 60 years is compounded by rising food prices and a refugee crisis, creating a true children’s emergency in the area. UNICEF urgently requires additional funds to maintain critical lifesaving services for children who face malnutrition, disease and death.

Read more about the Horn of Africa crisis on this UNICEF page. You can make a donation here. If you use Paypal, you can also leave a message.There are no totals; but according to preliminary message board accounts, little Parker has helped lots of children in the Horn of Africa today.

If you would like, download the montages with these Sendspace links: Grace of God and In My Life.

Happy Birthday Week to Parker! Have an awesome August, Clay Nation!

Caro

Vote 3 ways daily for the National Inclusion Project in August's Pepsi Refresh Challenge:

1. First, vote at the Pepsi Refresh site. See much more info on power codes in the previous Carolina blog entry.
2. Sign out and back into the Pepsi site to cast your Facebook vote.
3. Text 108169 to 73774 (PEPSI).
4. Recruit others to do the same.
5. Goal: $50k grant for inclusion!

Clay Aiken Fans Champion Inclusion in Pepsi Challenge

National Inclusion Project - Inclusion is giving people their rightful opportunity to participate. The NIP works every day to ensure no child sits on the sidelines.

For Pepsi Refresh Challenge

Inclusion Project Sets $50K Goal

Supporters of the National Inclusion Project are making an all-out effort to win a $50,000 grant for the charity in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge during the month of August.

Co-founded by singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel in July 2003, the National Inclusion Project seeks through a variety of programs, including the Let's All Play Camps, to ensure that no child sits on the sidelines. Read more about the NIP at the foundation's website.

The rules have changed since friends of the foundation successfully secured a Pepsi grant in 2010.

* The Inclusion Project must win in August as there is no rollover from month to month.

* Advocates can vote 3 ways: Via the Inclusion Project Pepsi Page, a Facebook account, and a daily text of #108169 to Pepsi 73774.

* Supporters have 5 votes for each avenue everyday, but only one NIP vote per method (not counting Power Voting). Distribute the other four votes to charities supporting the foundation. They are posting in the comment section on the NIP Pepsi page.

* POWER VOTES: The biggest change in the Pepsi Challenge is the use of power codes found in the specified bottle caps and carton boxtops of canned drinks. The codes will convert a single Pepsi vote into between 5 and 100 power votes.

Locate the power codes on specially-marked Pepsi products listed below. When you enter the Pepsi Refresh site, click on "power votes," enter the codes, and you will be shown your total.

All of the power votes can be voted for a single idea. You can "cash in" 10 power vote codes daily. The number of power votes you win may be as few as 5 or could be 100 or more.

Click on the yellow Power Vote tab, enter the power code in the white area, and hit "activate." Just below the number of additional votes (5-100) are two links.

Click on the one marked return to your last idea, and you will be taken back to the NIP voting page to enter additional power codes -- up to 10 daily!

By the end of August, there will be 10 winners in the $50k category, now the highest award possible.

Currently #10, the National Inclusion Project has been in positions 9-11 this first week of the competition. As more supporters put voting into their daily routine, the foundation's prospects should grow exponentially.

The image below links to the NIP Pepsi page:

Fans Share Power Vote Possibilities

What if you are not a Pepsi connoisseur or avoid soft drinks altogether? According to several creative supporters, there are many ways to gather the all-important power codes.

all4luv of Clayversity posted these suggestions:

1. Do you know anyone having a graduation party, barbecue, etc.? Check for power codes in the Pepsi 12-packs?

2. Locate them at sporting events. My son used to gather caps from Pepsi bottles at baseball games until the ushers finally kicked us out of the ballpark. He'd often get over a hundred, then come home, and enter all the codes to win free computer games!

3. In the workplace, there are Pepsi machines everywhere. Leave a note about the cause and a shoebox, and people will be happy to throw their caps your way!

PEPSI PRODUCTS WITH POWER CODES

10 oz bottle Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (bottle cap)
2 liter bottle Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (bottle cap)
12-can package Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (carton top)
20-can package Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (carton top)
24-can package Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (carton top)

Ask Friends, Family To Help

SICLAYFAN: My daughter's best friend is not only voting in this challenge, but she's also posting about it on Facebook and asking her teacher friends to do so, too.

TNMTMAMA: I just got in 208 votes! My family has been collecting caps for me, so I used 10 power codes, one regular, one text, and one FB. I had a 100, 50, 15, 10 and six 5's in my power votes -- 205 pv on top of the three normal votes!

MUMM_FUMS: I scavenged six more lids from the recycle bins in our break rooms today plus the ones friends give me.

This weekend I plan to contact family, friends, and music parents asking that:

(a) Texters send a daily text vote to Pepsi -- 108169 to 73774 -- for the NIP. Last time around I was working with an ancient cell phone. This mode of voting is a snap with an updated mobile phone.

(b) People in my circle to email or gather Pepsi bottle caps/carton tops with power codes throughout the month of August.

What is your grand plan? Please post your ideas in the comments below, and I'll bring them into the blog. The National Inclusion Project needs to generate as many votes as possible in August!

Have an awesome weekend -- and vote, vote, vote for the NIP!

Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Mark Phineas & Ferb Anniversary

Clay Aiken, Chaka Khan sing 'I Believe We Can.'
View Phineas and Ferb song full screen at YouTube.

Video Chat on for Tonight

Fans Celebrate 'I Believe We Can'

One year ago (8/2/2010), recording artists Clay Aiken and Chaka Khan guest starred on the celebrated Phineas & Ferb episode Summer Belongs to You by singing the inspirational duet, "I Believe We Can."

My grandchildren, Kai and Lia, are really into Disney and other kiddie channels; so this blog was written as I looked up links for them. However, you are welcome to come along for the ride and celebrate the episode's one-year anniversary with the four videos below.

The one-hour Summer Belongs to You episode premiered on DisneyXD on Aug. 2, 2010, and was telecast four days later on the Disney Channel. The catchy duet was released on iTunes and other online outlets as part of a digital album of music from the Phineas & Ferb series.

Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You, Part 1.
View full screen at Disney Replays Channel on YouTube.


Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You, Part 2.
View full screen at Disney Replays Channel on YouTube.


Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You, Part 3.
View full screen at Disney Replays Channel on YouTube.


Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You, Part 4.
View full screen at Disney Replays Channel on YouTube.

Perpetually on summer vacation, Phineas & Ferb centers around two stepbrothers always embarking on some grand project. Their sister Candace angrily watches them, never able to get their mother to catch the duo in the act.

The two also have a platypus named Perry, a secret agent for an all-animal government organization that primarily takes on Dr. Heinz Doofenschmirtz, an evil scientist.

Wacky by adult standards, but it works!

Below are clickable screen caps from animated Clay's performance of "I believe We Can."

As if anyone in the Clay Nation needs a reminder, the singer will hold a live video chat with Official Fan Club members at 8:30 pm ET tonight.

The "bleachers" are already filling up. See you there!

Have an awesome week, Clay Nation!

Caro