2012 Clay Aiken Calendars Set for Gala Return

2012 Clay Aiken Calendars - Order by Nov. 22!
Tried & True wall calendar cover is clickable.

Wall, Desk Versions in Auction

Aiken Calendars Headed to Gala

The 2012 Clay Aiken Calendars are going back to the Gala as auction items. But before that, fans of the singer can order Tried & True wall or desk versions through the project's coordinator.

Produced annually by Rosaratana with photos by toni7babe, the 2012 calendar features images predominately from the 2011 Tried & True Tour and is again being published in desk and wall versions.

Hippoga, also part of the 2012 team, helped select the photos and coordinated the inclusion of 20 calendars in the silent auction for the Dec. 9-10 Champions Gala, annual event of the National Inclusion Project in Raleigh, NC.

Sample of monthly desk calendars. Double click to enlarge.

The calendars, printed on premium glossy card stock, can be ordered through Rosaratana between now and Nov. 22. Costs include $12 for the desk size (8.27" x 3.74") and $25 for the wall version (11" x 8.5").

As in the past six years, all proceeds after costs will be donated to the National Inclusion Project. Thought not an official NIP fundraiser, this project is sponsored annually by the Together for Inclusion Alpha Chapter of Aiken 4Clay. The 2011 calendars generated a foundation donation of $965.62 through sales plus an addition $650 more in the Gala auction.

To place calendar orders, Paypal or email Rosa at rosash@comcast.net by Nov. 22. Checks are accepted, and she will email you the address. Process time between orders received to calendars printed and shipped is approximately 3-4 weeks.

Sample of wall calendar months. Double click to enlarge.

The 2012 calendars are being shipped as orders arrive. Below is fan mail from a happy customer:

The calendars came yesterday, and you did a wonderful job as usual. After seeing it, I'm thinking of buying another one for my mom. She's still a Clay fan at 91, and I think she'd enjoy looking at those photos every month. I will send another check off to you this week.

GoodSearch/GoodShop Support Charities

With your assistance, the National Inclusion Project could win an additional $1,000 donation in September's GoodSearch Registration Contest!

The charity with the most new registrations by September 30 will claim this prize. You can help the Inclusion Project win by spreading the word to friends, family and colleagues via Facebook, Twitter, and an email at this link.

Remember that every time you go through the GoodSearch and GoodShop sites for Internet searches and purchases, you add revenue for the Inclusion Project. To date, that total is $16,449.48 -- a penny or two at a time as supporters search and shop through these sites.

Pennies Become Dollars with GoodSearch

GoodSearch is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates 50% of its revenue, about a penny per search, to listed American charities and schools designated by its users. The money donated comes from the site's advertisers.

More than 96,000 non-profits are participating in the program. GoodSearch was founded in November 2005 by siblings Ken and JJ Ramberg.

In September 2007, the GoodShop online shopping mall was launched. A percentage of each purchase is donated to the user's designated charity. GoodShop is affiliated with more than 1,300 online retailers including Amazon, Target, Staples, eBay, Best Buy, and Apple.

A toolbar is available for Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers. Read more about the GoodSearch/GoodShop sites here.

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

Dragon*Con Honors Inclusion Project of Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken - Photo by Curtis Brown is expandable.

Labor Day Convention in Atlanta

Dragon*Con Spotlights Inclusion

Atlanta, the city where singer Clay Aiken began his sojourn on American Idol and subsequently launched a successful career as an entertainer, will always and forever be special to his fans. This Labor Day Weekend, there will be yet another connection.

Dragon*Con, the largest multimedia, pop culture sci-fi fantasy convention on the planet, celebrates its 10th anniversary at the Hilton Atlanta Sept. 2-5 with the National Inclusion Project as its designated charity.

Link to Dragon*Con website with this image.

Aficionados of science fiction, fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film will gather at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel for the annual event. Link to the Dragon*Con website for links, apps, and tracks galore!

In addition to tax deductible donations, Dragon*Con is accepting submissions for the 2011 Charity Auction. Various programs of the National Inclusion Project are outlined on the Dragon*Con website, providing an excellent intro to the charity co-founded by Clay and Diane Bubel in 2003.

The National Inclusion Project has worked with hundreds of programs, trained numerous staff members and leaders, and provided inclusive opportunities for over 20,000 children.

A donation to the National Inclusion Project provides maximum impact in communities as they move to being fully inclusive.

* $25 allows a child with disability to go swimming with his peers for the first time.

* $100 provides a field trip for children to experience their community together.

* $1000 provides curriculum, training, and supplies to implement inclusive service learning.

* $5000 opens the door for five children with a disability to spend a week at camp with their friends.

I Am NORM initiative seeks Pepsi grant for inclusion.

I Am NORM Opens $50k Grant Drive

The National Inclusion Project's race for a miracle finish in the August Pepsi Refresh was running on all cylinders right up until midnight Wednesday. Time will tell if supporters were successful in voting enough power codes to move the charity into the Top 10.

Meanwhile, I Am NORM, sister charity of the Inclusion Project, is competing in the $50k category of September's Pepsi Refresh giveaway.

An initiative designed by young people to promote the acceptance, respect, and full inclusion of youth with disabilities in schools and communities, I Am NORM was formed on a wintry January 2010 weekend in Washington, DC, by 20 young people, with and without disabilities, from throughout the United States.

You can vote for I Am NORM at the Pepsi site, via Facebook, and by texting 109076 to 73774 (PEPSI) daily. Read more about the cause at its Pepsi page and at the I am NORM Share It website.

If successful, the organization will utilize the $50k grant for hosting the 2012 Youth Summit, presenting the I Am NORM program at other youth conferences, and advertising the cause to the youth demographic.

Power Codes Prove Pepsi X-Factor

Under the new guidelines, power codes have become the x-factor in the Pepsi Refresh competition. The 10-character code from the yellow caps or canned carton tops can increase a single vote from 5 - 100 points. Erica, an 8th grade violin student, brought the month's first yellow cap to her Thursday lesson.

Royalle has compiled a list of partner/reciprocating charities for Scarlett to create an I Am NORM Voting Widget. Updated daily, this handy device will appear at the top of Carolina blog sidebar throughout September.

When voting for other Pepsi Refresh charities, be sure to leave a comment so they will reciprocate with I Am NORM. This sample appears in the widget's "How To Vote" panel:

Votes from I Am NORM / National Inclusion Project of Raleigh, NC. Thank you for your reciprocal support. http://www.refresheverything.com/iamnorm ... Text 109076.

Special thanks to all who voted/provided power codes for the National Inclusion Project in August. On a personal note, my daughter Jennifer; Maria, a friend from Ohio; and the Fulp and Justice families among my music students/parents were especially helpful.

Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend, Clay Nation -- in Atlanta or wishing you were there, too!

Caro