Clay Aiken - It's All About Inclusion

Clay Aiken fans are spreading the word about Inclusion Project fundraisers happening now until Christmas.


graphic by LoveClaysVoice

One of the projects is America's Giving Challenge. Clay Aiken fans across the Nation are having a major drive for the weekend of Oct. 30/31.

This is all treats--no tricks!

Here are the details for the America's Giving Challenge as well as another
popular fundraiser - Deck the Halls.

Trick or Treat for National Inclusion Project Oct. 30-31

w/ donation to (link) America's Giving Challenge

This fundraiser offers two ways to win - a daily win, and a contest win.

The daily win is based on number of unique donations per day between 3:00 pm and 2:59 pm.

What is a unique donation you ask...that means one donation per person per day is counted towards that day's total number of donations!

The minimum donation is $10.00.

If you plan to donate more than $10.00, it would be best to spread it out over different days instead of all at once, as it would mean a vote for each day that you donate, and help us to win more of the daily challenges.

You can donate either through Facebook ... or without Facebook.

You don't have to be a Facebook member to donate!
-- go to:
National Inclusion Project-Causes-non member
and click the National Inclusion Project on the page,
their page will open and you can donate there,
Or
you can use this direct link to the National Inclusion Project for America's giving challenge at:
National Inclusion Project-Causes-Facebook
and press the green "donate" and there will be an option
to "connect with Facebook" or "Donate without Facebook"



About-America's Giving Challenge

America's Giving Challenge

America’s Giving Challenge, also referred to as the “Giving Challenge” or just the “Challenge,” is a 30-day national competition that encourages people to leverage their personal networks and online social media to help win cash awards that will total $170,000 on behalf of their favorite nonprofit. Participants in America’s Giving Challenge will compete for daily and overall cash awards based on the number of donations generated for a cause, not dollars raised. Awards will be given to the nonprofit beneficiaries of the causes that garner the highest number of unique daily donations* between 3:00 p.m. EDT October 7,2009, and 2:59pm EST on November 6, 2009.

Awards

$50,000 will be awarded to the cause with the highest total number of unique daily donations over the 30 days of the Challenge. $25,000 will be awarded to the cause with the next highest total number of unique daily donations over the 30 days of the Challenge. $10,000 will be awarded to the next five causes with the highest total number of unique daily donations over the 30 days of the Challenge. There will also be two daily awards every day of the Challenge: $1,000 to the cause with the most unique donations that day and $500 to the cause with the second highest number of unique donations that day. (Daily awards begin at 3:00pm ET and run through 2:59pm ET the following day.)










Do your Christmas/Holiday shopping and now -- support
the National Inclusion Project at the same time.

Let's ALL Deck the Halls for Inclusion!
October 16 to November 16, 2009

a few samples of what's in the catalogue - something for everyone


Support the National Inclusion Project's mission of inclusion for children of ALL abilities while decorating homes and offices with beautiful, handmade Rockdale wreaths and other natural items this holiday season! Wreaths also make wonderful gifts for family and friends.

The National Inclusion Project will receive $9 per item for individual orders and $13 per item for bulk orders (8 wreaths shipped to a single address). Bulk orders also save the purchaser $5 per wreath on purchase price.

Purchases must be made from the Project's exclusive Rockdale Wreaths store in order for the National Inclusion Project to receive funds:

link: Deck the Halls for Inclusion

Buyer may designate any participating Beta Alpha chapter to receive credit for purchases by including the chapter name in the comment space provided on the order page.

Deadline for online orders is Monday, November 16, 2009.
Deadline for ordering locally from Beta Alpha chapters is Monday November 9, 2009.

Prices include shipping & handling and the buyer may also select a preferred shipping date.

Please help by purchasing a wreath or two or even ten, this holiday season.
Collect orders from your friends.
Share the gift of inclusion. Inclusion works, and it is a gift worth giving.

This is an authorized fundraiser of the National Inclusion Project.





