Clay Aiken Fans Vote, Wrap for Inclusion

Singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel co-founded the National Inclusion Project in July 2003. Graphic design by AmazingCA, photo by PermaSwoonded.

With Pepsi Refresh Campaign

Fans Aim for $50k Inclusion Grant

So Clay Aiken's Nov. 30 "birthday present" will just have to wait for New Year's Eve delivery!

A picture-perfect ending to November would have resulted in a gift-wrapped $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant for the National Inclusion Project, the charity Clay co-founded with Diane Bubel in 2003. However, last month's campaign ended with the foundation two positions away from the 10 funded groups.

By the dawn of Dec. 1, NIP supporters had regrouped and were off and running with a new set of alliances and partners in their quest for $50k funding for inclusive programs throughout the country.

Official alliances and partnering charities reciprocating with the NIP are listed on the voting widget below, in this blog's sidebar and on several Clay Aiken message boards across the Net.

At some sites, members have voting assignments for a specific group. Others make their own selections, either an all-alliance ballot or a combination of alliances and partners.

NIP Voting Widget contains alliances plus A-E partners.

Inclusion Project Starts at #2

Either way, it's working. The Inclusion Project opened the December campaign in second place, and supporters are working daily to hold a winning position through midnight Dec. 31.

For those new to the process of utilizing all three voting methods (Pepsi, Facebook, mobile text), read How To Vote in the NIP Voting Widget.

If you need a slice of the holiday spirit, scroll through the comment section of the National Inclusion Project's page on the Pepsi Refresh site. Charities are not only diligently working for their cause, but they are also supporting and pulling for other groups.

Below is a "singlet" from a 4x4 holiday flier that can be attached or included in vote-recruiting emails to family, friends, and associates.

Designed by Scarlett, the flier can be right-clicked, saved, and used in other ways, too: as hand-outs at WFI stations and various community locations (bank, beauty shop, library, church), as inserts in Christmas cards, etc. Please share your ideas in a comment below.

Creative Fans Recruit More Voters

During the past three months, this blog has highlighted several creative, successful strategies from various CA fans. These are again from queenmama247:

When I went to the grocery store, I talked with the Salvation Army bell ringer outside. I dropped some money in her bucket, and she placed a stack of NIP fliers on the bench beside her. She was such an angel.

I forgot to buy something, so I sent my husband back to the store. He said he dropped some money in the Salvation Army bucket, and the lady gave him a flier. He couldn't understand by I cracked up; he had brought my own flier back to me!

Later she returned with a postscript:

I had a very productive day. Besides giving fliers to the bell ringer, I dropped some off at the library since the ones they had were ALL GONE.

Then I left some on the counter at the bank. Will do more at church on Sunday. The fliers seem very easy to pass out. Only thing is they eat up my cartridge!

A few months ago, Thankful4Clay asked CA fans to vote for her mother's singer in a Twitter poll. Now the Blake Shelton fans are returning the favor by casting daily votes all three ways for the NIP in the Pepsi Challenge.

Colorful WFI station in Iowa yields donations for NIP.

NIP Supporters Wrap for Inclusion

In addition to the Pepsi Refresh Challenge, the holiday season provides several fund and awareness-raising opportunities for the National Inclusion Project

Wrapping for Inclusion, which not only spreads holiday cheer with a gift-wrapping service for shoppers, is traditionally an excellent opportunity for tell others about the foundation's inclusive mission and programs.

Accompanying the colorful wrapping materials of well-stocked WFI stations are fliers about the foundation's programs. With the Pepsi Refresh campaign in session, this season's WFI centers also are providing Internet and text info for new voting recruits.

Screen cap of NIP Flier
Double Clickable

Download the fliers from this PDF link, print, and share with prospective voters at WFI centers, as well as other community locations. Ask recipients to text the same vote everyday in November.

Below are clickable thumbnails of Pepsi fliers designed by Scarlett for the holiday season. Using the PDF flier links for color and/or black/white, download, print, and share at WFI stations and in other places. See double clickable caps below.

NIP Pepsi Fliers for Holiday Season

An annual event nationwide, WFI started in some places during November. To locate a wrapping center and coordinator in your area, see this schedule on the NIP website.

Wreath Project Decks the Halls

In the annual Deck the Halls for Inclusion fundraiser, every online purchase through Rockdale Wreaths earns the NIP $9 for singles or $13 for bulk packages (8 wreaths shipped to a single address).

Be sure to place orders on the Rockdale page displaying the NIP banner.

