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 Champion Charities for Halloween

TOT for UNICEF Marks 60th Year - Halloween graphic by Fountaindawg links to video celebrating the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNCEF.

For UNICEF, National Inclusion Project

Trick or Treat, Text and Treat

As spooks and goblins prepare to party down on Oct. 31, Clay Aiken and his fans are also championing two special charities this Halloween season -- Trick or Treat for UNICEF and the National Inclusion Project for which "Text & Treat to Send a Kid to Camp" has become a slogan in the Pepsi Refresh campaign for a $50,000 grant.

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, which began in Philadelphia 60 years ago, has raised nearly $160 million dollars since its auspicious beginning. The American tradition in which children collect monies for UNICEF while trick or treating, will be celebrated across the land and on Broadway in a big way.

Broadway Kids' Night Salutes UNICEF

At Sunday's Halloween festival on the Great White Way, Kids' Night on Broadway will salute the 60th anniversary of this American tradition with a UNICEF/Broadway Cares Kids Care booth where participants can decorate orange UNICEF boxes.

The Halloween KNOB Fan Fest, set for 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sunday, will also include a pre-theatre party/tour of the wax museum at Madame Tussauds, complete with face painting, costume pointers, and an autograph alley.

Prior to attending a Broadway show for free (when accompanied by a full-paying adult), young people will be able to trick or treat at participating stage doors.

A conversation with Clay Aiken, UNICEF Ambassador.
View video full screen at YouTube.

A speaker at July's Key Club International Convention in Memphis, Clay reported ways the organization's involvement with TOT for UNICEF helps people around the globe. A taped question and answer session about his experiences as a UNICEF ambassador is the nucleus of the above video.

Kids helping kids has moved into the 21st century with digital age technology. Supporters can create a UNICEF fundraising web page so friends and family can help Trick-or-Treat Online, as well as utilize iPhone and Facebook apps for the latest news and through which secure donations can be made.

Click to enlarge Trick of Treat for UNICEF info.

On Halloween night 60 years ago, American children changed the world. They were kids helping kids by Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF.

Through the small change they raised door-to-door, they were going to make a big difference for children everywhere, helping UNICEF to provide nutrition, medicine, education and the things kids need to thrive.

Mary Emma Allison, 93, co-founder of TOT for UNICEF, died Wednesday at her home. The announcement was made Thursday by Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO of UNICEF in a Field Notes blog.

Personal Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF stories, as well as condolences and remembrances for the family, may be included in the comments.

NIP Needs Halloween Miracle

Currently at #16, the National Inclusion Project needs nothing short of miracle to move into the top 10 charities and claim a $50,000 grant in this month's Pepsi Refresh Challenge at midnight Oct. 31.

If you are like me, you have asked everyone you know -- and then some! -- to vote 1-2-3 ways daily for the Inclusion Project. Success stories of children with disabilities experiencing life with their peers through the foundation's inclusive programs have been shared repeatedly.

My hope is that a large corporation or charity with a colossal database will put the National Inclusion Project front and center for the four remaining days and create a tsunami of new votes to put the foundation into the top 10 of the $50k group.

Schools and businesses are well into the Halloween spirit. Download a page of four Text and Treat fliers in PDF format to hand to your circle between now until Halloween. Have them at the door for parents of trick or treaters.

NIP supporters have carried batches of pumpkin fliers to the gym, the zoo, dance class, etc., for immediate text vote results. Thinking big, take the fliers to football games, fall festivals, and school/business meets to recruit voters who will commit to four days.

In emails to friends, family, and associates, be sure to remind them to register and vote through the National Inclusion Project website for a chance to win a new iPad.

Click to link to NIP widget.
Vote, add to websites.

Created by Scarlett and updated daily, the voting widget in the Carolina sidebar includes links/text numbers for the NIP, its alliances and partners reciprocating votes. 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.

Who knows? Maybe that miracle, avalanche, or tsunami of last-minute votes is just around the corner!

Below are clickables of Halloween graphics by Fountaindawg. It's never too early for CA fans to prepare for a spooky Oct. 31!

Have an awesome Halloween Week, Clay Nation!

Special thanks to Linda (ABM)
for my sassy pumpkin signature!

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.

