Home and Garden Expo Raises Over $14,700 USD

The first of this year's Relay mega-events, the Home and Garden Expo, was a success. Over the course of the Expo, more than $14,711 US dollars worth of Lindens was raised

The 2022 Home & Garden Expo closed last week with a $14,711 USD in total donations - all going to fund the mission of the American Cancer Society. With 9 regions filled with exhibitors and a stage that featured multiple performers, the Expo gives the home and garden community in Second Life a chance to fight back against cancer in their own way. This event is the longest actively running event of its kind in the history of Second Life. Under Kaerri Rae’s guidance, the Expo has experienced a resurgence of activity and interest over the years.

But Kaerri Rae will not be directing things next year. Near the conclusion, she announced she would be stepping down as the Expo's coordinator.

It is with mixed emotions that i am announcing my retirement from the Home & Garden Expo organizing team.

It has been a pleasure working with you all over the last seven years but it is time to go and do other things for me now. (like possibly even make some new stuff for my store). 

Good luck and thank you all for all generosity you have shown over the years.

* * * * *

At the end of the Expo, Kaerri announced her retirement as the Home & Garden Expo’s coordinator and is ready to enjoy some much deserved personal time. “We are grateful for Kaerri’s commitment for so many years and we know that there will never be anyone quite like her,” says Stingray Raymaker, Director of the American Cancer Society in Second Life. Each year, Kaerri worked hard to improve areas of the Expo and connect its patrons to the mission of the American Cancer Society.

Being the coordinator of an event this size is no small undertaking. It requires countless hours of planning and organizing ideas and people over the course of many months. Like all of our mega event coordinators, Kaerri volunteered her time to this community and this event for so many years, never seeming to take a break. Stingray added, “When Kaerri messaged me to tell me that she’d decided that this would be her final year as the H&G Expo Coordinator, she assured me that she’d still be involved in the future because the cause and the community mean so much to her.”

Stingray would add this comment in Discord.

As the Director of the ACS in SL, I want to thank everyone involved in the Home & Garden Expo this year, and I'd like to thank you all for helping to raise over $14k usd this year...and thank you to Kaerri for her leadership all these years. I'm sure you all have already done so in your own way, but in case you havent, feel free to send Kaerri a quick thank you for coordinating the HG Expo for so many years.

For a link to the blog post in full, Click Here.
 

Last Weekend For The Home and Garden Expo

 

After almost a month, the Relay for Life's Home and Garden Expo is winding down. Tomorrow will be the last day of events. The sims and their shops will probably be up a few days longer, though there are always those who pull out right away.So be sure to stop by.

"Building a cancer-free world together."
 

The Surplus Motors UTV, And More Home and Garden Items

 

The Home and Garden Expo is almost over. But there's still time for a little shopping. Among the items one can get is the the Surplus Motors UTV. It's actually a package of six vehicles, of which 100% of the money goes to the Relay. It's a nice little car. And it's not the only item one can get at the Expo. We took a look at a few more. 

Read about the UTV, and a few other items at the Expo, in Design.
 

RFL H&G Sneak Peek: "Under Construction"

 

With the Relay season underway, the first of the 'macro events' is tomorrow, the "RFL Home and Garden Expo." But taking a look at the grounds, east of the American Cancer Society sim, things are still under under construction. The team shops, the Sunbeamers included, are only halfway built.

There will be plenty to do at the Home and Garden from music events, contests, auctions, and of course shopping. Stay tuned for updates.
 

A Busy Weekend

 

Quite a bit happened this weekend. The theme to the upcoming SL18B was announced on Friday March 19: "Hidden Worlds." The Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conference took place from Thursday March 18 to Saturday March 20. Several Lindens were at a few of the events there, and had a few things to discuss, though would make no great revelations. The Relay for Life Home and Garden Expo came to a close, with the final music events on Saturday March 20 and the last official day on Sunday March 21. Also on Sunday March 21, the Seanchai Libraries celebrated it's 13th anniversary. The Windlight Art Gallery featured a new exhibit by Slatan Dryke, having an opening party on Sunday.

More on some of these events later.

RFL Home and Garden Area to Stay Open Until March 23

The events of the RFL Second Life Home and Garden Expo are over. But the sims themselves are set to remain online until "sometime on the 23 March." So for the next two weeks, feel free to browse the grounds for the sights and items to buy.

The Home and Garden blog lists a number of items up for sale. These include the coffee hot tub mentioned earlier in the Newser. Something for all of you java addicts out there.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day: Bizzaro Lag

Taken at the Home and Garden Expo. With the lag making skin color taking a while to appear, this Superman avatar is looking more like the hero's flawed and often villainous doppelganger.

By Bixyl Shuftan

Scenes From The Relay

Besides the Sunbeamers "Bid Me" events, there have been others. On Tuesday night, March 26, at the "Blarney Stone" pub in Dublin, there was a performance by "DJ Kayla and the Roos" from  7-9 PM.

