Mayer has melded a unique and multi-faceted writing style, a distinctive voice, and inspired musicianship to create compelling and accessible music that is electrifying in live performance. Mayer has culled influences from his childhood in India that ranged from traditional Indian music to The Beatles, and from his studying and teaching Jazz guitar at Webster University in St. Louis, MO. Add the many years that he has shared the stage with Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, James Taylor, Mac McAnally, Sonny Landreth, Don Henley and others, and you begin to trace the musical storyline of the Peter Mayer Group.

Each December, the Peter Mayer Group embarks on its Christmas Tour, Stars and Promises. For many, these 16 or 17 performances kick off the Christmas-Holiday season and have become both a thrilling and meaningful part of their celebration. These performances feature a collection of original and traditional Christmas music played by an expanded musical cast that include guest artists such as noted Native Flute player Mark Holland, local children’s and bell choirs in select areas, and the beautiful scenery and sonic presentation brought on board by the production of Chad Stewart and Stewart Sound.

The Stars and Promises tour has continued to grow, seeing frequent sellout crowds since its inception in 2000. In 2010, the group rang in the holiday season with its most ambitious tour to date, celebrating its tenth anniversary with a tour that thrilled audiences across the country.

A favorite part of the evening for the audiences is the Meet and Greet after each performance. “I don’t believe music in live performance is just a process of rolling into town, playing a show for the people, taking a bow, and then rolling out again,” says Mayer. “I believe each time we, the musicians, play we should be part of the audience of those who came for a one-night-only experience, and I consider the audience to be a part of the band in the sense that they take the music in and give it back to us with their unique energy, making it come alive in a brand new way each time.“

Due to the Meet and Greet seating is limited, so log onto http://peteyspromise.org/shop/en/45-stars-and-promises-concert.html for tickets before Petey sells them all!

Join us Wednesday, August 10 from 6pm until …. at Galway Hooker Restaurant and Irish Pub for Happy Hour. Enjoy drink specials and a new menu, while hanging with your best friend – dogs are allowed on the patio!

We will hold a silent auction for an autographed piece of salvaged NASCAR sheet metal, a 50/50 raffle and have our dramatically reduced $2 grab bag of items, as well as our Petey’s Promise tees, available for purchase.

Visit Galway Hooker online to preview their menu and click here to stay up-to-date on the weather in Cornelius.

17044 Kenton Drive • Cornelius, NC 28031 • (704) 895-1782 • www.galwayhookerpub.com

THEN, on Thursday:

If you can’t join us on Wednesday, PLEASE do not forget to sign into Facebook on Thursday, August 11 and vote for Petey’s Promise in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program.

For those that don’t know, Petey’s Promise – Provisions for Pets in Need, is one of 500 finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, which will award vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public.

Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will showcase five non-profit organizations each day for 100 days on Toyota’s Facebook page, facebook.com/toyota. Visitors to the page can vote once a day for the organization that they feel is most deserving of a new Toyota vehicle. Petey’s Promise will be one of the five organizations highlighted for voting on Thursday, August 11th.

Everyone is encouraged to support Petey’s Promise and their quest for a new Toyota Tundra. If Petey’s Promise receives the most votes and is awarded the vehicle, it will be used to pick-up and deliver large quantities of pet food to be distributed to applicants striving to keep their pets and families together.

Have you looked in your pet‘s mouth lately?

For most of us, caring for our teeth and gums has been part of our daily routine for as long as we can remember. Can you imagine not brushing your teeth?! Just like us, your pet needs dental care, too. This includes regular, professional care from your veterinarian and home care from you.

Periodontal disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats, and 85% of pets
have some degree of this disease. It is known as the “silent disease” because of its slow
progressive nature. Symptoms include bad breath, dirty teeth, bleeding gums, pain,
inflammation, change in chewing habits, tooth loss, abnormal drooling, dropping of food and receded or eroded gums. This long-term infection leads to liver, kidney, and heart disease and decreased lifespan.

What can be done?

February is National Pet Dental Month. University Animal Medical and Dental Clinic
is joining in the fight against dental disease and offering a 10% discount on professional pet dental cleanings during the month of February.

