Sunbeamers Reach Sapphire Rank

 Once again, the Relay for Life in Second Life's Team Sunbeamers reached another milestone. Near the end of the Medieval Fun fest this past weekend, a number of donations brought the total amount of Linden dollars to over the 750,000 mark. This brought the team officially into Sapphire rank among the Relay teams. 

The Sunbeamers and the Roos With A Dream thank all who came to the fair and helped. the Sunbeamers Medieval Fun Fair 2 day total is L$73,375 added to it the L$44,000 the Roos brought in with their show for a grand total of L$117,375 and Sapphire. Go Relay!! 
 
With the Medieval Fun Fest over, the Sunbeamers still have over two and a half weeks to raise money at events, such as their weekly Moon Dances every Thursday night at 6PM in Sunlight Bay. Then comes the Relay weekend which offers one last push. Will the team make it to one million Lindens and Emerald level? They're certainly going to try.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Correction: The Moon Dance is on Thursdays, not Tuesdays as originally written, sorry about the error.
 

RFL Team Sunbeamers Reach Jade, 500K Lindens

 

Yesterday evening, Tuesday April 20, the Relay's Team Sunbeamers reached a milestone. The total raised in both online and inworld donations hit the 500,000 Linden dollar mark, and into Jade level fundraising. The equivalent of $2000 US dollars. 

By all means, this isn't going to mean the team will slow down. Having just had their bumper car event (which raised 6400), there's one ongoing Bid-Me event with plans for more. And then there's the Air Show, and the weekly Moon Dance and other Bring Your Own Kiosk events. Team captain Rita Mariner plans to get the team to reach to Sapphire level (750,000 L), and beyond.  

Team Sunbeamers is the Relay team of the Sunweavers community, where the SL Newser has it's office.

As of the writing of this article, the Sunbeamers are twelfth (very close to eleventh) among the teams in terms of money raised, with six other Jade teams.  The three Emerald teams (over one million), are Roos With a Dream, Goreans in Relay for Life, and The River of Life. Third highest is Cure Chasers, which is at Ruby level. Second highest at Diamond is Relay Rockers. And the highest, also at Diamond, is Camping For a Cure. So far they've raised over 2,500,000 Linden dollars, or over $10,000 US dollars.
 
Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan
  

RFL Team Sunbeamers Reach Jade

Although the Relay Weekend was two weeks ago, the last really big event of the Relay season, it wasn't the end of the fundraising season. For Team Sunbeamers, the last couple weeks have been a somewhat anxious question of would they reach Jade level, 500,000 Linden dollars this year, or not. The Relay Weekend resulted in enough donations to get them to 400,000 L. One person sent a donation by check to the Relay for Life in the name of the team on June 8 that would have covered the remaining cash to get to the next level. But the person needed to cash it in and give the Sunbeamer's credit was on vacation. So other people from in and out of the team began donating amounts large and small, including one at least 20,000 L. Finally at 6PM SL time, it was revealed the 500,000 Linden mark, and Jade level, was reached.

For the Sunbeamers, it was one of two crowning achievements, the other being it's campsite award, for 2019. Once again, "the little team that could," despite real life throwing two of it's key members curb balls, had come out with what can only be called a successful year. For yours truly, it was owning up to a challenge. I'd told everyone if we reached Jade, I'd be green for a week. And on that night, I was in the green bilby avatar a friend had christened "Bix Bilby," after "Incredible Hulk" actor Bill Bixby.

So what happens next year? Well, we'll see.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Sunbeamers Hit Platinum!

Once again, "The Little Team That Could" has done it. For the fourth year in a row, the team has gone beyond Gold level fundraising to Platinum. After reaching 200,000 Linden dollars a few days ago, there were some sizable donations, including team captain Rita Mariner. And so on late afternoon April 29, the amount raised for this year reached 250,000 Linden dollars.

There were a few little incentives for people to donate. Nydia Tungsten volunteered to be purple for a short time. DJ Geerkil Ziskey and two others on the "Epic Failure" team will be switching to Yinglet avatars for a while. And then there's the matter of a certain fox who offered to switch to a pink avatar, at least for club and smaller Relay events, for a week (everywhere else such as the Fantasy Faire, I can go back to red fox). Like the first two times this "Platinum Avatar Challenge" was done, it's something I've never done before. The big reveal is today at the Happy Vixen club at 4PM. 