Roos with a Dream and the Blarney Stone Irish Pub present DJ Kayla and the Kangaroos for Relay For Life from 7-9 pm tonight. Come and party with us as DJ Kay treats you to her favourite music.

The following day, there was a surprise rezzday party for Gem Sunkiller at the Home and Garden Expo, "Lets crash the Sim for Her REzDay!"

The Expo is still going on for a few more days. Later on will be the Sci-Fi con, and the Fantasy Faire, which in recent years has started to rival the Relay Weekend in attendance.

Preview of New Linden Homes at Home and Garden Expo.

The Home and Garden Expo, one of the larger events of the Relay for Life in Second Life, is taking place in several temporary sims south of American Cancer Society. But the one getting the most attention is the Linden Homes Preview sim as like the name suggests, people can check up on what the soon to be available set of Linden Homes look like.

 Not all of the Linden Homes will be on dry land. Some will be houseboats parked at docks.

According to Inara Pey and Daniel Voyager, what was assumed about the SSP continent is true. It will be the location of the new Linden homes. It's opening is described as "weeks" away. The plan is to rename it "Bellisseria" and place it between two other continents to form a larger mass of contiguous sims that one can walk/fly/drive from one end to another without the need for teleports.

As with the other Linden Homes, these are available only to Premium Residents, and obtaining them will be done via a webpage. As the new Linden Homes are occupied, the smaller landmasses where the older ones are will be dismantled once they're empty of residents.

To check out the new Linden Homes yourself, and the rest of the Expo, head to https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Linden%20Homes%20Preview/40/210/25

Sources: Daniel Voyager, Modem World

Bixyl Shuftan

Scenes From The Relay: Lantern Release Ceremony

The Relay for Life is usually a fun time for all. But there are occasional reminders of the seriousness of why the fundraiser exists. At the Home and Garden Expo, there's been a daily lantern release ceremony, every day at 4PM. It's suggested those watching set their viewers to Midnight.

In the ceremony, many dozens, well over a hundred, of paper lanterns slowly float up into the air, illuminating the sky. The lanterns represent friends and loved ones lost to cancer. The time I watched the ceremony with several other relayers, one talked about how his grandfather had taught him how to make his own paper. We each reflected on those we knew whom had passed away from the illness, and hoped that someday soon, there would be a cure for all forms of it.

Bixyl Shuftan

A Busy Weekend

Quite a bit happened this weekend in Second Life. Saturday had the opening of the Relay for Life's Home and Garden Expo. There was the Bay City 10th Anniversary Parade and dance party (pictured above) on Sunday. Also on Sunday was the Memorial Week fundraiser at Veterans' Isle. All this time the Sci-fi Expo was going on in Second Life. And there were smaller Relay events such as the Sunbeamer Team's latest round of "Bid Me" fundraisers being made final (see below).

We'll get to these events as time permits. Stay tuned for these stories, and more.

RFL Home and Garden Expo Ends Today

After a few weeks, today marks the last day of the Relay for Life Home and Garden Expo. Besides the auditorium discussion at 2PM and the Lantern Ceremony at 4PM, there are some special items up for auction. One is a "Casa Rosella" 19th Century style manor that is "a one of a kind mansion, that will only be sold once, at this auction." To see it on display, head to: Hope 2 (47/245/23).

Also, Designing Worlds is auctioning off a chance to choose the topic of one of their shows, whether an event, group, place, or business. The only stipulation is that as the show aims to be family friendly, the subject can't be adult rated.

And of course there are numerous items up for sale for charity, proceeds going to the Relay for Life in Second Life.

Press Release: Relay For Life Home And Garden Expo

GET THE LATEST IN DECOR FOR YOUR SL LIFE AT THE HOME & GARDEN SHOW!

Nine sims of shopping, auctions and events await you through June 4th at the annual Home & Garden Expo benefiting Relay For Life.

This Expo features the great creators of Second Life’s Home and; Garden products. The first Expo was held in the summer of 2008.  Joining in with the Home and Garden Expo this year is the RFL Breedables Faire. 

For the sixth year the Breedables are back, intermingled with the Home and Garden shops and holding auctions galore!

Check out the blog for a complete list of events and landmarks during this exciting and fun event: https://slhomeandgardenexpo.wordpress.com/

The Home and Garden Expo raises money for Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL). Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event, and RFL of SL is one of its virtual counterparts.

Look for more Relay For Life fun events across the grid leading up to Relay Weekend
on July 15 and 16.


About Relay For Life of Second Life

Relay For Life is the signature event of the American Cancer Society and has been active, and continually growing in Second Life for 13 years. In 2005, the first Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL) was attended by a few hundred avatars and raised almost $5,000 US dollars for the American Cancer Society. As of July 2014 RFL of SL ranked number 17th in donations received among more than 5,600 relay events held worldwide. As of January, 2017 RFL of SL celebrated raising 3 million US dollars to support the mission of the Society to 'Save Lives, Celebrate Lives and Lead The Fight for A World Without Cancer!

