Get ready to Relay!

A message from Relay for Life in Second Life:

After four months of fundraising, Second Life® Relayers will be gathering on July 16-17 for the seventh annual Relay For Life® of Second Life track event to CELEBRATE, REMEMBER and FIGHT BACK.

The track covers 34 of the 42 Relay sims. It brings to a close the very biggest and best Relay For Life fundraising season ever in Second Life with over 3,000 volunteers and team members, and 130 teams who have so far raised an amazing US$304,000.

Stingray9798 Raymaker ( in real life Jeff Montegut, the American Cancer Society representative in Second Life) said: ‘Thanks to the tremendous support of our volunteers, teams, committee members, and corporate partners, we have already passed our goal of raising US$300,000, which is also the most money ever raised in a single Relay season in Second Life. This means more money that funds the mission of the American Cancer Society – research, education, prevention, patient support and global advocacy. I’m confident that this year’s success means that we have entered a new golden era of Relay For Life in Second Life, and I can’t wait to personally thank everyone at the event this weekend!’

New this year
The theme of this year’s Relay is ‘Seasons of Hope’, a theme that has inspired some of the most imaginative events and builds ever during the four-month season of team fundraising events.

This year there are some exciting innovations. For example:

• a special ‘Teams R Us’ clubhouse where teams can hold events away from the track so that they can celebrate without lagging the track sims. The Event Day committee has a list of dj’s who are standing by and ready to be reserved by the teams.
•  Two sponsored theme laps. These are sponsored by KittyCatS and Amaretto Breedables, both of whom have already raised large sums for Relay by launching limited edition ‘Seasons of Hope’ kitties and horses.
• A Relay For Life of Second Life Visitors Guide to help visitors navigate the sims.

Introduction to Relay
Visitors who are new to Relay should head straight for the Welcome Area where there is a lot of helpful information to help them get started and where there will be volunteer greeters to answer questions and give out the 2011 Visitors Guide.

The Welcome Center is surrounded by over 95 flags of real world nations represented by team members, volunteers and supporters. There is information in different languages to help visitors from different parts of the real world to get oriented.

OPENING – The event opens at 10:00am on Saturday with the Opening Ceremonies, where the Fundraiser Club Banner Awards for 2011 will be presented to the teams by APinkSwan Beauchamp, the 2011 Awards Committee Lead.
CELEBRATE – Over 150 cancer survivors and caregivers have registered to take part in the ‘honor walk’ which will start immediately after the opening ceremonies, followed by the team spirit lap.
REMEMBER – At 9:00pm the track sims are turned to midnight to light up the thousands of luminaria (candles) along the track, each representing a survivor or someone who has passed from cancer. For one hour people walk the track in silence as the dedications are read out.
FIGHT BACK – at 6:00am is the Fight Back Ceremony when people gather together to make a personal pledge to help fight cancer. It might be by pledging to have a regular breast exam, to follow a healthy diet, or to stop smoking.
VICTORIOUS – the event runs through to noon on Sunday. The Closing Ceremonies take place at 10:00am followed by the ‘Take THAT, Cancer!’ victory lap at 11:00am.

Themed laps
There are some imaginative themed laps between the main ceremonies. On arrival at the track visitors will see signs up above them that display the current lap theme.

New themes to Relay are the ‘Purrfect Pets’ lap sponsored by KittyCaTS when avatars can wear animal print, neko ears, tails or be an animal or furry avatar; and the ‘Ride Your Favorite Horse’ lap sponsored by Amaretto Breedables when they can ride their favorite horse or wear their horse avatar.

Other laps include ‘Winter Nights’, ‘Spring Fling’, ‘Beach Party’ (summer), ‘Fall Fashion’, ‘The Power of Purple’, ‘Midnight Masquerade’, a fantasy lap, and an international lap when people can wave their national flag or walk the lap in national costume.

Just before the ‘Fight Back’ ceremony is the ‘Up All Night’ lap when walkers can choose to wear curlers, PJs and slippers and drink some coffee to wake them up.

Event Day Chair Nikki Mathiesen says: ‘These themed laps are totally optional but fun to participate in or simply enjoy the efforts of those who do. Feel free to interpret each theme with all the creative energy that embodies Second Life!’

Off-the-track activities
Off the track there are some wonderful creative builds by some of the best of SL’s talented builders. Inspired by the four seasons, there are gardens to explore, forests to wander through, and water to sit beside and contemplate, as well as a Japanese village and a pyramid in the jungle.

And there is an abundance of activities waiting for visitors. For the active, look out for the bobsled course, ice fishing, snail racing, the bull ride, as well as the water ride, water slide, and bumper boats at the water park.

The Seasons of Hope Water Park also features the Jules Verne submarine ride and Nautilus Exhibit, Mermaid Cove Sandcastle & Cabana Area featuring Reggae DJs, Treasure Island and Navy Fort, a working pirate town and gypsy camp, navy and pirate ship battles, and surfing, sailing and fishing.

For those with Lindens rattling in their wallets, there is a shopping hamlet, silent and live auctions, an art show and sale, and raffle. NEW this year is the silent and live breedables auction. Visitors will also be able to buy the limited edition ‘Seasons of Hope’ KittyCaTS kitties and Amaretto horses, and the Linden bears.

For those who just want to sit back and chill out, there is plenty of entertainment at the Four Seasons Theatre – featuring Alice in Wonderland, Short Plays, Machinima Productions and Tribute Bands. Space is limited so contact Still Braveheart to reserve a seat.

And of course, live music … two stages house this year’s live music with performances, non-stop on the Main Music region and also on the country music region, where visitors can listen while they shop the auctions.

MamaP Beerbaum, 2011 Event Chair, said: ‘We have had an amazing season. Our volunteers have worked non-stop, their commitment and dedication have never wavered!  We are looking forward to Relay Weekend, where we will come together to Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back.  Relay For Life of Second Life has given the rest of the world reason to take notice!  We have proved that in this virtual environment, amazing things can happen and we CAN make a difference! Congratulations to each and every avatar that was involved in this year’s relay!’