Reader Submitted: Scenes From the Relay

Prettykitty Gumbo sent over several screenshots from the Relay Weekend. One was of the Second Life Coast Guard team's members standing at attention during the Luminaria hour.

Taken at RFL Embrace, sitting on one of the purple couches.

 Taken at Team Ragtag's camp at RFL Cure, the Pikachu Pokemon someone placed as a whimsical tribute to the popular "Pokemon GO" game that's been all the rage lately.

Also taken at Team Ragtag's camp at RFL Cure, a couple tiny avatars take a seat.

Taken at the T-1 Rado location at the media center area, Prettykitty's on another couch with a friend.

Relay For Life Track Sneak Peeks

Work on the Relay for Life Weekend Walk track continues. For the Sunbeamer camp in RFL Support, the work is just about done with some adjustments here and there. This picture taken over the weekend shows team captain Rita Mariner with builder Cynthia Farshore.

 One of the sim-wide non-team exhibits had a "Jungle Book" theme

"Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?"

With the weekend getting closer, the work on the 36 sims is almost done. Though there is still a little more left to do. Stay tuned for more sneak peaks, and a preview of the Team Sunbeamer camp.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day: Those Zany Steelhead Salmons

Taken at the teardown of the Steelhead RFL build, one of the team demonstrates her salmon rezzer.

Saying there was something fishy going on would be too obvious a pun. ;-)

by Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day: RFL Walk

Taken at the Amaretto Breedables camp during the funny hat/big hair walk. Guess he was sitting down, but it looks like he fell. And at a horse camp, what would be a likely cause of being on your behind? ;-)

By Bixyl Shuftan

Screenshots of the Relay for Life Walk: Day One

Last weekend, was one of the largest events in Second Life, the Relay for Life Walk. Nearly 2000 avatars over the course of 24 hours walked the track made up of over 40 sims. One of the Newser team was there not just as a reporter, but also a participant. So many pictures were taken, they had to be split into the two different days.

See the screenshots from Day One in Events.

RFL Walk 2012: Screenshots from the Relayers

Sent by a "Raeyn Srnah," the Staypuft Marshmallow man rumbles through RFL Strength. Someone wondered if it might be after Holocluck Henley, but he felt from where it was, the lap theme would be over before it got close, "We can always call the Flying Tigers."

RFL Walk 2012: Screenshots from the Relayers

Sent by Eugiene Burton Ortega, when her partner Fuzzball Ortega was DJing for T1 Radio, "My Husband the RFL Fancy Footwear DJ."

RFL Walk 2012: Screenshots from the Relayers

One Relayer sent this shot of the "Dr Who Fans in SL" build in the RFL Journey sim. They won two awards this year.

The 2012 Relay Walk Concludes.

It was an eventful Relay for Life Weekend, with hundreds of avatars walking around the track, probably over 2,000, with millions of meters walked and thousands of dollars of dollars raised. Someone at the closing ceremonies stated that this was the most successful Relay Weekend ever. It's certainly been among the most successful seasons so far. About 330,000 US dollars has been raised so far this season, and It's not over yet.

At the Closing Ceremonies at 10AM Sunday July 15th, a number of awards were handed out, with the Knights of Avalon winning the best theme decorated. The Steelhead Salmons came in third. Two awards went to the Doctor Who Fans in SL team. Among who walked the most laps, Jesie Janick was first with 44.21. Due to SL's noted technical difficulties, a picture of the whole audience was unavailable.

Although the Relay Weekend marks the end of the Relay for Life fundraising season, except for some teams holding one last party, the final event isn't until August with the "Wrap-Up Party," in which a few more awards will be handed out and the theme for next year announced.

For the Steelhead Salmons, the Relay was a resounding success with Platinum rank achieved after raising close to 550,000 Lindens ($2200 USD) , and two of their more noted members having a wedding that stole the show. For the Passionate Redheads, the season brought troubles behind the scenes, which resulted in less fundraising. But some individuals worked to keep the team going, notably Lomgren Smalls and Dusk Griswold, and the team succeeded in making gold rank and raising 300,000 ($1220 USD). Not as high as last year, but still more than most teams.

For now, the sims are still up until Friday, with teams asked to keep their builds up until Thursday, in which case they're to come down. Until then, there is much to see, with some activities still going on, such as the water fun at RFL Reflections, and various impromptu parties, including the "flood party."

