.. Relay For Life of Second Life – July 19-20, 2014 ..

July 14, 2014 / Sunshine / 1 Comment

Sharing the press release for the upcoming event.. it is nearly here!

Get ready for Relay Weekend!
Celebrating 10 years of raising funds for cancer research

(July 13, 2014) In less than two weeks, thousands of Second Life Residents from all across the real globe will join together on July 19 and 20 for the 10th Relay Weekend of Relay For Life of Second Life and celebrate .

“It’s incredible to see how this Relay has grown over the last 10 years,” said Stingray Raymaker, American Cancer Society staff partner. “That first year, 2005, there were 315 Avatars walking the track to bring attention to the importance of cancer research. This year more than 3,000 will take to the track. Come on out and see what has become the largest fundraiser in SL and other virtual worlds.”

Relay Weekend will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 19 and will feature 24 hours of themed laps, activities and entertainment. The weekend will wrap up with a massive party at 1 p.m. PDT Sunday, July 20.

If you can’t be at the Relay sims, tune in to T1 Radio, at T1radio.com, which will be airing the festivities through Relay Weekend. In addition Aview TV will host a 24-hour telethon during Relay Weekend. The broadcast can be seen at http://www.livestream.com/virtualrfl. A new feature this year will also see Krypton Radio, the Gorean Whip, Best of SL Magazine and SL Live Radio joining as media partners for Relay Weekend.

“We have had an amazing season,” said 2014 RFL of SL Chair Nikki Mathieson. “Our volunteers and supporters have worked hard for four months, proudly carrying our Relay mission forward in the continuation of an astounding journey! I am so excited to open Relay weekend with a fun ceremony and the always inspiring Survivor Caregiver Honor Lap. That celebratory lap kicks off a full 24 hours of Second Life residents Celebrating, Remembering, and Fighting Back. Relay For Life of Second Life has made such an important impact, in Second Life, in 1st Life, across the globe! We are proof that a determined group of people, can join together and do amazing things. We ARE making a difference! Congratulations to each and every person who was involved in this year’s relay and a heartfelt THANK YOU!”

Relay For Life of Second Life is an annual activity that takes place in Second Life in July each year. Volunteers form or join teams to have fun while fundraising and raising awareness from March through mid-July. In July, teams build campsites and walk a track, just like in a real world Relay. Over the last nine years, Relay For Life of Second Life has raised more than $2 million for cancer research and is the largest charity event in the virtual worlds. Several thousand volunteers from more than 80 countries participate each year, truly making it a global event.

The Relay For Life of Second Life wiki details the history of Relay For Life of Second Life. Relay For Life is the signature fundraising event of the American Cancer Society.

There are many ways to get involved in Relay For Life of Second Life and another way to show your support is through sponsorship. Relay For Life of Second Life is proud to have the following as premier sponsors: RGF Estates, Roses & Thorns Skins Inc., Wild Kajaera, Sol Existence and United Realms of the Archipelago. Other sponsorships are available; please contact the PR/Outreach Division more details.

Another way to get involved is through rezzing Relay For Life event boards and kiosks at your establishment or land. Contact Serina Juran for details.

Keep up with the news on Relay For Life of Second Life through it’s website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and Tumblr pages:
http://relayforlifeofsecondlife.org/

Tweets by RelayForLife_SL

http://facebook.com/rflofsl
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/relayforlife-sl

Relay For Life of Second Life – Just Around the Corner!

July 1, 2014July 3, 2014 / Sunshine / 2 Comments

We are less than 3 weeks away from the event we have been building up towards since March 8th. Okay, okay, we have really been working towards this since August 11, 2013, the day after our last season wrapped up! The 10th Annual Relay For Life of Second Life will take place on July 19-20 – the 10th Anniversary, can you believe it? There is a lot to share on what will be happening over the next few weeks, so let’s get started.

Team Campsite Registration started a few weeks ago and we do have a good number of teams that will be joining us on the track – YAY! We are so pleased that you want to be out there with us to CELEBRATE, REMEMBER, and FIGHT BACK! If you have looked at the map around American Cancer Society region in the last week, you might have noticed a number of sims that have cropped up on the map. Yep…this is it, the sims have been delivered and the Build Team have been busy busy busy trying to get the regions cut, parceled, track placed, etc. This task has taken a little longer, as you will see the track is a wee bit different this year.

So what is the schedule?

July 1 – Designers will be allowed on the regions to start their builds. Designers are those that will be creating showcase areas that will share their vision of A Journey of Promise. We give them a head start so that they can get their terraforming completed and most of their building done so that we can get the regions ready for the Teams and Mega-Events to step in.

July 2nd to 7th – Team Captains will receive requests to provide builders and terraformers to the Design committee via Google Forms so that we can set up access. The group that will be used will be the RFL of SL Land and Events Mgmt group. The numbers of builders and terraformers should remain low. We suggest only 2 terraformers (land movers) per Team and up to 4 others that can rez (prim pushers).