We use the most advanced dental equipment on the market today, much like your
dentist uses on your teeth. The dental package includes: comprehensive physical exam,
anesthesia, dental cleaning, surgical care procedures, pain medication, laser treatment therapy to promote faster healing, follow-up care and products, & more. *

Start the fight against periodontal disease today and schedule you pet’s dental exam.
For the month of February, Dr. Sain will examine your pet’s teeth and give dental
counseling absolutely FREE.

Call today to schedule your appointment! (704) 455-5907

*Antibiotics, extractions, extensive orthodontic procedures, and sealants are additional.
(Pre-surgical laboratory testing required prior to procedure, testing already packaged at a discounted rate)

You can still access the system using the following methods:

1. From the 04.18.10 section of the News Archives
2. From the footer of most pages on the Petey’s Promise website
3. By visiting the link at http://peteyspromise.clickbook.net

The user experience on ClickBook is much friendlier and easier than it was on GenBook, but please let us know if you have any questions or problems by emailing us at peteyspromise@gmail.com.

While in fact my computer did die this summer, our pups, dogs, cats and kittens are all alive and well.  I think the death of another computer or two might be beneficial in stopping some of the misinformation that has lately flown around via the internet and other Facebook pages.  Please be assured that we have not had any seriously ill pets since last spring, we do not adopt out dying animals,  and we actually were blessed with a relatively healthy summer. It’s been our best year for adoptions.

Sadly, there seems to be an excessive amount of rumors about valid rescue organizations, ourselves included, that could be stopped if the perpetrators simply picked up a phone and asked questions before hitting the send or forward keys. An example is the recent story of the Humane Society’s pregnant dogs who were reportedly on death row, and calls came in from all over the nation in response.  No apologies can retract poor judgment in circulating falsehoods. Those dogs were not headed to a gas chamber and we have not been shut down or contacted by the state.

Thank you for your support and your confidence in us.

Patsy Beeker, Program Director

Cabarrus CARES/Kitty City

Email your entry to AARFCLT@yahoo.com

You can enter each pet you have, but only one entry per pet.

Entries are due by September 1, 2010.

Three Categories:

• Top Dog
• Cutest Cat
• Most Adorable Other

The 5 Finalists in each category will be displayed 
& voted on at the Expo on September 15th at 

Founders Hall, 11:30am to 1:30

pm

More Info:  Facebook – Aarf Charlotte

Anyone with a digital photo is eligible to enter.

Animal Adoption and Awareness Expo Photo Contest Rules:

1. Contest runs July 25 thru September 1. All photos must be received by end of day September 1, 2010.
2. The three photo categories are:  ”Top Dog”, “Cutest Cat” and “Most Adorable Other Pet”
3. Contest is open to anyone in the Charlotte and surrounding areas with a digital picture of a pet that can be e-mailed. Photos of multiple pets may be submitted by the same person, but only one picture of each pet may be entered.
4. Only photos without copyrights may be submitted. Studio photos that have copyrights are not eligible.
5. Until the Animal Expo, pictures may be viewed on Facebook – Aarf Charlotte.  Only the animal’s name will be listed on the website.
6. Three finalists in each category will be chosen by AARF prior to the Animal Expo.  The top five in each category (15 photos total) will be displayed in Founder’s Hall the day of the Animal Expo.
7. The general public will pick a winner in each category by voting at the Animal Expo. Votes will be cast by donations put in buckets below each photo. The most money raised for each category will determine the winner.
8. Winners do not have to be present to win.
9. All proceeds will be divided equally and be donated to the rescue groups and agencies that are represented at the Animal Expo.

To enter, pictures are to be emailed to:  AARFCLT@yahoo.com with “AARF Photo Contest” in the subject line.

Include the category, name of the pet, the name of the owner or caretaker, and a phone number.

You buy the stamps. Halo buys the food for 1 million shelter pets.

On April 30, 2010, in North Hollywood, California, the Postal Service™ issued a 44–cent, Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet special stamp in ten designs, designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC.  These stamps will help to buy food for shelter pets. So far, 600K meals have been donated!

Please visit the site here: www.stampstotherescue.com and spread the word!

The pets depicted on the stamps were photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce near her home in New Milford, Connecticut. All had been homeless at one time; all but one had been adopted when they were photographed.

Dear Dogs and Cats:

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food.  The other dishes are mine and contain my food.  Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack.  Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed.  I am very sorry about this.  Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however.  Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep.  It Is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible.  I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door.  I must exit through the same door I entered.  Also, I have been using the bathroom for years – canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is:  Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat’s butt.  I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1)  They live here.  You don’t.