A treat for you!

Homenaje a Clay Aiken - Solo soy un ser humano
by ClayColumbia
Great Gala video here with a perfect Clay song - Measure of A Man, and an awesome ending :)




See more information on fundraisers at:

Clay Aiken News Network

Carolina On My Mind-CarolinaClays blog

check out the full blog list at the bottom of the page.

Clay Aiken Gala Lovin'

Today's blog features Clay Aiken graphics, a new music video recap of Clay's Champions Gala of the past weekend by SueReu , and more. Enjoy!!















Drinking From My Saucer

I’ve never made a fortune And it’s probably too late now.

But I don’t worry about that much, I’m happy anyhow.

And as I go along life’s way, I’m reaping better than I sowed.

I’m drinking from my saucer, “Cause my cup has overflowed.

I don’t have a lot of riches, And sometimes the going’s tough.

But I’ve got loved ones around me, And that makes me rich enough.

I thank God for his blessings, And the mercies he’s bestowed.

I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘Cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong, My faith wore somewhat thin.

But all at once the dark clouds broke, And the sun peeped through again.

So God, helped me not to gripe About the tough rows that I’ve hoed.

I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage When the way grows steep and rough, I’ll not ask for other blessings, I’m already blessed enough.

And may I never be too busy To help others bear their loads.

Then I’ll keep drinking from my saucer,

‘Cause my cup has overflowed.

Thanks to luvtigr for sharing this :)








click for WP version




Clay Aiken's National Inclusion Project - Champions Gala - October 17, 2009
AWESOME NEW montage by SueReu

Clay Aiken: Clay Balls-something to ponder.

Wow, what a dream boat! But I get distracted,

sorry!
The following story really isn't about Clay Aiken,

Something to read and ponder.

Clay Balls

A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.

Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time.. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!




It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

Hope we do not come to the end of life and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay.

I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have. Thank you for looking beyond My clay vessel.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends, family and all people you love!

Life is too short and friends are too few.

Thanks to luvtigr (Donna in Wi) for this story.



This tale does relate to Clay Aiken after all, as so many haven't taken the time to find the treasures he provides, not only with his music but all the wonderful work he does to help others, especially children.

Only one of them is his program for inclusion. See:

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation - Inclusion the Right Thing To Do





Thank you Clay and friends, you are all jewels!

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken Kids, Bubel/Aiken, inclusion, jewels, treasure

Clay Aiken Forever Forever

Clay's 2008 Champions for Change Gala was a rousing success for the Bubel/Aiken Foundation's Inclusion programs.


The folks attending the gala certainly benefited too, as are we at home. The clack is amazing and bountiful, and I'm loving it! So much that I had this entry ready to post about 12 hours ago..then got lost in clack and forgot about it.

Thanks to the wonderful and talented Clay fans for sharing their memories.

New pictures used are thanks to Smartypantsuz & Toni7Babe.
Golden favourites are thanks to Tasapio & ILClaymate.
Awesome video is from LonelyNoMore44.






Since my audio bandwidth ran out until next week, let's go right to video. It's always worth seeing and hearing again.

Clay Aiken - Everything I Don't Need - October 18
- This rocks!
video by LonelyNoMore44




YouTube link:
Everything I Don't Need from Gala concert




The previous blog we started looking back at my photo album.
More on that theme today.













Having good friends is a wonderful thing.
My friends have been my rocks through the years.
In 2003 along came Clay Aiken into my life.
Because of him my book of friends has grown around the world.
Isn't it amazing what a chance meeting can do in this day and age!






Right Here Waiting from the Gala.
Warning, get the kleenex ready.
video by LonelyNoMore44




YouTube link:
Right Here Waiting from Gala concert




A new puzzle from Bsrefong-SALLYROX
I love this Baby one!






This clickable is for wp size.
click the opened picture again to get 17" size.
I use it stretched to 19"
The other blends are available in this size if wanted.






To all of you reading this and to Clay:








♥