Clay Aiken Advocates for Inclusion, UNICEF, Human Rights

Screen cap links to video of Clay Aiken on 'The Joy Behar Show.'

Three Within Five Days

Clay Aiken Champions Causes

Singer Clay Aiken has championed three causes in the past five days at a major event -- children with disabilities (National Inclusion Project Gala) -- and in the national media with pre-Halloween publicity for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF (Broadway Playbill) and The Joy Behar Show during which he articulately discussed gay/lesbian rights and the epidemic of bullying.

Appropriately, Oct. 20 is Spirit Day, a global event for remembering young adults and teens who recently took their own lives due to bullying. Created by Brittany McMillan and sponsored by GLAAD, Spirit Day is being commemorated both online and off.

Color of the day is purple, and the slogan is "Everyone Rally Together." Don your purple, and support the Human Rights Campaign.

Singer Man definitely gets around. In addition to the video linked above, you can comment on Clay's anti-bullying interview at the Joy Behar website.

Broadway Supports UNICEF Kids' Night

Broadway and "American Idol" veteran Clay Aiken knows how to have fun for a good cause on Halloween.

An Ambassador for UNICEF since 2004, Clay spoke recently about the annual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign, which is being supported by Playbill and the Broadway League this year as part of Kids' Night on Broadway.

For 60 years, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has served as the Original Kids Helping Kids Campaign®. In 1950, children across American were inspired to collect coins for UNICEF to aid children abroad.

Established as one of the longest-running youth volunteerism initiatives in America, with nearly $160 million raised to-date, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF remains an inspiration to the young (and the young at heart) to further the cause of children everywhere.

Read about Clay's childhood Halloween memories as well as three easy steps for participating in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF at Broadway Playbill. UNICEF photo of Clay in Uganda by Guillaume Bonn.

NIP Enlists New Pepsi Voters

Last weekend's National Inclusion Project Champions Gala was a huge success, honoring outstanding champions of change, raising funds for the next season's projects, infusing organization supporters with new ideas and enthusiasm.

The NIP, currently at #14, continues the October campaign for a $50,000 grant through the Pepsi Refresh Challenge with renewed strategies. The foundation must remain in the top 10 to secure the funds.

Be sure to register at the National Inclusion Project for a chance to win a new iPad if the charity is successful. You can also cast your Internet votes from this link.

Children participate in Let's ALL Play inclusive programs.
Click to expand photo from Arc of Atlantic camp by the sea.

US residents 13 and 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!

Scarlett regularly updates the NIP Voting Widget under the calendar in the Carolina sidebar, and it is simple to make your selections from the four alliance/partner lists there. 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.

Teacher Finally Learns To Text

If you are from this grandmother's generation, you may need texting instructions printed on the clickable flyer below. If your cellphone is as ancient as mine, you need a teen-aged piano student like Joseph, who spent part of his lesson Tuesday as the instructing his teacher.

Double clickable flyer
Expand, print, distribute,
send as email attachment!

A daily NIP/partner voter through Facebook and Pepsi throughout September and October, I finally sent my first text vote Tuesday afternoon, thanks to my eighth grade piano student who configured my out-of-date cellphone. After successfully texting a vote for inclusion, he retraced his steps while his "teacher" took very good notes.

Before our role reversal, I had to promise to call AT&T about an upgrade. Longtime readers of the Carolina blog will remember Joseph as a featured student composer in the 8/28 entry.

Earlier Tuesday, my daughter had tried to no avail to walk me through texting via a long distance phone call 800 miles away. When my final student was a few minutes late, I followed my "teacher's" instructions and sent my offspring a simple "hello" text, figuring she would truly be shocked. She was indeed!

A makeup for Tuesday's piano-turned-text lesson is in the works!

Anyone who has voted on the Pepsi site knows that at busy times of the day, it simply has to work through certain cycles. Take a tip from Margaret5828 and put in your text votes during Pepsi's lag times.

Among the topics discussed at the Gala were successful strategies other charities are employing to engage large numbers of daily Pepsi Refresh voters. Print copies of the texting flyer, and hand them out at football games, shopping centers, club/faculty meetings, anywhere you can get people to vote daily for the NIP.

The clickable flyer below contains text numbers for the National Inclusion Project' and the charity's voting alliances.

Double clickable flyer
Enlarge, print, distribute,
Send as email attachment!

