More on Champions for Change Gala

HCorbett10 brought over to the Clayboard this fact finding post:

From Claym8 From the CV:


Didn't Clay say something about being up all night? OH! I just remembered. A hotel manager-type guy stopped by our group in the lobby this afternoon and told us that Clay spent the whole day in a suite in the hotel and ordered grilled cheese for a snack. Ben Cohen also told someone in the bar that he and Clay were on the same flight and it left NY at 6:30 a.m. He had a very very long day!

I've also seen a lot of people mention that Clay sang the end of Right Here Waiting quietly. I'm not sure if anyone also said that the last few words were sung with no microphone. It was very touching. I too think he teared up at the end.

That mirror picture is to die for. I've never seen so many copies of a picture of a picture. I've got a couple of them in my camera too.

I was very lucky tonight. The front desk called me a few minutes ago and asked if my rental was a blue Volvo. I had left my lights on!! Tomorrow morning could have been very bad! To me the Volvo lights and wipers are very confusing to deal with.

I had other stuff to say but can't remember it all.

thanks again to everyone for sharing my excitement!

Got it! It was totally wonderful to hear Clay talk about his "family." and when he introduced Faye to draw for the raffle he introduced her as Mom and then revised it to Grandma. Awwwww!

and

From ncclt4clay:

I am really late posting because I got back just a while ago and don't have a lap top. I know that a lot of what I could say has already been said so I won't even try to recap. Just some of my observances - this was one of my very favorite Clay times ever. Somehow it just seemed magical. I met and got to know some people that I loved instantly. Clay. Well, Clay was just the best that I have ever seen him. Not better perhaps, but certainly right there with the best. He was Clay. The Clay that we haven't seen for a while. ETIDN absolutely brought down the house. So just gaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh. OMH - wow. But RHW - I can not even begin to express the depth of emotion. The introduction made me teary enough. He conveyed every nuance through every phase and breath. I wouldn't have given up this performance for anything in the world. All I can say is that when he dropped the mic and sang the last bit of that song - it will stay with me for the rest of my life. To those that I was with, those that I knew, and those whom I met and bonded with - all of you will be in my memory with this wonderful, magical, unforgettable experience. And Clay? Oh yeah - he is going to be here with us for a very long time. And I love him.

and

this recap was beautiful from Mickey7129 at CDB, I got it from janwhatever at CH..

I did read Brightstar's recap which was brought over. Her recap IMO is right on in all aspects--the emotions (love being the predominant emotion of the night, I think), Clay's cognizance of the message boards (fugly...too funny!), the still and forever indescribable beauty of his voice, the intimacy of the message conveyed and received in his rendering of "Right Here Waiting". I too will be wrapping my mind, heart and soul around the depth and beauty of last night for many weeks to come. Not to mention the sheer fun and joy. Yep, he done did it to us again! (Please don't ever stop, Clay, 'k ?! )

Just a couple of (disjointed) thoughts I wanted to share.

About midway through "Right Here Waiting for You", I thought I was the only one with tears streaming down my face and sniffling, but then I realized I was hearing sniffling and sobbing all around me. In case you're wondering, the little ripple of laughter at the very end of "Right Here Waiting" was slightly embarrassed laughter at ourselves as the sobbing was just as audible as Clay's tender voice as he sang the last phrase of "Right Here Waiting" without the mike. (And the beauty, purity and texture of his unamplied voice...truly every bit as beautiful and transcendent as the finest instrument ever made).

For me, it felt like we had gone back to our roots. Clay even looked so much like he did back in 2003/2004 when he first mezmerized us and cast us underneath his spell. I saw so many of those early gestures and nuances and passion. It reminded me of why I first fell in love with him. (Yep, I said, "in love"...deal with it!). It was so eerie but so right. Whatever the degree of wondering each of us may have gone through about "is Clay still Clay", I say the answer is a blessedly, resounding YES! Even for those who didn't have that doubt or concern, what a treasure it was to be reminded and be able to relive that magic again. Last night was like the perfect mixture of Clay of the past AND present...old look, new songs. Totally cool, freaky and somehow right.

Personally, I've given up the battle of trying to find the words which accurately describe the emotions Clay, both the man and the voice, evokes from the very depths of your soul. In total seriousness, I don't think the words exist in the dictionary. Maybe because he makes me feel so much. Maybe because when your heart is that full to overflowing, no words could ever be adequate enough. The closest I can come, broken down into the simplest terms, is: He's back. We're back. We're home again.