Stay tuned for screenshots of the Relay Walk.

Read more at the RFL in SL page: http://rflofsl.intuitwebsites.com/index.html

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day: RFL Walk

Remember last year when the Steelheads brought you "The Hair?" Well, not to be outdone, this year the Passionate Redheads bring you "The Hat."

It's huge! It's enormous! It devours avatars alive! ... Actually, no it doesn't. But it sure gets attention on the track. On another note, that's Dusk's actual line, slightly altered. ;-)

The Relay for Life continues on this Sunday morning, with the closing ceremonies at 10AM, and the Victory Lap at 11AM. After that, all scheduled events end, but the exhibits will be up for a few more days. And keep an eye out for impromptu parties, notably what's become an after-walk tradition, the "flood party."

By Bixyl Shuftan

Press Release: Get Ready to Relay!

Saturday, July 14th is the day when Relay enthusiasts hit the track for the Relay For Life of Second Life! Are you ready to Relay?

The Opening Ceremony for this year's Relay begins at 10 AM SLT on Saturday, July 14 and features 24 hours of themed laps and festivities! As we prepare for the big day, we want to give thanks to each of you for the last four months of hard work and for making the dream that is the Relay For Life of Second Life come alive.

Many thanks to Linden Lab for their support and commitment to the Relay For Life of Second Life, and to the American Cancer Society (ACS) and our ACS Staff Partner, Stingray9798 Raymaker, for without their support, our successes would not be possible.

We applaud the efforts of our leadership and thank MamaP Beerbaum for inspiring and guiding this monumental effort, and to Dwen Dooley for his Website wizardry and commitment to excellence, to Nikki Mathieson and her team for making the Relay come to life, and to the Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs for their dedication, hard work and profound good humor, to our Sponsors for believing in and supporting the Relay, to our Telethon media partners, to Trader1 Whiplash and T1Radio and to the designers of the beautiful, thought-provoking and imaginative campsites as well as the Team Captains, the Teams and the volunteers who embody the heart and soul of the Relay For Life of Second Life.

Stingray9798 Raymaker praised the Relay For Life of Second Life and said, "I am just as excited for this year's Relay For Life of Second Life as I ever have been. Over the last few weeks, the momentum has been building to what will be an amazing crescendo and finale to an amazing fundraising season."

He added, "I have been bragging about you all to my fellow American Cancer Society colleagues for the last several weeks, and will continue to sing your praises as long as people will listen to me! Now - let's go have a Relay!!"

Lyr Lobo,
PR and Media Relations Area Chair

From RFL in SL

Sneak Peak at the Relay Track

The Relay for Life Walk takes place tomorrow, Saturday July 14th and Sunday July 15th. And until then the sims are closed to the general public. But we got a sneak peek at what the teams have created so far. And so a few pictures were taken of some of the builds.

See the pictures in Places.

Press Release: RFL Weekend Schedule

Themed laps are a way to add some fun and amusement to the long hours that we walk during Relay weekend. Whether it is wearing a silly hat, showing international pride or paying tribute to doctors, nurses, police, firemen or many others in this years Caring and Curing Lap, 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 and in your own fun and festive way! We look forward to seeing you on the track!

10 - 11am: OPENING CEREMONY

11am - 12:30pm: CELEBRATE - Survivor/Caregiver Honor Walk - Survivors Are the "Spirit Of Relay" They Are the Promise Of Hope! Please Line the Track and Celebrate Our Heroes, Our Friends who have heard the words "You Have Cancer", as they walk the track in this opening lap.

The Caregivers are the Backbone of the Fight. They hold the hands, they care for and support their loved ones as they walk their cancer journey. As you stand at the side of the track, celebrating the survivors, cheer for their caregivers, too as we also support the ones who give so much to help our Survivors Fight Cancer! Cheer them all on as they walk by!!

12:30 - 2pm: Team Spirit Lap - Teams R Us! Wear your Team Shirts and wave those team banners and flags. Walk the track with pride for all you have done to help find a cure for cancer.