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers Hit 200,000 Lindens Raised

Since the joint Sunbeamer/Meli's Maniacs RFL team event at the Happy Vixen last Saturday, donations have been continuing to come in. On Thursday April 25, the team finally reached the 200,000 Linden dollar mark.

We're getting higher and higher. Just 50K more until Platinum.

I've also made a little promise to the team, this year's "Platinum Avatar Challenge." Once again I'll be something that I haven't been before, at least at neighborhood club and smaller Relay events: pink. Everywhere else, back to normal as I still need to see what's going on for the paper. It'll be for one week.

Trader Whiplash of the Relay Rockers has made an offering of his own. If the Subeamers hit one million Linden dollars, the amount needed to get to Emerald level fundraising, he'll stay in a dinky avatar for a week. So hopefully the 'beamers can make him live up to his promise.

Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers Reaches 100,000 Lindens Raised, Launces "Bid Me Chipmunk"

Over the weekend, the Relay for Life's  Team Sunbeamers reached a milestone. The total amount ot Lindens raised for this year passed the 100,000 Linden dollar mark.

Beamers:  We hit 100K Lindens on the KIOSK, just 25K Lindens to go for GOLD!  We can do this! 

Team captain Rita Mariner, having just finished her "bubblegum crisis" following her "Bid Me What?" in which she had to be pink for a week, has volunteered for another Bid Me, though a less drastic one: "Bid Me Chipmunk."

I have also started another BID ME.  I will go CHIPMUNK for a week for each 3000L reached.

Rita is occasionally called "Captain Chipmunk" when gaming.

As with other "Bid Me" events by Team Sunbeamers, there are two kiosks. One is for those who want the volunteer to stay as is, and another for the change. To donate, head to Club Cutlass at Sunweaver Bay (114/117/757).

Besides the "Bid Me," there are two upcoming events for Team Sunbeamers. One is the Farshore Field Air Show this upcoming Saturday April 13. Another is a party at the Happy Vixen Beach club on Saturday April 20.

With less than 25,000 Lindens left until the Gold fundraising level, already people are talking about Platinum. That rank is achieved at 250,000 Linden dollars raised. Last year, the team pulled out all the stops and made it to the never before achieved Emerald level. Getting there this year would take one million Linden dollars.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Team Sunbeamers Reach Emerald

It was just a few days ago in which Rita Mariner, the captain of the Relay for Life's Sunbeamers, challenged the team to get them to Emerald rank fundraising status. And once again, the team pulled through. Late Saturday night, Rita announced that the team had crossed the 625,000 Linden dollar mark. And for the third time this season, the team achieved a level it never had before.

Thanks to generous donations from Cynthia, Royce and myself.  we are now Emerald.  I have gone GREEN for a month.  Sweet!

And of course, Rita lived up to her promise of changing to her appearance. So for a month, she'll be a glowing-green bunny avatar.

In the meantime, the Relay season goes on. The "Bid Me Buck" fundraiser is still going on. And there are several more days to enjoy the Relay track sims before they fade away. The Relay Wrap-Up, the final day of the Relay season, is scheduled for the last weekend of the month on Saturday July 28.

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers Hits Platinum

When the Relay season started, the Sunbeamer team went of to a great beginning. Thanks to funds that had been collected all winter, the team started at Gold level fundraising rank. The money has continued to come in, and Wednesday night hit the 250,000 Linden mark, or $1000 USD. This puts the team in Platinum rank, with Jade as it's next goal.

SUNBEAMERS Are now Officially Platinum!

beamers:  we are now officially Platinum Level, so we can strap on our big person pants and shoot for Jade Level Now and have some fun along the way.


The Sumbeamers have never before reached Jade rank, but this very well may be the year the team achieves it.

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers Off To Golden Start

The Sunbeamer Team didn't have any opening events during the Relay Kickoff. But since the close of the last season, the team has been putting a few Lindens aside every month. And when the kiosk was placed, over 200,000 Lindens were placed in it. As of the writing of this brief, the total was 213,205 Linden dollars.