How lucky are we?

I am sorry someone sent this to our group as a third party so I do not know where this was originally posted, but it is touching and I thought there are those that would like to read it, enjoy.

Originally Posted by loriham

I'm finally able to sit down and write my recap of this amazing
weekend, so here goes!

Saturday morning Michelle and I went to the Volunteer Roundtable and
screening of "Including Samuel." I'm sure you've heard how moving
this film was, and how well it got across the message that those with
disabilities are just like the rest of us with our hopes, dreams, and
desires. It made me think. More.

Saturday night we got all gussied up (thanks to Michelle I wasn't so
underdressed!) and went to the gala.......

The food was good, the auction items grand, the setting nice.

Then the auction began.....and you've d/l the Clack by now, so I
don't need to tell you it was by turn funny, astonishing, naughty,
and touching.

When Clay put on that blue shirt from AI and came back out on the
stage, I felt a strange sense of something.......a deja vu, a ghost
of the past.....whatever you want to call it, something came over me
ever so slightly.

When Diana went up after winning the shirt and Clay sang to her, it
came over me again. It was like seeing him five years ago. Not for
the first time exactly, but seeing him anew somehow.

The auction went on and I watched. I saw the shirt, the spiked hair,
the smile when an item went for so much more than he thought it
would.

The auction ended.

And he sang.

It was a bit rough at first, as he was tired. A couple of raspy
moments and one "bent" note. Then he kicked it into gear and got over
that hump and began to enjoy the performing.

"When I See You Smile" was good and I enjoyed it.
"Everything I Don't Need" was....................what can you say???
He was hot, sexy, dripping with the attitude of the song, growly, and
the "well,well" had me melting off my seat!
"On My Way Here" was beautiful.
"Where I Draw the Line" and THOSE notes were goosebump inducing.
Then "Right Here Waiting" did me in. I watched him sing only to us. I
watched as he communicated over time and space in the way only he
can. I knew then: I had come home.

Tears came to my eyes as I realized that it didn't matter whether or
not I agree with all he says and does. It didn't matter whether he's
right or wrong. It didn't matter that he's in no way related to me or
that I may never really know him. All that matters is that I love him
and that voice that's so much a part of him, and that I believe he's
in my life for a reason.

It was like being back in time. It was like the world tilted back on
its axis again and I knew I was supposed to be there. I had "my" Clay
back again.

He sang to us.

Champions of Change Award

A report on the UnionLeader.com website is stating that Dan Habib had a dream to see that children with disabilities be included in a typical classroom. Mr. Habib then made a 58 minute video documenting his dream and it was presented last November at the Concord City Auditorium.

He explained,

"My modest goal was that it would become a tool within New Hampshire to talk about inclusion in a more informed and innovative way. My secret goal was that it would serve that purpose nationally and internationally and would cross over to the mainstream."

The documentary is called "Including Samuel" and it is in fact about Mr. Habib's 8 year old son who has a rare form of cerebral palsy, and four other childrenwith disabilities. Mr. Habib said, "In some ways, it all boils down to something that's very selfish: I want the world to be a better place for Samuel," Habib said. "It's very simple, but it's kind of the heart of everything I'm doing."

Mr. Habib has entered his film in over 50 film festivals around the world and because of its acceptance it has become a training tool for teachers, college students and advocacy groups.

The impact of the film has also been recognized by the Bubel Aiken Foundation, which will honor Habib and McNamara on October 18th 2008 as recipients of its Champions of Change award in Raleigh, N.C.

It is nice to see that others share their dreams so that society can be enriched by the thoughts of Clay Aiken, Dan Habib, and others who believe that inclusion should be the norm, not the exception.

BAF's Champions for Change Gala Set for Oct. 18 in Raleigh

The Bubel Aiken Foundation's 2008 Champions for Change fundraising gala event will be held on October 18 in Raleigh, TBAF's Aron Hall confirmed in an email.

CDD's coverage of the 2007 Champions for Change gala is available here.

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation Board and Staff are excited to announce the 2008 Champions of Change Gala.

The gala will be held on Saturday, October 18 at the Marriott - Raleigh City Center located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. We are excited to be one of the first major events to be hosted in this brand new facility. We are also happy that you will be able to stay in the same place where our gala will be held. Click here for more information or copy and paste the address into your web browser: www.marriottraleigh.com

The Foundation will look once again to honor those around the country who are opening doors for inclusion. There will be food, entertainment, and auction opportunities.