2 - 3pm: Silly Hats/Big Hair: Just like it says.. show us your silliest hat and/or craziest hair! (Fuzzball Ortega take note)

3 - 4pm: The First Timer Lap - As an homage to the new residents who have only recently joined Second Life and are taking part in their first Relay, lets celebrate first timers with the default Second Life offered avatars. Best thing is...everyone has those avatars in the Library folder. Open Inventory, scroll to the bottom, open the Library folder, then go into Clothing...and all the default sign up avatar folders are in there. Simply drag and drop the folder into your avatar and be a new resident for an hour! (PS: for extra effect, take off any AO's and use the default run/walk)

4 - 5pm: Animal Kingdom! A salute to the breedable companies in SL who show such amazing support to Relay. Dress as your favorite animal or wear a t-shirt that acknowledges your favorite breedable! Take your pet for a shoulder ride around the track, even.

5-6pm: Cruisin' Western Style - Walk the track to the sounds of great country western music while you dress the style!

6-7pm: Blast from the Past - This years theme is Time For a Cure.. well, step back in time and dress the style from your favorite decade/trends or better yet, dress for the decade of your birth.

7-8pm: Musicians For Relay - Salute the wonderful SL musicians who do so much for Relay, year after year. Represent them on the track. Look like a punk rocker, or maybe a rap artist or even wear a t-shirt saluting your favorite SL musician! Thank you to the best musicians anywhere!!

8-9pm: Favorite Holiday - You could be a Xmas Tree or dress up as a firecracker. Or just wear that favorite Holiday Sweater.. oooohhh Easter Bunny, anyone? Use your imagination and have fun!

9-10pm: REMEMBER - Luminaria Ceremony - ( quiet reflection with readings and inspirational music; sims are darkened for reflection and remembrance of those and their loved ones who have lost their battles to cancer or are still battling it; all are invited to participate) Walk the track in silence.

10-11pm: Fancy Footwear - Purple boots, rainbow tennies, spiked heels, roller skates.. dress up those feet and run that track!

11-Midnight: Fantasy Hour - Fantasy Characters - Dragons, Pirates, Star Trek, Fairies, Elves... Fantasy themed avatars, Medieval, Tinies, Mermaids & Mermen, Wings

Midnight-1am: Midnight Masquerade - Wear a Mask and costume and join the carnival like festivity hour.

1-2am: The Power of Purple - wear as much purple as you can. ..skin, hair, eyes, clothing, .. just bring on the purple!

2-3am: Monster Mash - Vampire, Frankenstein, Sasquatch, Godzilla.. Costume or Avi.. show us the monster in YOU!

3-4am: Super Heroes! - Able to leap buildings in a single bound---more powerful than a locomotive---faster than a speeding bullet... it's a bird, it's a plane.. NOOOO.. it's YOUR favorite SUPER HERO!

4-5am: Sports Mania - football, baseball, rugby, hockey, swimming, cheerleading.. just any sports attire. Don your favorite jersey or uniform and bring that Relay spirit.

5-6am: Up All Night - Curlers, Coffee, PJ's & Slippers - Curlers, Coffee, PJ's & Slippers - time to wake up and smell the coffee

6-7am: FIGHT BACK - Fight Back Ceremony - (Pick up your specially made RFL HOPE Cape and Fight Back Flags - available at the Relay Stations, and join us as we make our fight back pledges to save a life this year - your own, a friends, a family member, or someone you don't even know yet. Together we all can FIGHT BACK.

7-8am: International Lap - Wear your countries flag.. (provided by the International Committee) or outfits that represent your country. Adorn yourself in your country's colors!

8-9am: Caring & Curing - paying tribute to doctors, nurses, police, firemen or many others. So many who dedicate their lives to saving and helping fellow mankind. Cheers to them!

9-10am: Formal Hour - Wear your best as you walk the final lap before Closing Ceremonies. Formal attire. Try to keep prims to a minimum, please.

10am-11am: CLOSING CEREMONY

11am - NOON: Victory Lap! - Walk the track and meet the Relay Committee. Celebrate YOUR Relay. Take THAT, Cancer!

Read more in the RFL in SL blog - http://rflofsl.blogspot.com/

Press Release: Relay Weekend 2012

Following is some useful information regarding Relay Weekend 2012. We're so excited to get the weekend underway and look forward to seeing you on the activity sims, at the ceremonies and out on the track!

- - - - - - - - LUMINAREA--- - - - -
As you walk the track you'll notice luminaria line the sides. These are your opportunities to pay tribute to a lost loved one.. or to thank a person who inspires and encourages you. Donating lindens to a luminary gives you the chance to mention a special someone in hover text over the bag and will light and change color based on the linden amount paid to it. Following is a list of the 2012 Luminary color and linden levels.