Let's enlist an army of new voters and win the $50,000 grant for the National Inclusion Project this month. Have a wonderful, productive week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Closes Champions Gala with Special Song

BOTH SIDES NOW appropriate ending for 2010 inclusion Gala.
Singer Clay Aiken with Debra Leisey, signing, perform duet.
View video by Scarlett at YouTube.

'Both Sides Now' for Inclusion

Poignant Performance Ends Gala

Clay Aiken could not have chosen a more poignant way to end the 2010 Champions Gala celebrating inclusion than with the song "Both Sides Now."

The duet of Clay singing with Debra Leisey signing was an immediate hit with the attendees at the Raleigh Convention Center, as well as those listening via cellstream.

Clay sings 'Both Sides Now' to close Gala.
Click to expand photo by Irishbookgal.

BOTH SIDES NOW

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

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

Moons and Junes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real; I've looked at love that way.
But now it's just another show. 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 are acting strange.
They shake their heads, they say I've changed.
Something's lost but something's gained in living every day.

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 at all.

Reflective moment during the festivities .
Click to expand photo by Irishbookgal.

In a post at her home board, lovethatguy, mother of a special son, shared her personal thoughts about the ways "Both Sides Now" fits the concepts of disability and inclusion. With her permission, here are her reflections:

I was incredibly moved by Clay's rendition of "Both Sides Now." But most especially with his choice of this song and its poignant lyrics at his Gala to celebrate inclusion.

Ever since Kevin entered my life, I have looked at life and love and, most assuredly, clouds from "both sides now." From his side and from mine. From up and down. His disability could be obstacles that turned clouds into something that blocked the sun and rained on everyone. Or it could be the joy of castles in the sky.

Dreams and schemes - are they real or just illusions for this child? And the concept of inclusion? My God, it is the bridge for unity between his world and my world. Or, because he is MY child, between your world and my world.

So listening to Clay sing that heartfelt song during the Gala was much more than just beautiful singing; it was the making of a special moment for me. I wanted to share how that felt with all of you. I struggled with the right words all day. Thank you Clay.

Fans Share Gala Video, Audio

Into the wee hours following the Gala, Clay Nation "clack goddesses" rendered audio and video files for fans back home. Scarlett uploaded five videos from the the evening's entertainment segment to the Ginger Scarlett YouTube Channel. Downloads of "Both Sides Now" are available at Clack Unlimited.

Here are Sendspace "Both Sides Now" downloads for audio files by ficus (song only) and canfly (intro and song). Two video downloads include BSN by canfly and farouche's close-up version of singer and signer.

Graphic by Fountaindawg
Photos by Irishbookgal, farouche

During the Gala Weekend, three Champions of Change were honored: PepsiCo EnAble, I Am Norm, and 11 collegians friends who took their friend Darius Weems, a victim of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, on the adventure of lifetime.

In addition, special awards were presented to outstanding supporters; and major funds were raised via the live/silent auctions. Bios and videos of the honorees are included in the 10/9 Carolina entry.

Among the items naturally popular with the singer's fans were dinner for 10 with Clay; two front row seats (hotel, backstage pass, M&G) to the winner's choice of Winter Tour Tried & True concerts; a Spamalot poster; the platinum plaque for Measure of a Man CD; gold and black Hammer pants from the Timeless Tour.

Unofficially, $78,500 was raised during a Dutch auction in which members in the audience pledged multiples of $250, the cost for sending one child to a Let's ALL Play Camp.

SPAMALOT poster auctioned during Gala.
Click to expand photo by Irishbookgal.


Clay implores supporters to raise a bid .
Click to expand photo by Irishbookgal.


Clay donates RCA MOAM platinum plaque.
Click to expand photo by Irishbookgal.

Inclusion Project Celebrates 7 Years

The National Inclusion Project was co-founded in July 2003 by Clay and Diane Bubel of Charlotte, mother of Michael, who has autism. Originally the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, the organization changed its name in 2009 to better reflect its mission.

A special contribution of art by Michael earned $2,200 for the foundation in Saturday night's auction.

Clay and Diane co-founded the National Inclusion Project in 2003.