More details about the program and ticket sales will be coming soon.

We look forward to seeing you there!
Aron Hall
Director Services

One Year Ago on March 31, 2007 - Bubel Aiken Foundation Gala "Champions of Change" Took Place

Its always fun to remember anniversaries and events that happened one year ago to the day. An especially wonderful and fun event that happened one year ago from this Monday, March 31, was the Bubel Aiken Foundation Gala, Champions of Change. As we all know, the gala was a huge success, not only in the amount of money that was donated, but also in the vocalizing and support of BAF's mission of inclusion.

A news article can be found at The Bubel Aiken website's news archives, and reading it is a great way to remind yourself of the many good things that happened that evening. Just a few exerpts are as follows:

The very special gathering was to celebrate and recognize the achievements of "Champions of Change" and to support the Foundation's mission of inclusion.

Diane proved once again that she is a true advocate for inclusion, and she continues to inspire everyone who is lucky enough to hear her speak with passion about inclusion and her very special family. Clay’s speech about how we all can be Voices for Change was equally inspiring and passionate.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Champions of Change awards. Awards of recognition for their efforts and continuous devotion to making a difference were presented to Jonathan Bunzey, the Youth Honoree ,Coach Jim Johnson, State Farm Insurance , and The Voices of Beta Alpha Volunteers. All the honorees graciously accepted their awards and showed a truly humble spirit in the midst of their incredible work to open doors for inclusion for children in their communities.

A Live Auction followed, and the generosity of the supporters was overwhelming. It was wonderful to see Clay Aiken interacting with the audience and the auctioneer in an effort that ended up surpassing all expectations. By the end of the auction, Clay announced that the supporters had more than paid for the Foundation’s “Let’s ALL Play” summer camps for the entire 2007 summer.... At the end of the evening, supporters had helped to raise $333,238.45!

And, of course, I think we can all remember how funny Clay was at the gala, auctioning off his ring and his shirt after making them even more desirable to be won than they already were!! Because of Clay and his shenanigans, the donations went way up and a fun time was had by all!

Congratulations to Bubel Aiken as we remember the great results of their Champion of Change Gala one year ago today!

The Tastes of 2007 – A Clay Feast Fit For a King!

Once again we are saying goodbye to another year. 2007 was a mighty fine year for Clay and his fans. Start with a pound of Gala bidding, add two Kimmel shows, toss in a Vancouver performance, and blend with two tours. Then simmer with a pinch of a Neil Sedaka tribute and bring to a boil with a large dose of UNICEF travel. Finally marinate with $300,000 won on 5th grader and cool with an excellent ice skating celebration and you have a recipe for success.

And, yes, successful 2007 was. Does that year have you hungry for more? Does your temperature rise when you think of the possibilities in 2008? Well, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s look back at “The Tastes of 2007 – An End of Year Celebration Dinner” with monumental Clay proportions!

MENU


APPETIZERS:

Kimmel Hearts – Heart-Shaped Candy good enough to have its own song. Eat these sweet tidbits and you will definitely have a song in your heart!

Mike & Juliet Layered Dip – Layer a little talking with the hosts, a hot red Claymobile, a Clay trivia game, and some karaoke and dancing with Juliet. Serve with an audience of excitable fans.


Toasted Tribute Tray – This appetizer has 50 years of great items. Cheesy Fondue Dip MC’ing by David Foster, Classy Oysters Rockefeller, complete with songs by Neil Sedaka, and last but not least, a solitaire party cheese ball made more tasty by that Solitaire singing man, Clay.


ENTREES:

Christmas In The Heartland Holiday Dinner – This appeals to those who like a variety in their meal. Enjoy and zing and a little pizzazz with such meaty tunes as Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day with its long lasting flavorful glory note, sit back and take in the haunting lyrics and smooth aroma of Mary Did You Know, and experience a mixture of the gently stirred and yet powerfully succulent All Is Well. Something to satisfy everyone’s liking.

Soft Rock and A Hard Place Smorgasbord – A buffet style table holds a variety of hot and cold dishes to tickle your taste buds. A thousand different dishes that will fill your stomach and your heart with love and have you coming back for seconds. Maybe "Rock" Cornish hen or "Soft" Shelled Crabs. A sprinkling of snarky humor makes some of these entrees not only delicious but also delightfully fun to eat! Consider trying Sloppie Joes or Really Cheesy Macaroni.