Samples of Rockdale Wreaths

Christie Cookies Chips in for Kids

As Christie Cookie's Charity of the Month, the National Inclusion Project will receive 20% of the merchandise price through the Chippin' in for Kids fundraiser.

Below are clickable images of the NIP cookie assortment and further explanation of the project. Flavors in the NIP cookie tin include Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, and Oatmeal Raisin. Use the link above to order.

Inclusion Project is Charity of the Month.

Good Search/Good Shop Yield $15k

What if National Inclusion Project - Bubel Aiken Foundation - BAF earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or what if a percentage of every purchase you make online goes to support the NIP cause?

As most fans know, both of these are possible through GoodSearch and Good Shop. Be sure to designate the charity for which you are searching or shopping online.

The Yahoo-powered search engine donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search and up to 30 percent of each purchase, to the designated charity. NIP supporters have generated $15,000 for the cause with these two methods.

This is a no-brainer for an online shopper like me. The Good Shop connection features hundreds of stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, eBay, Macy's, Barnes & Noble, to name a few. Adding the handy Good Search/Good Shop toolbar to your computer is the first step.

'Help Others Meet Norm' This Week

In celebration of Inclusive Schools Week Dec. 6-10, the NIP is partnering with other organizations in the youth-led national campaign "I Am Norm!"

For the week's activities, the Inclusion Project has created a free "I Am Norm" Educational Guide that can be downloaded from the site and used to promote disability rights and inclusions this month and beyond.

For more information, see Help Others Meet Norm at the NIP website. For background, a video, and more activities of this youth-led campaign, visit the I Am NORM website.

Below are clickables of three Clay Aiken designs by AmazingCA, including this entry's opening graphic. Photos by PermaSwooned are featured in the first and third designs.

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation! Keep those Pepsi votes pouring in!



Holiday signature by Linda

Clay Aiken Fans Rally New Votes for Inclusion Project

In Pepsi Drive for $50k Grant

Fans Go Creative for NIP Votes

With 10 days remaining in October's Pepsi Refresh Challenge, National Inclusion Project supporters are creatively seeking new avenues of voter enlistment to bring home the $50,000 grant on Halloween Night.

QUESTION: What actions would you take if you knew the NIP would move into the top 10 ONLY if you were responsible for 100 votes today? Would you explain the mission and programs of the National Inclusion Project? How would you round up 100 votes?

Below are ideas from Clay Aiken message boards and the National Inclusion Project that you may be able to adapt. Hopefully, you will share your recruitment activities and successes in the comments so they can be included in this entry.

MagicalMusic printed fliers and handed them out to 100 participants at a Bingo Night for Inclusion. Following a brief video about the National Inclusion Project, the group sent NIP text votes together. Participants were asked to continue voting daily through Oct. 31.

Here is a double clickable of her flier that you can copy, print, and use in a similar manner:

Double Clickable Flier
Copy, print, distribute!

Text & Treat This Halloween Season

The lead flier came from the National Inclusion Project in PDF format with the recommendation to print and pass out at community events. Download and print a page of four NIP Pepsi Text fliers to encourage text voting at booths, tables, games, gates, and other fall gatherings.

Schools, communities, and businesses are well into the Halloween spirit, and a page of four Text and Treat fliers can be downloaded from the NIP link. These will also be good to have at the door for parents of trick or treaters.

FearofH20 plans to pass out fliers at the gym, and Scarlett plans to hand them out at the zoo near her church. According to her follow-up report, this was a very successful venture. Perhaps all NIP supporters should have a batch of pumpkin/NIP fliers with them at all times.

Let's keep thinking outside the box!

Score NIP Votes at Football Games

Tonight begins another round of high school, college, and pro football games during which NIP supporters can enlist voters for the Pepsi Refresh Challenge.

Copy and print any of the clickable fliers in this blog to hand to fans for texting NIP votes at the game and each remaining day in October.

Suggestions of places to ask for votes during the next 10 days include:

1. The scoreboard or public address system at home games of high schools/universities with a message to TEXT NOW for the National Inclusion Project: 102308 to #73774.

2. Booth at local school homecomings.

3. Place in the homecoming parade.

4. Free PSAs on the radio promoting the NIP.

5. Fall festivals, trick or treat parties, pumpkin patches, churches.

6. Political candidates promoting the cause on Facebook or the campaign trail.

Teacher Turns Out Student Votes

If you have friends who are teachers in middle school or high school or you are one yourself, ask that the class be given the opportunity to vote daily.

