Clay Aiken Champions Change

Clay Aiken is a man with a heart as big as his voice. Clay is an advocate for children on a global basis. As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, he has traveled the world in order to educate us on the plight of children on a global basis.

Closer to home, on October , 18 2008 The Bubel/Aiken Foundation (co-founded by Clay & Diane Bubel) hosted their 2008 Champions of Change gala.

The 2008 Recipients were CVS Caremark, Corporate Champion of Change; Dan Habib and Betsy McNamara, Champions of Change; and Rich Donovan, Champion of Change. Follows is a brief description of this year's recipients as posted on the Bubel/Aiken Foundation website

CVS Caremark Charitable Trust was honored as a Corporate Champion of Change for their outstanding efforts to improve the lives of children with disabilities. The five-year, $25 million CVS Caremark All Kids Can program supports nonprofit organizations helping children with disabilities in school, in recreation and in developing skills for successful lives, all within an inclusive environment.

Champions of Change Dan Habib and Betsy McNamara turned their personal goal of educational and social inclusion for their son Samuel into a universal goal of ensuring that all children have the tools to reach their full potential. The result is the film Including Samuel, which tells their son’s story of inclusion, along with the trials and triumphs of four other subjects. Dan is an award-winning photojournalist, director and producer of documentary films. Betsy is a fundraising consultant and an inclusion advocate who is the mother of Samuel, who has cerebral palsy, and Isaiah, who is typically developing.

Rich Donovan was recognized as a Champion of Change for applying his world-class business acumen to creating means of empowerment for people with disabilities. He was a key to Merrill Lynch’s diversity strategy. As CEO of Integrated Process Solutions, Rich provides large corporations and governments with ready-for-action profit opportunities as a “return on disability”. Rich, who happens to have cerebral palsy, is Board Chairman of Lime Connect, showing real-life solutions - and real financial advantages - to hiring, working with, and providing products and services for people with disabilities. In serving children, he is an advocate of education as essential to the future economic and social success of individuals with disabilities.

The gala included dinner, both a live and silent auction and a special performance by Clay Aiken.

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation was founded on July 28, 2003, based on the shared vision between Clay and co-founder Diane Bubel of a world where special needs children could be fully immersed in society.

Here's a video of some of the highlights of an amazing night.

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