UNICEF Entrees With a Foreign Flair – Clay traveled high and low to help the children. While in Afghanistan, he taught Afghan children and gave a vaccine to a baby. Possibly he tasted this savory tidbits from our menu:

• Samboosak (Afghan meat pies) or Mourgh (Afghan Chicken).

While in Mexico, Clay visited the sites of the earlier flooding, including the area of Tabasco and visited schools that had been damaged by the flooding. He shared a smile and a warm embrace with many children there. Some of the foods from our menu that Clay might have eaten are:

• Chiles en Nogada (Stuffed Poblano Chilies), Huachinango Entomatado (Snapper in Tomato Sauce), or Flautas Jaliscienses (Jalisco-Style Flautas).

Possibly Clay ate one or more of these meals while spreading the message of love while in Afghanistan and Mexico.


Desserts:

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? – We've got desserts that not only satisfy your taste buds but also give your brains something to feast on.

• What country is German Chocolate Cake from? How about Brazil Nut Cookies?
• Maybe you would like to try a piece of apple pi…and while you are enjoying those juicy apples in the pie, can you tell us what the mathematical constant, “pi” represents?
• Can you tell me what the adjective is in these delectable desserts: Spicy Carrot Cake, Tart Lemon Cake Roll, Jumbo Molasses Cookies?

If you can answer these questions, maybe you can earn $300,000 like Clay earned for The Bubel Aiken Foundation. If not, you can still enjoy your dessert while knowing you are NOT smarter than a 5th grader.

Holiday Celebrations On Ice – Our desserts in this category are cold and frozen. They send chills down your spine, just like Clay singing All Is Well. Try our icy cold desserts like Cranberry Ice, Frozen Custard, or Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sundaes, which mixes the hotness of our gorgeous singer with the cold chills that run down your back as you listen to that luscious voice.

BAF Gala Goodies Galore –

• How about some tea cookies in the shape of Clay’s auctioned ring…put them in your mouth as he put the ring in his!!
• Maybe some Gingerbread Cookies dressed in an icing shirt like the one Clay cuddled up with to bring in more donations!
• Or maybe have a piece of Southern Peanut Butter Pie, full of southern charm that Clay overflowed with as he flirted with the bidders.
• And finally some Mixed Nut Cookies, for that nutty snarky guy whose humor never seems to end!

Now these are some desserts that you can really sink your teeth into!

And if you can’t find anything you like on the 2007 menu, eat a little bit of spam to tide you over until 2008. Believe me, you will be able to eat spam a lot next year as well.

Are you full yet? You’re not? Well, just sit back and wait until the next menu is available in 2008. It will be a brand new menu of savory, flavorful morsels even better than in 2007! And you’ll never find yourself full enough with the treats that Clay has to offer us!!

Anyone want seconds?

New Photo From TBAF Gala

HappyClayDay at the CV found and posted this new photo from the March 31 Bubel Aiken Foundation Champions for Change gala held in Raleigh.

Clay is sitting beide Jamie and Jesse.

The Cutest Montage Ever - "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me"

RUN, don't walk, to Clack Unlimited to see the cutest montage ever made. "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me", made by EduClaytionMajor, who used the videos of ClayIzzaQT (her mom), will have you smiling, giggling, laughing, and going back to watch it over again! The montage is made up of videos from the March 31 Gala, and just to give you an idea of what's in store for you, check out these pictures below and then RUN over to Clack Unlimited to download this treat!

Nationwide "Not A Gala" (NAG) A Success

All across the country this weekend, Clay fans who could not attend the Champions For Change Gala were having their own "Not a Gala" Gala's, also known as NAG's. And we have learned from The Clayboard NAG Thread that these celebrations were a rousing success.

Here are some highlights from the various cities that hosted NAG's around the country.

RALEIGH

Rottenrubysmom tells us: The Raleigh NAG was a huge success! We raised awareness for Inclusion and the goals of the Bubel Aiken Foundation, had raffles, silent auctions, relieved everyone of their spare change and raised the roof with all our hooting & hollering while watching the New Hampshire JBT clack....Our preliminary count puts us at about $2000 to donate to BAF plus we sold 7 My Friend Mikayla books. Not bad for 44 people! We had guests from as far away as California and British Columbia as well as a good group of locals.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

From joaniemason: Our NAG GALA was an amazing success....We had over 50 guests and 4 'Newbies' who found all of us so inspiring, so dedictated and yes so "CLAYSZY'!!!! Welcome to our ClayWorld!!!!!....We had entertainment also....4 of our guests voluntered to play the 'Candy Heart Song Game' (Clay's Valentines song on Kimmel)....each contestant was so great and so funny and each won a prize!!!!