1 - 1000 - White
1001 - 2500 - Blue
2501 - 5000 - Green
5001 - 7500 - Pink
7501 - 10000 - Orange
10001 or more - Purple + fireworks

-------------THE RELAY TRACK----------
The themes are brought to the track to be fun and entertaining, not required, but it's always fun to see all the variety on the track. (Coming later) is a list of this year's themes and we hope you enjoy getting those outfits ready!

Around the track you'll see a constant amazing display of some of SL's greatest talent.. the Relay For Life Team campsites. They have all come together to each build their own display at the side of the track and welcome you to stop in and visit. They've worked hard all season and are thrilled to receive guests at their site.

Also alongside the track are fabulous builds constructed for our enjoyment by some of SL's top builders. It is with honor we thank the following builders for the generous donation of their talent and precious time for us all to enjoy. Also listed is the name of the region that you can view their contribution to this year's Relay For Life track.

RFL
Acceptance: Kelyren Benoir
Awareness: Troy Vogel
Care: Guarocuya Giano and Xavian Starsider
Courage: Photon Pink
Dedication: Eclair Martinek and Khyle Sion
Enlightment: Tari Landar
Family/Fight Back: Serina Juran
Healing: Searlait Nitschke
Hero: Rynn Verwood
Imagine: Bijoux Lefavre
Knowledge: Cierra Anatine
Life: Anhayla Lycia
Manage: Rathmeus Dagger
Pledge: Cole Eyre
Remember: Alla Baroque
Research: Jay Ohmal
Screening/Spirit: Edwardd Crumb
Strength/Strides: Raeyn Sirnah
Survive: Barnesworth Anubis
Treatment, Volunteer, Unity & Wish (activity regions) Grace Loudon

---------------- THE CEREMONIES-----------------

JULY 14TH 2012:

Opening Ceremony - 10 am - The fun-filled weekend begins!

CELEBRATE - 11 am - The first lap of Relay weekend begins with the celebrate ceremony. A Survivor/Caregiver honor walk. Please line the track and celebrate our heroes.

REMEMBER - 9pm - the Luminaria Ceremony - a solumn reflection with readings and inspirational music; sims are darkened in remembrance of those and their loved ones who have lost their battles to cancer or are still battling it; all are invited to participate. Please walk the track in silence.

JULY 15TH 2012:

FIGHT BACK -6am- Pick up your specially made RFL HOPE Cape and Fight Back Flags - available at the Relay Stations, and join us as we make our fight back pledges to save a life this year -your own, a friends, a family member, or someone you don't even know yet. Together we all can FIGHT BACK against cancer.

Closing Ceremony - 10 am - Come to close out our amazing weekend with this closing tribute to what we've accomplished and how we will, as ONE big Relay For Life of Secondlife team, continue to Fight Back and keep our Hope alive.

----------------THE ACTIVITIES-----------------

As you land on the Event Day sims this year, you will see a Welcome Center staffed by volunteer greeters who are there to direct traffic, answer questions and distribute the 2012 Relay For Life Visitors Guide.

------- Relay Weekend 2012 Activities Overview -------

Here's what you can expect to see at Relay weekend this year...

Be sure and stop in to visit the Survivor/Caregiver Center the landmark will be available at the Welcome Center and in the Info Stations or you will see it as you walk by it when on the track.

On the Acceptance region, you will find T1 Radio broadcasting live and also stop in and visit the RFL museum full of RFL of SL memorabilia.

On RFL Dedication, you will find the committee campsite.. stop in and say hello or at least wave as you go by!

On RFL Reflection you will find the water activities featuring Sailing, Surfing and lots more. Stop in there to discover the treasures and fun on the water region!

The four activity regions will feature a lot of fundraising and entertainment opportunities that include an amazing silent auction, the Raffle For Relay, a scavenger hunt, a maze, an art show and sale, the Breedables Hall of Fame featuring RFL specially created breedables and a Breedables Silent Auction, fishing and more. Music will be featured continously at any of the activity stages which include a dj stage, a live music stage and the country stage. Snail Racing returns to Relay weekend as well. This years RFL Telethon broadcasting studio will be located at the Activity Regions, as well.

