So Page’s and my 15 minutes of first wedding dance fame has earned me about 3.7 seconds more…

I have been asked to compete in a “Dancing Like the Stars” event here in Raleigh on April 28. Event schedule is here and details (and a poster [scroll down a bit] featuring an obscenely unintentionally funny picture of me where I look like I’m dragging someone through the Oregon Trail) are here.

"OK, now pose with the dancer hanging off your back...now try to look totally natural...perfect."

Dancing Like the Stars typically features local media talent, who use their day jobs to promote themselves and the fundraising component of the event (more on that later). Apparently it is tough to find men for this, so they decided to literally dig through the bottom of the barrel to grab a middling sports PR guy to round out the competition. I’m flattered. Page is a bit in shock, as she 1. is the lone legit dancer in our household and 2. has the on air morning show job. Don’t be surprised if you see her in this next year. I hope for my safety and our domestic stability that this is indeed the case.

The event serves as a fundraiser for the National Inclusion Project (details are here), which was started in 2003 by Clay Aiken among others. Their mission is to bridge the gap that exists between young people with disabilities and the world around them. They partner with communities and inclusive programs creating awareness about the possibilities that inclusion can bring. If anyone is watching The Apprentice on NBC, they actually mentioned the group on the show last night and showed Clay (who’s one of the contestants this year) presenting them with a check (more on Clay and the founding of the National Inclusion Project here). They have held Dancing Like the Stars for several years, and in addition to it being a ton of fun, they raise a significant amount of money with the event…

Which brings me to this email…I NEED YOUR HELP WITH DONATIONS. First and foremost, the National Inclusion Project is a wonderful organization, worthy of endless donations, and I couldn’t make a fool of myself on stage without their undying support. In all seriousness, as many of you know, my parents have spent their lives committed to helping children and adults with disabilities and mental health issues. It’s a soft spot for me.

Secondly, dancers are ranked based on money raised, and, well…

I want to win. Bad.

That said, please click here to view my bio page and donate (direct link here – be sure to select my name in the list of dancers!). I understand that I look sunburned and stoned in my picture, so please withhold any biting criticism. I am also aware that my dance partner’s head shot is both tightly cropped and very intense. I try to limit the number of times I pull this page up, as it only intimidates and scares the hell out of me. I wake up at 3a most nights (not because Page is already up with her hair dryer going full tilt) in a cold sweat muttering “April 28th…April 28th…”

Donate $25, donate $2,500, donate, $2.5 million. I don’t care. Just donate. Dig deep. Give til it hurts. Make it rain. Any donation cliche will work.

If you donate through the site, the page will refresh and tax info will pop up. You can print this out for your records. You will also get a confirmation email sent to you. If you’d like to mail me a check, that works too, and I/The Inclusion Project will mail you tax information (my address is below, make checks out to the National Inclusion Project). Online donating is faster and easier, but we obviously more than welcome all methods.

Thank you for making it through this email, and thanks in advance for your donation. I’ll be checking back in periodically as we get closer, and I hope to see some of you at the actual event. Needless to say, it should be one of the all-time pathetic, hilarious and over-the-top afternoons you’ve had in a while.

One more time, the link for donations: https://store.inclusionproject.org/apps/dancing.aspx. Click the “Jake Fehling & Aubrey Horn” option!

Thanks again!

Jake