Mother's Letter Affirms Inclusion

One of the evening's highlights was the reading of a testimony from a mother about the importance of inclusion. Her son had just attended his first Let's ALL Play Camp for children with and without disabilities. Parts of the letter are printed below:

For one week, Ted felt like every other adolescent. He slept out under the stars, he hiked, etc. And most of all, he laughed and laughed and laughed.

The staff at the camp appreciated him for where he is and who he is. I wish the world could be cloned from the camp.

Ted has never won anything. (He won the Heart Award.) Being overlooked is a way of life for him. I have never seen my son so sure of himself. He hugged people, and people hugged him back.

As Ted said goodbye to new friends, tears were streaming down my face. For the first time in his life, he did not want to come home. He never stopped talking during the two-hour drive home. Ted has a new confidence and even a swagger.

Please let them know from us how much the staff's hard work is appreciated. Ted will be back. I think he will count the days until next summer.

The world needs more programs like yours.

NIP Drops to #12, Recruits Votes

With many Clay Aiken fans on the road this weekend -- from the concert in Chicago Thursday to the Champions Gala in Raleigh Friday and Saturday -- supporters of the National Inclusion Project's October campaign for a Pepsi Refresh $50,000 grant are seeking additional daily voters.

By Sunday morning, the NIP had slipped from #8 to #12. The foundation must remain in the Top 10 to secure the monetary award this month. 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!

Replica of NIP Widget

The NIP voting widget, created by Scarlett and situated in the Carolina sidebar, contains voting links for all the latest NIP partner updates. Following the alliance list, select from Groups A, B, and/or C to complete your daily votes.

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.

Have a wonderful and productive weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Campaign for Inclusion Project

A Pepsi grant would fund five more Let's ALL Play Camps.

PEPSI REFRESH: This.Is.The.Month!

Inclusion Project Targets Top 10

While Clay Aiken fans are counting down to an exclusive one-night-only concert in Chicago on 10/14 and the 10/16 Champions Gala in Raleigh, they are also determined to make October the month the National Inclusion Project secures a $50,000 grant in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge.

The Inclusion Project was co-founded in 2003 by the North Carolina singer and Diane Bubel so that children with disabilities can experience life with their peers.
During the September campaign, supporters learned much about partnerships, alliances, and recruitment and are this month putting into practice a variety of new strategies.

Below are suggestions for enlisting friends, relatives, associates, organizations, etc., to help the Inclusion Project's October cause:

1. Ask everyone who visits, stops by your desk, etc., to text in a phone vote. You can even do it for them. (queenmama247)

2. Having a birthday party, work, school, or family gathering? Group text the NIP number -- 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi) -- together. (queenmama247)

UPDATE: At Saturday's birthday party, queenmama247 had 12 people text together for the NIP, four of whom added the Pepsi Challenge so they can text daily. In addition, she enlisted three people at church and will probably have more after today's doctor and hairdresser visits.

3. Offer to bake a cake for those in your office, circle, etc., if everyone will text votes for the National Inclusion Project. (ncgran4clay)

4. If someone doesn't know how to text, do it for them. (ncgran4clay)

5. On vacation? No problem, according to Beanblossom, currently at a knitting retreat where she has everyone texting daily NIP votes.

6. International fans, send the voting/texting information to eligible friends in the US so they can vote daily for you. If you own a US-based cellphone, you can text votes yourself. (FromClaygary)

7. Learn from September's very successful winner -- RETT Syndrome, #1 in last month's $250k category after failing to achieve the charity's goal in August.

Quite by accident, I discovered these next ideas when I noticed on Carolina's live feed that someone had arrived at this blog via a Google search for 100842 to 73774.

A curious creature anyway, I followed the link and was amazed at the vast number and variety of people/organizations contributing to RETT's September success. Page after page, the Google results reveal many facets of this organization's campaign, some of which NIP supporters might consider adopting:

* Facebook and Twitter: Constant reminders by individuals and organizations for "friends" to vote all three ways: text, Facebook, at the Pepsi site.

* Blog after blog by individuals and celebrities on MySpace, LiveJournal, Blogspot with the request to "take a second and send a text vote to Pepsi for RETT Syndrome." The Carolina blog appears multiple times because voting info for RETT, an NIP alliance in September, was listed in several entries.

* Daily voting reminder on a high school home page. Three girls in the community have the disease.