Aikenite, a high school substitute teacher, posted at Clayversity that she would be having her students text a vote for the NIP in return for being allowed to listen to their iPods during classwork.

Friday morning updates from the "teach" were as follows:

1st Period (First-year French): About 25 votes for the NIP
2nd Period (AP English): About 20 votes for the NIP

Hey, this is working. It helps being known as "the cool sub"!

NIP Enters Weekend at #13

In the top 10 during the first two weeks, the National Inclusion Project has fallen into the teens and needs every vote supporters can swing to return to a 1-10 money position. Be sure to register at the National Inclusion Project for a chance to win a new iPad. You can also vote via this link.

US residents 13 an older can vote three ways 10 times -- via the Pepsi site, Facebook, as well as mobile phone texts (#102308 to #73774). That's three votes for the National Inclusion Project with the remaining 27 spread among the charity's voting alliances and partners from every eligible member in the household!

International supporters of inclusion should send the information/voting links/ideas to friends and relatives in the US so they can cast votes in your stead.

Replica of NIP Widget

Created by Scarlett, the NIP widget is a handy voting tool. Situated in the Carolina sidebar, on Facebook walls, and many other sites, the widget contains the latest links for all NIP alliances and partners. Following the alliance list, select from Groups A, B, C, and D to complete daily voting.

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

National Inclusion Project just voted for you. http://www.refresheverything.com/nationalinclusionproject. Text 102308.

Charities Tap Into Social Networking

Tapping into the full potential of social networking has proved to be a winner with successful Pepsi Refresh recipients in the past. There is no group more adept at social networking than high school and college students. The Inclusion Project recommends the following:

* If you have a son, daughter, nephew, niece, grandson, granddaughter, next door neighbor, etc., consider sending them a message asking to help.

* Were you a member of a fraternity or sorority or are you currently a member of an alumni association? Pass the word on so that they can possibly send out a message to their current contact list.

* Send a message to YOUR contact list and include one of the fliers from this blog. Here is a message you can copy/paste/tweak to email:

A cause that I am passionate about is currently competing in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. Would you consider helping me get the word out about the National Inclusion Project’s quest to win $50K to send hundreds of kids to camp? They believe no child should sit on the sideline and so do I.

It only takes a few minutes and you can vote through email, Facebook, or texting. Just go to Alliance for Kids and you can click down the page to vote for the Project and some very worthy partners.

You can then text 102308 to 73774. Your vote means a ton, and it would mean even more if you would pass the word to all your friends. Thanks!

In your email, include a link to a video that explains the work of the National Inclusion Project. The video below was created by SueReu.

INCLUSION is giving everyone rightful opportunity to participate. Clay Aiken, co-founder of the National Inclusion Project, sings 'Open Arms' in the montage. View the video full screen at YouTube.

Daily Dragon Joins NIP Cause

Thursday the The Daily Dragon Online joined the National Inclusion Project's Pepsi Refresh campaign by posting a request for votes to its membership base of 40,000. Below is part of the post, all of which can be read at National Inclusion Project Needs You:

The National Inclusion Project has been named as the 2011 Beneficiary of Dragon*Con Charity Events. Please help it earn a $50,000 “Refresh Everything Challenge” grant from Pepsi right now!

The National Inclusion Project serves to bridge the gap that exists between young people with disabilities and the world around them. NIP partners with communities and inclusive programs creating awareness about the possibilities that inclusion can bring. Inclusion means giving people their rightful opportunity to participate, and NIP works to make full inclusion a reality.

Pepsi is currently holding their Pepsi Refresh Everything Challenge in which they are giving away millions of dollars to nonprofit organizations each month. For the month of October, the National Inclusion Project is in the running for a $50,000 grant. [snip]

National Inclusion Project is not an organization with a huge email distribution, or with a large media campaign budget. $50,000 would make a HUGE difference for them and in the work that they do. So please vote now. Votes can be submitted daily through text message by texting *102308* to Pepsi at (73774), or through Facebook or the Pepsi website.

Dragon*Con has a collective fan base of over 40,000 memberships from this year, and National Inclusion Project has asked for help with voting. If everyone voted only once, it would make a difference.

If everyone voted daily, we could see NIP at #1 before the month is out. There are only a few days left in this event, so please contact everyone you can as soon as possible! And vote!

Clickable Flier

Have a wonderful weekend getting out the vote, Clay Nation!

Caro

In loving memory of Mary Ann Doxey, whom the Clay Nation knew as TruthRules and Clayzessed. Her name links to a page where friends can post remembrances and condolences for the family.