(2)  If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.  That’s why they call it ‘fur’-niture.

(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

(4)  To you, they are animals.  To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don’t speak clearly.

Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

(1) eat less,

(2) don’t ask for money all the time,

(3) are easier to train,

(4) normally come when called,

(5) never ask to drive the car,

(6) don’t hang out with drug-using people;

(7) don’t smoke or drink,

(8) don’t want to wear your clothes,

(9) don’t have to buy the latest fashions,

(10) don’t need a gazillion dollars for college and

11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children …

2.) Failure to Spay or Neuter a New Cat – The overwhelming cat population problem society faces is reason alone to spay and neuter. Add the medical problems averted by S/N and there is no reason not to do so.

3.) Neglecting Needed Veterinary Treatment – Although cats may quickly recover from minor illnesses, they can just as quickly pass away if an emergency isn’t recognized.

4.) False Economy in Cat Food Choices – Money saved by buying cheap food will be spent hundreds of times over on veterinary care.

5.) Declawing without all the Facts- Some veterinarians consider declawing a “routine” surgery, while cat advocates consider it cruel, inhumane and unnecessary. Learn the facts so that you can make an informed decision.

6.) Allowing a Cat to Roam Free Outdoors -  While cats enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, cats who live totally indoors can be very happy and healthy. However, the outdoors offers dangers. Fortunately, there are a number of compromises that will give your cat the best of both worlds while keeping them happy and safe.

7.) Neglecting Litter Box Maintenance – Carefully maintaining your cat’s litter box will almost guarantee you that you will not be faced with litter box avoidance problems.

8.) Considering a Cat Property – You can no more “own” a cat than you can own another a human being. If you haven’t figured out the distinction, your new cal will let you know in quick order.

9.) Not allowing a Cat to be a Cat – A cat is not a child, and a cat is not a dog. Cat’s unique ways make them the endearing creatures they are. Our job is to accommodate those needs in acceptable ways.

Petey’s Promise announced today its first annual “Petey’s Promise Pet Awareness” Commercial Contest sponsored by Wiley X Eyewear®.

The contest is open to all University of North Carolina at Charlotte students, and will consist of one 30-second commercial promoting Petey’s Promise and responsible pet ownership and awareness.

“We are really excited about this opportunity to see what the creative and fresh minds of the UNC Charlotte students produce,” said Liz Mellott, president and founder of Petey’s Promise.

“Initially, we are opening this up to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte students. Hopefully we will encourage other Nationwide colleges to participate and promote the need for pet food banks across the Country in the future.”

The contest will be held on the Petey’s Promise page on the online social media site YouTube.com (www.youtube.com/peteyspromise). Voters of all ages will be encouraged to log onto the page and vote for their favorite submission.

Petey’s Promise will not limit the total number of entries. However, the starting top 50 commercials to be considered for voting will be selected solely by the Petey’s Promise team. Public voting will begin April 5th, 2010, with eliminations announced in the following order until the Grand Prize winner is announced. The top 50 will be posted April 5^th, the top 25 announced April 12^th, top 10 April 19^th, top five April 26^th, and the Grand Prize team will be announced Monday, May 3^rd.

Contest teams may consist of one to four people (not including pets), and entrants should be between 18-24 years of age. Send submissions to peteyspromise@gmail.com from March 8th-26^th via YouSendIt.com. Please, legitimate entries only!

The Grand Prize team will receive two men’s and two women’s pieces of Wiley X custom eyewear, along with other contributions from local vendors, such as Foster’s Grille of Concord, NC. Wiley X Eyewear®, a leading provider of protective eyewear systems, offers a full range of high-performance protective eyewear products which has lead to increased brand recognition and growing use among enthusiasts of a wide variety of demanding outdoor sports and activities, including boating, fishing, motorcycle riding, mountain biking, rock climbing and more. For further information about Wiley X or to view its product line, please log onto www.wileyx.com.

Petey’s Promise, Provisions for Pets in Need, is a 501c3 non-profit that provides pet food and supplies for pet owners in the Greater Carolina area who require assistance to care for their beloved animals, versus having to surrender them to a shelter or foster home. For further information regarding Petey’s Promise or the contest please log onto www.peteyspromise.org or email us at peteyspromise@gmail.com.