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!

CONCORD, N.C. – What started out as a fun idea to complete his school project and bring awareness to his mom’s non-profit pet food bank turned into a labor of love for 10-year-old Chase Carey of Concord and resulted in a Guinness World Record.

Carey, a fifth-grader at W.R. Odell Elementary School and a member of the school’s Academically and Intellectually Gifted program, had to complete a 50-hour community service project. The son of non-profit, Petey’s Promise, founder Liz Mellott, he thought using crayons would be a great way to get children and adults to look at the harder side of pet ownership and to support the Petey’s Promise, which offers assistance to struggling pet owners throughout the Greater Charlotte area.

The charity is close to both Mellott and Carey’s heart as they faced losing their lab-spaniel mix when as a single mom Mellott was forced to make hard choices to survive financially. Luckily, they were able to keep Petey and when she got back on her feet, the non-profit was born. Since its inception in 2008, Petey’s Promise has fed more than 4,000 animals.

“We were lucky to keep Petey, and it makes me sad to think there are kids who lose their pets because their parents can’t feed them. I am very proud of my Mom and Petey’s Promise,” Carey said. “So I thought it would be fun to combine my project with it.”

Gathering more than 80,000 crayons over the course of five months, Chase talked everyone he knew into helping with the project. The plan was to melt all the crayons and assemble the almost 10-foot crayon on Oct. 29 at The Village Church in Concord during the Coloring for Critters Fall Festival and to unveil it in the late afternoon.

Physics, however, had other ideas. The massive crayon, which would eventually stand 9 feet 9 ¾ inches tall and weigh an impressive 731 pounds, was going to take a little longer than a few hours to assemble. With the help of lots of friends, family and members of the community, Carey and his engineers (his father, Ben Carey, and other employees of Roush-Yates Engines) had assembled the base of the crayon by 3 p.m., but that is when things started to go wrong.

Even with six months of testing, no one really knew how much time it would take 700 pounds of hot crayon wax to solidify. There were also unforeseen complications when the group went to attach the cone as the hot wax seeped out of the mold. The decision was made to let the crayon solidify for at least 48 hours to ensure it would hold.

“The best laid plans, right? It became apparent early in the day that this was going to be more about forgoing the plans of Coloring for Critters and more about an all-out thrash to make sure Chase met his goal,” said Mellott. “We had people in the community jumping in to buy crayons and peel crayons on site – just helping out any way they could to make sure we made that crayon. There is always time for festivals, games and other fundraising activities, but you only get the chance to make the world’s largest crayon once. At least if I have anything to say about it.”

Despite the setbacks, Chase and Petey’s Promise would not be denied their record. It might have taken an extra couple days, but the World’s Largest Homemade Crayon, Petey’s Passion, was completed at approximately 7 p.m. on Halloween night while trick-or-treaters were out in full force and photos with the crayons were in high demand. It broke the previous record held by a group in Hinesville, Ga., whose crayon set the record at 9 feet 8 inches, 605 pounds.

“I love it, but I’m done with crayons for a while,” Carey laughed. “I think it is cool that we’re going to be in the Guinness Book of World Records with the world’s largest crayon. I really want to thank everyone that helped and donated, especially my Mom and Dad.”

Coloring for Critters presented by Crocktees benefits Petey’s Promise and the W.R. Odell Elementary’s AIG program. The group is still working to meet their fundraising goal.

“It was a really ambitious project, and I think Chase has learned the magnitude of what he has done, the attention it garnered and is proud of the six months of hard work he has put in,” Mellott said. “However, at that point, I think he was ready to put on his costume and just be a kid again.”

And we need YOUR help to do it!

PLEASE donate crayons – new or used – by emailing peteyspromise@gmail.com.

On Saturday, October 29th, come out to The Village Church Field for:

• Food
• Craft Booths
• Pet Booths
• Silent Auctions
• and More!

The Village Church Field is located at 9280 Davidson Highway, Concord, NC 28027 – beside Coddle Creek Animal Hospital (see map).

Event will be from 10am to 2pm – RAIN or SHINE

Interested in helping on a sponsorship level?

Pick your sponsorship:

Petey’s Passion Sponsor – $250
Primary sponsorship branding on all printed promotional materials including t-shirts and media releases; 10′ x 10′ premium booth location at event, 4 event t-shirts for sponsors/attendees

Razzmatazz Sponsor – $150
Associate sponsorship branding on all printed promotional materials including t-shirts and media releases; 10′ x 10′ premium booth location at event; 2 event t-shirts for sponsors/attendees

Aquamarine Sponsor – $75
Associate sponsorship branding on all printed promotional materials including t-shirts; 10′ x 10′ premium booth location at event

Electric Lime Booth Participant – $45
10′ x 10′ booth space

Sponsorship deadline (for shirts only) is OCTOBER 15. Booth space is available until OCTOBER 28. Please click here to access our online sponsorship form.

Current Sponsors:

• The Price Family
• The Village Church
• Roush-Yates
• Race City Steel
• Crock Tees
• Bizzy Bees

The event, Coloring for Critters, will take place Oct. 29 at The Village Church on Highway 73 in Concord. All proceeds will benefit Petey’s Promise and the AIG Program at W.R. Odell Elementary School.

Chase came up with the idea to make the world’s largest crayon for his AIG Community Service project after reading about a group of students in Georgia who set the current record at 9’8”. Getting Petey’s Promise involved was a no-brainer for the 5th grader since the organization is named for his family’s own rescued spaniel-lab mix. He understands exactly how scary it is to face giving up your pet because your family is struggling financially. It was why his mother founded Petey’s Promise.

“We almost had to give up Petey when I was little, and it was really scary for my mom and I,” Chase said. “I always want to help Mom feed more pets, and I am really excited about the chance to break the Guinness World Record for the crayon.”

Petey’s Promise is the only pet food bank in the region, serving greater Concord and Charlotte. The non-profit offers assistance to struggling pet owners so the pet owner can keep and maintain their beloved pets despite their financial situation.

“Chase and I know from personal experience how devastating it can be to face losing your pet. I was a single mom, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to support us and Petey. Luckily I did, but now that we are able, it is important to him and I that we make sure other families don’t have to face the same decisions,” Mellott said. “Petey’s Promise has fed more than 3,000 pets in just a little more than three years. I am so proud of Chase and his dedication to Petey’s Promise and the Coloring for Critters event. Now, we just need to break that crayon record.”

Carey and Petey’s Promise are currently collecting crayons, asking local businesses and the public to donate old, used or broken crayons to help make the 10’ crayon. Sponsorship opportunities and booth space for the Coloring for Critters event are also available.

If you would like to donate crayons or participate in the event, please visit www.peteyspromise.org or contact Mellott at peteyspromise@gmail.com.

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.

Two Dogs Defy the Wave courtesy of the Wall Street Journal

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.