July 7th – Teams and Mega-Events will be allowed on the regions to start building and setting up!

July 16th – All building and set up must be completed by Midnight on July 16th (that’s right before the day turns to July 17th)

July 17th – REGIONS will be closed to all so that a walk-through inspection can be completed with Linden Lab support. This walk through will provide the opportunity to check for any issues that would be causing excessive lag or any problems on the track. This will also give the Build team the opportunity to ensure that the track areas are smooth and do not have any holes or gaps causing difficult passage. Any issues found will be reported to all and any corrections will be managed accordingly.

July 18th – REGIONS reopen for last minute building and corrections to be made as needed. Judging for AWARDS begins at 6pm SLT, so be sure you are ready! Regions will open in the evening to members of the Volunteer groups only. Be sure that your teammates are members of the RFL of SL Volunteers group or the RFL of SL Volunteers – Info Only group so that they can join you on the track on Friday night before Relay!

JULY 19th – RELAY DAY!
10am – OPENING CEREMONY! – join us at the Activities Regions or listen on the stream or at T1radio.com!
11am – CELEBRATE – We give the track over to those that we honor – our Survivors and Caregivers. During this lap, only survivors and caregivers should be on the track
12:30pm – TEAMS – We welcome the teams to the track joining with Survivors and Caregivers…celebrating and honoring!
….And the Themed Laps Begin!
2pm – CRAZY HAT – wear the craziest hat you can find!
3pm – CARTOON CHARACTER/ANIME – become that cartoon character of your dreams!
4pm – BLACK AND WHITE – wear only black and white during this lap!
5pm – SCIFI/FANTASY – represent the Sci-Fi or Fantasy character that you wish to be!
6pm – PIRATES – arrgghhh mateys, pull out your eye patches, pirate hats, scarves and more!
7pm – BALD IS BEAUTIFUL – and so it is… let’s honor those that have gone bald for the cause or due to treatment and remove that hair!
8pm – PURPLE! – what is our favorite color? Yep! You got it…Purple from head to toe!
9pm – REMEMBER – this is our Luminaria Ceremony Lap, a time to remember those that are no longer among us. We darken the regions, and walk quietly with glow of the luminarias to guide our way as we listen to the Luminaria Ceremony Dedications (have you submitted yours?)
10pm – MOST COLORFUL – how many colors can you wear?!?
11pm – 10TH ANNIVERSARY – ONE TEAM! Listen to the Planning Committee as they entertain us through the hour!
12AM/Midnight – PJ PARTY – put your jammies on … but DO NOT go to bed!
JULY 20th – RELAY CONTINUES
1am – HOPPY BALL BOUNCE WITH US – let’s bounce bounce bounce around the track! Find your hoppy balls in the Relay Info Stations!
2am – SIXTIES (60’s) – it’s groovy dude! Tie-dye and mini-skirts! Peace baby!
3am – BEACH PARTY – beach party beach party there on the track… but be sure to wear sunscreen!
4am – KIDS and CHILDREN – dress up as a kid, become a toddleedoo, shrink your avi… let’s play!
5am – HEROES EVERY DAY AND SUPER – we all have those we consider heroes…who is yours? Superman, parents, doctors, Batman, WonderWoman, etc!
6am – FIGHT BACK – it’s time to make that pledge…what will YOU do to fight back against CANCER? Listen in to the special ceremony!
7am – INTERNATIONAL, CELEBRATE YOUR NATION! – wave your flag, dress up in your colors, show us your costumes!
8am – COFFEE AND DONUTS IT’S BREAKFAST TIME! – good morning… we all need that shot of caffeine to keep us on the track…just a bit longer!
9am – FORMAL HOUR – time to put on your finest gowns and suits and walk the track in those dress shoes.. we are almost there!
10am – CLOSING CEREMONY – head over to the Activities Regions and tune in to the stream!
11am – VICTORY LAP – It is time to walk the track once more… meet the Relay Committee… Celebrate YOUR Relay!
12:30pm – RAFFLE DRAWS – be sure to buy your tickets before this time!
1pm – SILENT AUCTIONs end – did you place the winning bid?
Continue to walk the track, visit the campsites, the designer builds, the mega event campsites, the museum, etc.

Our REMEMBER Lap which is held at 9pm SLT on July 19 is a very special lap. It is also called the Luminaria lap as it is when we darken the regions and allow the glow of the lit luminarias guide our way. The luminarias line the track and a linden donation will change their color and will light them up. A donation also gives you the opportunity to leave a message naming the special person or group that you’d like to honor or remember. Our goal is to have every luminaria lit before the REMEMBER lap but definitely by the end of Closing Ceremony. The donation amount defines the color based upon the following:
(Minimum donation of L$50)
L$50 – L$999 – Green
L$1000 – L$2499 – Orange
L$2500 – L$4999 – Blue
L$5000 – L$7499 – Yellow
L$7500 – L$9999 – Pink
L$10000 or more – Purple + Fireworks!