Our Raffle and Silent Auction unofficially netted about $1700, with donations still being counted, so we will check in with the final count a bit later.

LONG ISLAND

From geemaree144: We had a very small group of 12. All of these women were the cream of the crop. We had such a great time. We sat at a round table in the back of the restaurant and made some noise for sure, but nothing that caught too much attention. It was clear to me that these women were the pioneers. They were the long time lovers of Clay and we all shared that kindred spirit.

I am proud to say that our little group mustered up $390.00 in raffles and actions. It was a very fun and successful evening.

WISCONSON

Nicki503 tells us:
We had a GREAT time....We ended up raising $1,240! We had 25 attendees so that was beyond my wildest dreams!

MA, CT, and ME

Madison228: We had a small group of 16 fans who got together last night in Westborough MA for a "Not a Gala" party in support of BAF. We had a great time watching clack, attempting to listen to the cellstream, playing games, gushing over you know who, and eating too much! The numbers aren't finalized yet, but we raised in the neighborhood of $500 for BAF.

NORTHEAST PA

We were lucky enough to raise over $3600. A good size chunk of that will also be matched by Bank of America...in a match program....I have to add to this to say...we have some of the most dedicated volunteers in the country who worked so very hard to make this all happen here in NE PA.....I'm proud to be associated with this wonderful group of people.

As of this writing, these are all the NAG's that have reported in thus far. I must say this, it never fails to amaze me at the hard work and dedication of Clay fans everywhere. From the loose change that someone puts in a jar at a fan party, to searching via Goodsearch, to fan parties with silent auctions and raffles, to someone purchasing an item at the Gala for a higher dollar amount, fans are helping in every way they can. Nothing is too small or too large. And the largest of all are hearts of the fans and the man they support, Mr. Clay Aiken.

On behalf of CDD, I'd like to say to everyone involved in raising money for BAF, thank you for reaching out further, for showing so much love, and for inspiring us all to give a little more.

Video Clack From Raleigh Gala

Clack Unlimited now has video clack of Clay during the auction at The Bubel Aiken Foundation Champions For Change Gala. These videos are not to be missed. He is a hoot in them and makes me wish I had gone to the gala even more! Go to: Clack Unlimited ... to see these hysterical videos!

Audio of the songs that Clay and Quiana sang at the gala can also be found at the above Clack Unlimited link.

Raleigh's WRAL At BAF Gala and Has an Online Write Up

According to several fans who were at The Bubel Aiken Foundation Champion of Change Gala, WRAL had cameras at the Gala. This could mean some video clack from the event.

Also, even as the Gala was still in progress, WRAL's website had already run a story about it. "Clay Aiken is sporting a new look these days, but he hasn't changed his favorite cause," the article starts out.

"We have a lot of different programs,” Aiken said. “We give out a lot of grants throughout the year to YMCA programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, you name it -- any community organization, educational organization, extracurricular activity organizations that are able to include kids with disabilities into their programs, we give out grants.”

The foundation also helps train organizations to build curriculums for children with disabilities.

This was the first time the gala was held in Raleigh. Organizers said they expect to raise more than $100,000 for the foundation.

While the article does not include an up-to-date picture of Clay, we understand that he has a full beard and moustache at the Gala and is looking better than ever! Just as soon as pictures from the Gala are posted online, we will have then right here at CDD for you.

Straight From The Clayboard GalaCert - Gala News For Those Who Couldn't Be There

As you all know, tonight is The Bubel Aiken Champion of Change Gala in Raleigh. Many of our friends have been lucky enough to be able to attend the gala. Because of that there is a great Galacert at The Clayboard tonight, with various fans phoning in details about the Gala. The actual Galacert starts on Page 12 of the thread.

The two most exciting things that I have read from the Galacert are that Clay has a full beard and moustache (be still my heart), and that someone who works for the Gala said that Clay has a surprise for us. What could it be? A TV show he will be on? A new record label? Another CD this year? I can hardly wait to find out if this is true and what it is!!

Here are some items from some of the fans at the Gala that have been called into The Clayboard Galacert:

• From CV and xxx4clay
  Update!!!!!!!!!
  Clay is there!
  Full Beard!!! Dark Hair!!!!!!! He is gorgeous!!!!!!! Natch!
  