About the American Cancer Society

For more than 100 years, the American Cancer Society has been working to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays and is the world leader in the fight to end cancer. Together with our global partners and millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society carries out its mission to Save Lives, Celebrate Lives, and Lead the Fight for a World Without Cancer.

For More Information:

www.relayforlifeofsecondlife.org

www.cancer.org/involved/participate/relayforlife/second-life

A Busy Weekend

Quite a lot happened this weekend in Second Life. Sunday May 21 was the Ninth Annual Bay City Anniversary Celebration with it's parade (above) and party. Among the other events going on, the Relay for Life Fourth Annual Farshore Field Air Show took place in Pacific Waters on Saturday May 20, the RFL Home and Garden Expo opened on Friday May 19, and more.

We'll report more on these and other happenings later, but we at the Newser need to rest a little first.

Lantern Release Ceremony At The RFL Home And Garden Expo

The Home and Garden Expo is taking place in Second Life. Among the events there is the Lantern Release Ceremony. It takes place every day at 4PM at the Hope 5 sim. At the start of the event virtual replicas of Asian lanterns are released into the air, in remembrance of friends and loved ones whom have been lost.

Saffia Widdershins, who invited me to the event, told me, "These lanterns were created especially for the Home and Garden Expo about seven years ago, by Alchemy Immortalis. We started the tradition of releasing them then, and ever since, every day at Expo, we have the lantern release ceremony."

The ceremony ends with a sunrise, a reminder that tomorrow is another day, and of new beginnings.

For more on the ceremony, check the RFL Home and Expo blog. To head to the Expo, head to http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hope%201/128/123/23 .

Bixyl Shuftan

The Home and Garden Expo

A few days ago on September 16, the 2014 Home and Garden Expo opened in Second Life. Described as having "the finest in Second Life home and garden design product and creator tools," the event takes place over nine sims.Home Epo 1 to 8 and Home Expo P.


Checking the place out, there were many homes up for sale, as well as many yard accessories such as gazebos, hammocks, treehouses, swings, walkways, flowers, trees, and more. There's even tall grass lawns up for sale. The event is a fundraiser for the Relay for Life, the cash raised considered part of it's 2015 season total, and either part or all of the sales of each of the products go to the American Cancer Socoety. Each exhibitor is required to have at least two new products with 100% of sales going to the ACS.

The event, the seventh of it's kind, has nine "Platinum" sponsors, including SL magazine Prim Perfect, and eight "Gold" level ones. Besides Just regular shopping, there are other ways one can shop here. There are hunts where one can search for free items with the help of clues. There are gachas where one can get items for good deals, such as an 11 animation chair for 35L, with the color you get one of several possible ones plus the chance that you might get a limited edition item. There is also a silent auction and a raffle.

Besides shopping, hunting, and the raffle, there are also building classes one can take. They are held at Home Expo P (119/53/24) with the schedule (here). Then there are the 2014 Rezzie Awards, "The Rezzie Awards are specifically designed to honor the designers, creators, coders, and builders who make Second Life so visually stunning and interactive, who inspire roleplay, photography. machinima, and so much more." Votes are being taken in for the finalists, and the winners will be announced on the final day of the Expo.

The Home and Garden Expo will go on until September 28. For more information, check out it's website at http://slhomeandgardenexpo.com/, and it's Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/groups/homeandgardenexpo2014/ . Someone also did a list of items at http://eloquencesl.com/2014/09/16/home-garden-expo/ .

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: Horsing Around

From Avariel Falcon of New Babbage. While at the Relay for Life "Home & Garden Expo," the black unicorn tried out one of the hot tubs.

Press Release: Home & Garden Expo 2012

This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Home & Garden Expo benefiting Relay For Life of Second Life. 2012's Expo, will run from Saturday, May 19th through the 28th . This year’s extravaganza will span 14 Second Life sims, with more than 100 exhibits, Entertainment and lots of fun activities including the RFL Breedables Fair.

The expo will cover all areas of home and land decor in Second Life. It gathers together many of Second Life’s greatest architects, furniture makers, gardeners and landscapers, some well-known and some not so well-known, in a grand display to Second Life shoppers and visitors.

There will be ten days of musical entertainment, including favorite DJ's, Tribute Shows and Live Musicians at the Main Stage Entertainment Area. Builder's Brewery is returning to host this year's Expo Classroom with lots of fun classes.

Each Exhibitor will be selling two items which make their debut at the Expo and those sales will go to benefit Relay For Life, along with all proceeds from this year's, always popular Expo Hunt, Silent Auction and GRIDWIDE Raffle For Relay.

To see a full itinerary of the scheduled events, the WONDERFUL sponsors, and Exhibitors plus lots and lots of additional info, visit the website at: Home & Garden Expo 2012 Website

For more information contact Nikki Mathieson or Shayla Juran

Posted on the RFL in SL website by Bain Finch