Sunbeamers RFL Team To Disband

 

Talking to Cynthia Farshore and Shockwave Yareach yesterday, Monday July 27, they stated with team captain Rita Mariner passing away, this will be the last year the Relay for Life's Sunbeamer team will be active. It will not be coming back for the 2027 season.

"Sunbeamers was Rita's team," Cynthia told me, "fitting to let it go." "The team can retire now," Shockwave added. 

Both are already members of Team ACTS and will be relaying under their banner next year, "ACTS can use our powers I'm sure," Shockwave commented.

 

The Sunbeamers are not the only noted team to disband this year. During the Relaystock, the Relay Rockers announced they would be closing the team after twenty years of Relaying.

Rita Mariner founded Team Sunbeamers in 2013, following the decision to officially fold the Passionate Redheads team in 2013, some months after it's captains stepped down. Over the past thirteen years, it went from a small performer to being one of the top dozen teams in terms of fundraising, "the little team that could," in it's past few years reaching Ruby Level fundraising, well over one million Linden dollars. Cynthia Farshore and Shockwave Yareach were key to the team's rise with events such as the weekly Moon Dance and annual Air Show. 

Bixyl Shuftan

Passionate Redheads RFL Team to Disband

Today, Sabine McGettigan, the leader of the "Passionate Redheads" team, one of the leading teams for the popular Relay For Life cancer fundraiser, made an announcement. After six years of Relaying, there would be no more. She had reluctantly made the decision to disband the team.

As the 2013 season of Relay approaches,  I find it  my sad duty to disband the legendary Passionate Redheads Team for Relay for Life. 

It has been an incredible SIX YEARS of fundraising for the American Cancer Society, and we have, in my opinion,  accomplished some of the best work of any of the Relay Teams.   In  many ways, we helped to shape the Relay in Second Life, lighting the path for those who would follow us.

It was our team who implemented the very first Spirit of Relay award!   We went on to be awarded the Spirit of Relay three times!  Altogether, the Passionate Redheads won the equivalant of seven "Academy Awards" through the years, while raising over $30,000 USD for our favorite charity. 

Our little team came to be known as the "Compassionate Redheads" because we provided a home to anyone wanting to Relay.  Our Passionate Redheads inspired the now popular "One Team" events with our unflagging support of smaller teams who needed a presence.  We were famous for showing up at events not our own,  bringing with us our love, our charity, and our hope.   Our motto was, "Take care of the people, and the money takes care of itself."  This very spirit is our legacy, and it is a beautiful and worthy one.

I have loved this team with all my heart, for all these years; and love never ends.  Thank you for standing with me for six  years, for showering every  member with compassion,  for working with dedication,  and for supporting the team always,  no matter which direction we needed to take.

My special gratitude goes to Ginger (Dusk Griswold) and Lomgren Smalls, who selflessly stepped in last year when I was unable to continue with Relay.  I ask that you take care of them, and of each other, with the beauty and passion that has always belonged to the extraordinary members of this most Passionate, Compassionate Team.

All Love,
Sabine McGettigan

A number of residents at the Sunweaver Estates, where the SL Newser office building makes it's home, were part of the Passionate Redheads team. This news does not mean these residents have stopped Relaying. There is talk about forming a new team to pick up where the Readheads left off.