----------------- TEAMS R US -----------------

Last but certainly not least, one of these activity sims wil be set up for our amazing teams that make up Relay For Life of SecondLife.. On this region will be the fabulous Teams R Us Clubhouse that houses the team parties and also a display of awards that our teams have earned this season.

The Teams flea market will provide the perfect opportunity for some shopping as you take a break from the track. Rides, and games, and snail racing and more will entertain our teams on their very special Teams R Us region.

For information about booking your team party at the Clubhouse, please contact Shayla Juran. Remember, all team parties are to take place at the Clubhouse and not at the teams campsites, so we can keep traffic going smoothly around the track.

Ludo Merit and the Prism Walk

Netera Landar recently talked to a Ludo Merit, one whom had created a unique exhibit: the Prism Hero Walk. "Because we are all heroes," Ludo told, "and each of these steps is a step in the life of a hero."

Read more in People.

More Scenes From the 2011 RFL Track

Talking to people in Second Life, as well as reading other blogs, a number have talked about the fun they had and a little sad it's over. So on this last day of August, a look back, with more pictures that didn't make it earlier.

Covering the Relay for Life was not only appreciated by a number of Relayers, but it got this newspaper more attention as well. On the Relay weekend, twice as many people went to Second Life Newser than before, temporarily doubling our readership.

Check out the pictures in Places.

RFL: The Snowglobe

Looking back at the Relay, there were many builds. Some I didn't have much of a chance to look at, and most likely many escaped the attention they deserve. Among those that I did see was a particularly beautiful build in the winter region: the Snowglobe.

The Snowglobe viewed from above.

The entrance to the Snowglobe

One could walk up the levels of the snowglobe by way of it's ice walkways, or taking the snowflakes up.

The Longest Winter whispers: When I first heard that word I felt a chill.
Winter came in a monochrome storm…a flurry of black and white..X-rays and CT scans.
Endless pages of neatly typed pathology.
Hospital halls, sterile offices, and starched white coats.
All in stark display against a growing bleak grey horizon that seemed to be the future for me.

The Longest Winter whispers:
I wanted to live.

A chorus of consonants…malignant,metastatic, morbidity, chemo, CANCER!
Nights of nausea…a forever of fatigue…an infinity of infection…this vast sea of despair swallowed my senses.

I grew sick.

The world was stark and dark and hope guttered like a candle set against the wind.
The world was frozen and I grew cold.

I wanted to die.


The Longest Winter whispers: Somewhere the consonants turned to constants.
Compassion, concern, caring companionship, conquering fear, despair and denial.
I dreamed of the hundred hands that had held mine through everything, each holding out a shining crystal snowglobe.

Something died then.

But it wasn't me.

I woke to see the crocus pushing their way through the snow.
The winter was fading.
The fear was too.
The Longest Winter whispers: As a child I had a snowglobe.
Gazing into the silvery sparkling snow at the tiny-toy town I would imagine it to
be a crystal ball that could show me the future.
A hundred hands holding the little globe out to me.
I went out to walk in a fresh snowfall.

Someone had shaken the world and made it beautiful again.

The Longest Winter whispers: I was fighting the cancer while fear was the enemy all undiscovered about me.
I was never alone.

I cannot see the future but I know I have won. I live now.

The Longest Winter owned by Arioch Snowpaw gave you 'RFL 2011 Snow Globe'

Bixyl Shuftan

Scenes from the 2011 RFL Track

I took dozens of pictures for the relay, but only a few could make it to the article. Here's a few more.

See more in Places.

Reader Submitted: RFL Walk - Passionate Redheads

Taken by Daaneth Kivioq, this was when he was being interviewed on T1 Radio, from left to right Kentar, Trade, Daaneth, and Nuala.

"I want to thank Trader and Nuala for giving me the honor. Go Redheads! Go Relay!"

Taken by Skylark LeFavre, her walking the track as a "brony."

"Ponies wanna party and are helping out RFL this year. Its not a party without the ponies. :D"

Taken by Rita Mariner at Passionate Redheads, RFL Family

Reader Submitted: RFL Track

Team Circle of Life, taken by Lyr Lobo, submitted by Edconnect Gufler (the imp in front).

Taken by Aryon Dagger at 2011 Relay For Life sim RFL Awareness

Taken by Everest Piek at Remembering Our Friends Memorial, RFL Cure