* Voting reminders from related organizations such as Carobell, a North Carolina-based non-profit providing care for developmentally disabled individuals.

* Celebrity, radio/TV station websites urging fans to vote. See WKRQ-FM in Cincinnati.

* Similar blog posts a voting reminders from a young man whose cousin has RETT Syndrome.

LET'S ALL PLAY - Children with and without disabilities participate
in a variety of activities at Inclusion Project-sponsored camps.

Camps Impact Children Nationwide

In communiques with others, fans need to personalize the National Inclusion Project and sell the impact Let's ALL Play Camps have for children with and without disabilities nationwide.

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

In reality, each person has 30 votes to use daily via text, Facebook, and through the Pepsi site. That's three votes a day for the National Inclusion Project.

By registering at the National Inclusion Project home page, you will receive a daily voting reminder and be eligible for an iPad if the foundation wins the $50k grant this month.

In less than 10 minutes a day, early risers can easily vote through the National Inclusion Project's alliance list, as well as a second or third set of partnerships fans formed in September.

NIP + Alliances

National Inclusion Project - Text 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi)
1p36 Deletion Syndrome - Text 101439 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Ella's Hope (autism) - Text 100288 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Oakland Children's Hospital (Rett) - Text 103134 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Int'l Foundation for CDKL5 Research - Text 102973 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Center for Courageous Kids - Text 102408 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Lake Reba Playground (handicapped) - Text 102102 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Congenital CMV Foundation (childhood disability) - Text 101692 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:

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

Throughout September, NIP supporters exchanged votes with other charities. Choose Group A, B, or C (extra accounts) for your second/third rounds of voting. Leave a message similar to the one above so a vote for the NIP will be returned.

Group A

National Inclusion Project - Text 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi)
She Shall Go Free - Text 102913 to 73774 (Pepsi)
UNC Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - Text 103835 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Courageous Disabled Friends - Text 100058 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Girl Scouts of Eastern SC - Text 103373 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Fox Road Elementary School - Text 102179 to 73774 (Pepsi)
McKemy Middle School - Text 100283 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Saving Shelter Pets - Text 102190 to 73774 (Pepsi)
St. Joseph School - Text 100242 to 73774 (Pepsi)
SWOOP - Text 102191 to 73774 (Pepsi)

Group B

National Inclusion Project - Text 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Libby Tennis Courts - Text 101307 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Rosie's Ranch - Text 101742 to 73774 (Pepsi)
The Bag Ladies - Text 101126 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Marine Science Center - Text 103443 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Cystic Fibrosis - Text 102534 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Blind Cat Rescue - Text 102422 to 73774 (Pepsi)
RATCO Freedom Foundation - Text 100570 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Cedar Fork Elementary - Text 102360 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Earl J. Crowe Purchase SUV - Text 102913 to 73774 (Pepsi)

Group C

National Inclusion Project - Text 102308 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Cal Ripken, Sr., Foundation - Text 102661 to 73774 (Pepsi)
National Federation of the Blind - Text 101913 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Wayne Trail Elementary - Text 102269 to 73774 (Pepsi)
The Blue Shadows - Text 101370 to 73774 (Pepsi)
ADERS (autism) - Text 101217 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Charlotte Peace - Text 100011 to 73774 (Pepsi)
fitMS - Text 100890 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Eagle Wings - Text 102562 to 73774 (Pepsi)
Children's Rare Disease Network - Text 102614 to 73774 (Pepsi)

INCLUSION: Power of the Dream
Montage by LovesClaysVoice, vocals by Celine Dion
View full screen at YouTube

This.Is.The.Month

What are your suggestions for enlisting new daily voters for the National Inclusion Project? Those shared in the comments will be added to this blog entry.

In a Friday morning post on her Facebook wall, Scarlett included the phrase "This.Is.The.Month." What a perfect slogan for the NIP's October Pepsi Refresh campaign!

Thirty days remain to drum up the necessary votes for the foundation's $50k goal. Off to a great start, the Inclusion Project currently stands at #8.

Have an awesome -- and very productive -- weekend/new week, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED BLOGS:

Clay Aiken Journey: National Inclusion Project and the Pepsi Refresh Challenge

Clay Aiken News Network: Make October Count

Ccol14him's Claymania