In the midst of your JOURNEY around the track, there are many other things that you can take part in over the weekend:
On the Activities Regions:
Live Music from 2pm on July 19th until
DJs from 2pm on July 19th until
Several Productions including a MerDance group, a tribute band, and possibly more!
Silent Auction
Raffles
Art Auction (Silent)
Team Market Place and Gotya Fair – yes, a place for YOUR team to place your vendors/raffles/auctions/random riots/gotya vendors! (more info to come)
RFL of SL Museum – visit and see artifacts, pictures and info about the journey of RFL in SL over the past 10 years!

On the Track:
Visit the Survivor/Caregiver Campsite to honor those heroes among us!
Visit the Water Activities Region (RFL Promise) to watch the sail races!
Visit the Designer Regions to explore their interpretation of A Journey of Promise
Visit the Mega-Event Campsites to learn more about the events that reach out to so much of the grid
Visit the TEAM Campsites, meet new friends, reacquaint with old, and celebrate ONE TEAM!

Watch for more information as we continue to finalize the details!

For more information about Relay For Life of Second Life:

For more information about American Cancer Society or Relay For Life, in general:

American Cancer Society

Relay For Life

.. A Journey of Promise … Kicked Off in March! ..

May 30, 2014 / Sunshine / Leave a comment

(I failed to post this back a few months ago, so I am just doing it now!)

The Relay For Life of Second Life season was officially kicked off on Saturday, March 8th! However, the weekend was full of fun and camaraderie. Starting on Friday night with the team set up and tailgate party with entertainment provided by T1 Radio, all the way through to the “Bring Your Own Kiosk” extravaganza on Sunday night, the RFL of SL teams were jamming and hitting the kiosks hard. In addition to the multiple events held at the Kick Off sims, team events were getting in to full swing as well.

Four beautiful sims that lead all around a journey of continents were designed and created by Grace Loudon Devin with the help of Sean Devin. The comments that we received regarding this creation was unending. All were amazed at the build that was put up in less than a week. From the rainforests of South America, through the bamboo gardens of Asia, to the forested waterside of Europe into the frozen wilds of Antarctica around to the beaches of Australia and across the tundra of Africa before wrapping up in a national park setting of North America, it was a gorgeous journey.

Forty-plus teams joined us on the journey, each setting up a tent to display their kiosk and kick-start their fundraising activities with vendors, auctions, raffles and more. At least 15 teams participated in the “Kissing Booth” challenge where the goal was to raise L$1700 in one hour. Each team that met the goal will receive “Kiss Me I Relay” shirts. On Sunday, there was a mini Family Feud tournament where 4 teams competed. First up was a game between Live Wire and Strange Journeys that Live Wire came away as winner. Then it was the RFL of SL Planning Committee up against Inspired Dreamwalkers. The laughs were generous as the Planning Committee walked away with the win. The final between Live Wire and the Planning Committee commenced and brought the house down with laughs and good cheer. And the final was won by Live Wire who were an amazingly tough team to beat!

There were DJs and live performances including Fuzzball Ortega, MrsSpooky, Johannes1977, Holocluck Henly, Maverick Wolfe, Ari ….., Starlight Dancers….

On Sunday afternoon, Trader Whiplash kicked off the return of Relay Rap with a live broadcast from the Kick Off sims featuring event chair, Nikki Mathieson; ACS partner, Sting Raymaker; Internal Support division chair, Gem Sunkiller; Team Coach lead, Rendal Contineau. This year, Relay Rap will also feature “Tee-Time” with Tee Auster and Nuala Maracus featuring information supporting the RFL and ACS missions. Relay Rap continues every Sunday at 3:30pm SLT – you can attend on T1’s home studio @…….. or listen in remotely via T1’s stream: ___

The 2014 RFL of SL fundraising tools hit the grid on Wednesday, March 5th which just happens to be a little earlier than norm. Since the teams were already pushing convio (website-US dollar) donations heavily, the volunteers just kept the influx of donations going as the tools started distributing across the grid. There are donation kiosks – the familiar white kiosk with an oval ring; vendors – which can accommodate one of a kind items to multiple items; random riot and the NEW RFL gotya vendors which are similar to the popular gacha machines; auction boards – to support silent auctions with the accompanying auction fulfillment vendor; and raffle vendors – which can sell multiple ticket chances for the fab prize inside in exchange for a gift. All of these team oriented tools submit 100% proceeds to Relay For Life for the American Cancer Society.

On July 19th/20th, the teams and all volunteers will come together for 24+ hours to celebrate, remember, and fight back as we ‘walk around’ a track built from approximately 40 sims. Until then, keep an eye on the growing dollars by checking our totals’ page. For various team events and activities supporting Relay For Life of Second Life, check out the team’s event page. There have already been so many and there will continue to be many many events to attend. Watch for various mega events that raise funds for RFL of SL throughout the year, check the schedule here. Until there is a cure, we RELAY! Consider joining the fight… for more resources check out the following links: