Second Life Newser: It's Time to RELAY!

After four months of fundraising, avatars representing cancer survivors, caregivers, their families and supporters will be gathering on July 17-18 for the sixth annual Relay For Life® of Second Life 24-hour track event.

The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe (and in Second Life) a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At the Relay For Life of Second Life, teams of people build ‘campsites’ located on a set of designated, connected sims and take turns walking or running around a track. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, the Relay For Life of Second Life event is overnight and lasts 24 hours.

The theme of this year’s Relay is ‘Wishing on a Cure’. We look forward to welcoming you at the Welcome Area: http://slurl.com/secondlife/RELAY%20FOR%20LIFE/235/28/22.

Below is a list of ceremonies and activities that will take place at the July 2010 Relay.

Saturday, July 17
10:00am - 11am - Opening Ceremonies
11:00am - 12:00pm - Survivor Hour
12:00pm - 1:00pm - Caregivers Hour
9:00pm - 10:00pm - Luminary Ceremony
4:00pm - 5:30pm - Inspirational Storytelling Play

Sunday, July 18
6:00am - 7:00am - Fight Back Ceremony (The Cape Story)
7:00am - 8:30am - Live Auction done in Voice (entertainment sim)
9:00am - 10:00am -Closing Ceremonies
10:00am - FIREWORKS!

Themed Hours - Various stations and signs placed around the Relay sims will display which theme is scheduled for every hour. There are some great themes planned so have your crazy hats, birthday outfits, banana suits and bicycles ready and have some fun walking round the track! For a complete list of themes see the Event Information on http://relayforlife.org/secondlife.

Round-the-clock activities:

Live Music - four sims are dedicated to a stage area where our favorite Second Life live music artists will perform. A specially designed stage for the performers and a large open dance floor and dance machines for all to enjoy! Watch posted signs for scheduling!

The Scavenger Hunt - Hidden on each of the four corner sims on the Relay track (Dedication, Acceptance, Imagine, and Survive) are clues with a question related to cancer. Find the clue, answer the question correctly and get a prize. You may even learn a few things you did not know. Each question has four responses and you get four tries to answer it correctly, so keep trying till you get it right. You will then receive clues about the location of the next hidden question along the way.

Auctions - Silent Auction and Live Auction. There will be a silent auction running from 10am - 10am, a full 24 hours, featuring incredible art items by some of the best artists in SL. Memorable pieces honor survivors, caregivers, victims, and the fight against cancer itself, along with other pieces. The Silent Auction features clothing, one-of-a-kind items, and more. Starting at 7:00am there will be a Live Auction done in Voice of even more incredible items!

Fishing - You know a diet healthy in fish is good for preventing cancer, so come catch your virtual dinner. The Design team has set up a beautiful area for fishing in our Water Sailing and Fishing sim. Visit the vendor on the dock, buy the supplies you need and fish! You may even amaze yourself with what you catch and the stories are good for a year about the one that got away! All proceeds go towards the Relay total, and it's FUN too!

Mining Roller Coaster in the Sky - Located on the Wish sim. Many cancer patients feel like they are on a roller coaster when they first discover they have been stricken by the disease. Take a ride on this wild coaster in the sky and see for yourself what it can be like.

Storytelling Play in the Park (4pm, sim to be determined) - An hour and a half of storytelling fun. ‘The Fire is a haunting 18th century tale of murder, mystery, and mayhem. Follow American brat Frankey and Pete the peasant as they visit 1789 during a famine. Will Frankey redeem himself?’ This play sends a message of strength and willpower, much like a cancer survivor, these traits are not an option, but a necessity.

Surfing - Catch a wave and ride it through! The tide is high and perfect for a surf board to sail it to the end. Cancer patients can experience some rough waters as they work their way through weeks, months, and sometimes years of treatments. This also signifies the waves of emotion that come along with surviving these treatments.

There will be a few other attractions as well, such as a Riverboat on the sim named Treatment, and Water Slide Tubes on the Unity sim! Be sure and check it all out!

ABOUT RELAY FOR LIFE OF SECOND LIFE

Relay For Life® is the signature fundraiser of the American Cancer Society. Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL) 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 mid-March through mid-July. In July teams build campsites and walk a track, just like in a real world Relay. The main RFL of SL track event this year will take place on July 17-18. In 2009, RFL of SL raised US$274,000 for the American Cancer Society. The funds raised go to research, advocacy, patient services and programs, with 12-15% going to international projects. Just as in the real world, RFL of SL is an international event. In 2009 participants from over 26 countries took part in RFL of SL.