Smoke Texan, Part Owner of 9/11 Memorial, Has Died

 

 It was announced in the Echovets group in Second Life that Smoke Texan had recently passed away.

 

We lost a brother.... Many of you know that Smoke Texan passed away last week on May 2nd. Smoke served in the U.S. Marine Corps with honor. He was also a 9/11 rescue worker. His longtime partner Foxxy (Checkers.firelight) has started working on a memorial service in memory of, and in honor of his life.

Smoke Texan was among the people who was helping to keep the Stagg Island 9/11 Memorial up after it's owner passed away. He also made a 9/11 memorial track in 2019. In group chatter, it was also mentioned he was a DJ at some clubs. Echovets leader Stacy Lee (Stacy Maracas) would say, "He and Foxxy were apart of us when we first started.  He was a good dude, and a good brother.  They will be keeping his 9/11 honor sim up and running in his memory." 

There will be a memorial service for him soon.

Bixyl Shuftan

Echovets Gateway For Veteran Newcomers Now Open

 

 

 Last month, the Newser reported that Echovets had been granted a gateway sim by Linden Lab, the first and so far the only one to be aimed at newcomers who are military veterans. But it had been an empty sim that needed to be built on. A few days ago, Echovets' leader, Stacy Lee (Stacy Maracas), informed me the gateway was now open for newcomers, the construction of it's buildings completed. 

"Here at Echo Group Band of Brothers Gateway, we know how overwhelming Second Life can be when you first rezz in.  We went out of our way to ensure our uniformed service residents, their families and supporters, not only receive the knowledge of being a new resident, but also interactive everything for hands on learning as well.  We feel that it will make new residents want to stay in Second Life and keep learning more."

Stacy described herself as exhausted, but proud of what the sim had become and now had to offer. There was a newcomer orientation area where one could learn the basics on how to get about Second Life. But there was more. There was a mall area. There was a golf course. There was a bumper boats pool. There was a sandbox. There was a picturesque garden. There was a firepit welcome area. And more. 

 

One place Stacy was particularly proud of was the Echovets Bike Track. Located over the sim, it offered a long track that would take some time for motorcycles, or perhaps cars or horses, to make their way up to the end. It offered occasional signs and other scenery along the track, sometimes funny, sometimes serious.

A valuable asset for military veterans new to Second Life.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Echo%20Group%20Welcome/15/239/25

Bixyl Shuftan

 

EchoVets in Second Life Destinations

 

 In September, the Newser wrote about EchoVets, a sim and group in Second Life founded by a real-life veterans center staff member, Stacy Maracas, where veterans could seek help for various problems or just meet up and talk. Yesterday, Tuesday November 8, Linden Lab featured it in it's Second Life Destinations.

“Echo Group, a Real Life 5013C, Band of Brothers is dedicated to our veteran community. We currently have our main group in California on the Central Coast and chapters in Arizona, Tennessee, and the Metaverse.

We are working closely on initiatives that directly affect the veteran community, such as the Veteran Homeless Crisis as well as the 22 a day initiative. 

On our sim, we have kiosks providing up-to-date Veteran’s Affairs system information for veterans and family members. We have live classes on Veteran Suicide Awareness Training, PTSD Awareness Training, group camaraderie sessions, and club events at our Club Echo.

Numerous garden areas and places to just be and relax, we even have a farm tucked in the corner. And of course our famous aquarium.

We are getting our sim ready to become a Gateway in Second Life. Our Veterans will be available via scheduling to aid new Residents, and it will help the veteran earn their red, white, and blue jersey.” 

Draxtor Despres would do a video of the location, talking to Stacy about it and what goes on there. 

Among the leadership team is Suta Northman, who the Newser interviewed earlier this year about the Vietnam Wall.

For the full article, Click Here. 

Echovets: Band of Brothers

 

There's a new sim and group to help out veterans. It is Echovets: Band of Brothers. I had a few words with the woman behind it, Stacy Maracas. In real life, Stacy works at a local vet center. Seeing what could be done in Second Life, she would go on to build the place and group behind it.

 

 Read more in People.