• From CV:
  Spoke with curiousgladys and Claysfayeorite and they think they saw Jaymes Foster walk by. Also in the program it talks about the skating special and says '...currently looking at locations in Nevada and FLORIDA!'
  
  Also it was reported by someone working the Gala that Clay has a surprise for us! Now it can't be the beard because that news has already spread but I wonder what it could be?


• Gala update from toni7babe -
  Clay is sitting a table next to Linda Loveland and Jamie. Jaymes, Quiana, and Jesse are also at the table. Jerome is there doing his Jerome thing.
  
  Clay looks gorgeous! (You may have already guessed this.) toni didn't have an up close view but he has some bangs, sorta off to the side according to her, hair longish. Dark suit she thinks.
  
  stripedshirts has an up close and personal view and should be able to give us more.


• From the CH:
  Invisible926 on the phone again.
  They are in one of the smaller dining rooms for now.
  
  Jaymes stopped near their table. She is very cute, leopardskin top, skirt with ruffled bottom and boots. She's been hanging out in their room, very friendly and selling raffle tickets. She's prettier in person than in pictures. (She must have said she's very cute three times.)
  
  Diane Bubel just came into their room.
  
  Report that his hair is nice and between that and the dark beard that you wouldn't recognize him if you didn't know it was him.


• From whatever at CH..
  Sunnydays just called me from the dining room. Boy, it's LOUD there! It seems that, as has been mentioned above, there is the main dining room and then perhaps 3 satellite rooms. Guests are not necessarily seated with their companions and there is a great mix. Sunnydays says that that's not a bad thing....it's an opportunity to meet some fans you may not get to meet ordinarily. She told me some things we already know....like who is there in Clay's party, how Clay looks, and that Jesse and Quiana are listed in the program. A table with coffee was made available, set up within view of Clay's table. Funny how EVERYONE drinks coffee, isn't it? *g* Cell connections are spotty depending on the location.


• PER CH
  Got off the phone a while ago with MLK973 and beagle2.
  MLK973 says the beard is about a half an inch to three quarters of an inch long. She says he looks as good as she's ever seen him! Right up there with Tyra. Hair is similar to Tyra hair but with the beard. Bangs a little to the side.
  
  They said the M&G was fast but he was very happy, funny and friendly. He said he knew he had met many of them before but to forgive him for not remembering names.
  
  beagle2was worried about her bid on the signed Look What Love has done CD. She thought she had it, then someone doubled her bid. She was in a quandry whether to bid more.
  
  They say about 400+ people there


• Gala Update from toni7babe -
  (I hope I can remember all this)
  
  Clay's hair is longish - long in the back. He has on a dark suit - brown she thinks, with a pinkish-reddish tie.
  He seems to be having a great time - talking and laughing expecially with Linda Loveland.
  
  Kristy is there - wearing a two piece pink outfit.
  Jaymes is circulating and selling raflle ticket! She likes toni's shirt!
  Mary is there.
  WRAL is there filming - may be something on the news later.


• Faye is selling raffle tickets too.
  No glasses.
  Dinner was Steak/Salmon Asparagus Mashed potatoes, salad, cheesecake served wine and champagne.
  Dr. Brown Suit with a hot pink tie!


• OK folks...just got off the phone with Clandy. I will try to remember everything. She said over and over that Clay looks fantastic. He looks very happy. He is perfect...his hair is perfect.
  
  He is sitting with Linda Loveland on one side....Jamie on the other. Jesse next to Jamie....Jaymes next to LInda. Jaymes looks great too. Diane Buble sat at Clandys table for a bit and said that they are ready to take the foundation to the next level. They hope to get corporate people on the board.....its all good.
  
  Clandy said the Wacovia setting is PERFECT....the city is beautiful, all very nice.
  
  Oh...Clay doesn't look skinny or chubby....just PERFECT!!!
  
  Oh..people have cameras....there should be pictures.
  
  She doesn't know about any surprises....she is looking forward to the concert. She told Jaymes how happy she was that Jaymes was there...she agreed.


• from the ch - clay
  
  Clay saying something about "You can have my seat". I think some people snuck forward.
  
  I talk a lot about how I believe that each place that I've been in my life has given me a lot of opportunities
  
  He's talking about how working at each place led to something else. YMCA to Special Ed to Charlotte

We will keep you posted as more information comes in about the Gala.

And here is more....Gala photos that is. If there is anyone more handsome in the world, I can't imagine who it is. Enjoy these photos. I sure did!