Press Release: It's Time To Relay

After four months of fundraising, Second Life Relayers will be gathering on July 13-14 for the ninth annual Relay For Life of Second Life 24 hour event to CELEBRATE, REMEMBER and FIGHT BACK.  The Relay track will stretch across 34 of 40 Relay sims and will bring together thousands of volunteers and team members who have so far raised an amazing US$300,000 in the 2013 fundraising season and who will be walking the track together in their quest to see an end to cancer.

Stingray9798 Raymaker ( Jeff Montegut, the American Cancer Society’s staff partner to SLs Relay) said: “Thanks to the tremendous support of our volunteers, teams, committee members, and corporate partners, we have raised an astonishing amount of money and are getting so close to an all-time total of 2 million dollars raised in Second Life.  This important contribution is money that funds the mission of the American Cancer Society – research, education, and prevention.  I’m looking forward to personally thanking everyone at this years event!’

The theme of this year’s Relay is ‘100 Years of Hope’, a theme that has inspired some of the most imaginative events and builds and in celebration of the American Cancer Society’s 100 year anniversary.  The Relay track will be divided into Past, Present and Future areas.  The fun-filled weekend will also include five activity regions that will house live music, djs, a silent auction, an art show, a Raffle for Relay, Snail Racing, a Teams vendored flea market and 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.

Visitors will land at the Welcome Area, upon arrival, located on the Relay For Life region, where there will be a lot of helpful information to help them get started and where there will be volunteer greeters to answer questions and give out the 2013 Visitors Guide.  There are themed laps between the main ceremonies and visitors will see signs over the track that display the current lap theme.

The event will officially open at 10:00am on Saturday with an Opening Ceremony, where the Fundraiser Club Banner Awards for 2013 will be presented to the teams. More than 100 cancer survivors and caregivers have registered to take part in the ‘honor walk’, which is a CELEBRATE lap and will start immediately after the opening ceremony, followed by the team spirit lap.

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 over the broadcasting stream, provided by T1 Radio.  This lap is known as the REMEMBER lap.

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.

The Closing Ceremony will begin at 10:00am on Sunday, June 14th followed by a final victory lap at 11:00am.  The Raffle For Relay and Silent Auction will remain open until that afternoon.

 

Nikki Mathieson, 2013 Event Chair, said: “We have had an amazing season. Our volunteers have worked non-stop, their excitement, commitment and dedication has not 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 made such an important impact, with thousands of people logging in to make some loud noise and pitch in on Finishing the Fight against cancer!  We have proved that a determined group of people who care, can join together and do amazing things.  We CAN make a difference!  Congratulations to each and every person that was involved in this year’s relay!”

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. Relay For Life is about coming together with a group of people you don’t know to effect change in the lives of people you may never know.

The premier sponsors of Relay For Life of Second Life in 2013 are: Amaretto Ranch Breedables, Lanterns For Life, Mossms, Peace Haven’s Communities, Pink’s Props, and Touched By Angels.

FOLLOW US on:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RelayForLife_SL

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/rflofsl

RFL of SL Updates: http://rflofsl.blogspot.com/

For background information and the history of RFL of SL see:

SL Wiki: https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Relay_For_Life_of_Second_Life and

Official RFL of SL website: http://www.relayforlife.org/secondlife

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Gem Sunkiller (RFL of SL Outreach Area Chair)