Relay fundraising ranks are lower this year than last year's, when it took 562,000 Lindens to reach Platinum level. Our cash on hand was more than enough for the 125,000 Lindens ($500 USD), it takes for this year's Gold level. So we hit Gold on day one, and are well on our way to Platinum rank, which this year is 250,000 Lindens ($1000 USD). The team hopes to reach Jade rank, which it has never done. But this year at 375.000 Lindens ($1500 USD), it's a difficult goal, but we can do it.

So what's our secret weapon? Well, if we told you, it wouldn't be a secret. But we'll unleash it when we're ready. Stay tuned for details.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Team Sunbeamers Reach Silver

The good news for the Relay for Life's team Sunbeamers continues. Just eight days after the team representing the Sunweaver community reached Bronze rank among the various Relay teams, it's climbed to the next one. The Sunbeamers are new Silver. It was a donation from chieftess Rita Mariner that pushed the total into the next level. As of the writing of this update, the total amount raised this year is 196,240 Linden dollars.

Our team is now SILVER.  Bunny went nutz and dumped 25K lindens into the BID ME kiosks. Now it is up to the rest of you to get us to GOLD!

Some of the money went to the three "Bid Me" events going on with the Sunbeamers. Rose Evans' "Bid Me Human" now stands at 700 Lindens for "stay furry," and 10,500 Lindens for "go human." For Becky Shamen's "Bid Me Bald," the current totals are 150 Lindens to keep her hair, and 17,550 for the "hare cut."  But for Rita's own "Bid Me Pink" event, the balance has shifted from "pink bunny" at 8,550 Lindens to "stay white" at 22,100 Lindens. With almost 60,000 Lindens in total raised by these three events, these "Bid Me"s are proving very beneficial for team morale (though maybe slightly embarrassing for the three volunteers.

Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Team Sunbeamers Reach 150,000 Lindens Raised, 50K From One Donor

What a difference a week makes. Several days ago, Team Sunbeamers had raised a total of about 54,000 Lindens. Not a bad total, which was greater than some noted teams such as the Giant Snail Racers and the Relay Wizards for Spunky, but for the team that takes pride in being the heir to the highly successful Passionate Redheads, and being the team of an active community with some noted members such as Lomgren Smalls and Alleara Snoodle, it seemed like the team had seen better days. This year, a number of members were suffering from illness, dealing with family tragedy, or were hit with financial troubles. As one member put it, "we don't have the deep pockets of some of the bigger teams, and lately some of those pockets have been sewn shut."

But fortunes can change, and in the past few dayss they have. On Wednesday night, the team total went up to Bronze level thanks to a donation by Becky Shamen. It was a total that would continue to rise as donations kept coming in over the weekend with our presence at the Relaystock. Then came a surprise. One individual had donated 50,000 Lindens to one of the team's kiosks. Donations would continue to come in, Rita Mariner herself chipping in 10,000, and on Sunday night, the total was 150,000, or $600 US dollars.

Last year, 100,000 was enough to get Silver rank. But this year the requirements have gone way up, the amount needed to reach that being 180 or 190,000 Lindens. But with three "Bid Me" events currently going on (more about them later), and an upcoming air show and road rally, confidence is high that silver rank will soon be reached.

Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan.

Sunbeamers Reach Bronze, and "Bid Dusk Something" Results

It's been a rough start for Relay for Life in Second Life's Team Subbeamers. Various team members have had problems from economic difficulties to illness to family tragedy. Finding out that the level to reach bronze had been jacked up to 75,000 Lindens also affected team morale. But the members persisted, doing a few events such as the "Fox Avatar Challenge," and slowly collecting Lindens from those inside and outside it's Sunweaver community.

Finally last night, the team reached Bronze rank. As of the writing of this article, the total amount raised by the team this year is $79,494 Lindens.

Next goal: Silver Level, which is at 180,000 Lindens. Only 100.506 Lindens left to go.

Also the results of the team's last "Bid Me" are in. The results of this year's "Bid Dusk Something" was for the gazelle avatar, probably influenced by the "Zootopia" character of the same name. So Dusk Griswold's stuck in the avatar for about a week.

Word has it the Sunbeamers will soon be doing a third "Bid-Me." Stay tuned for more information.

Go Relay!