Relay For Life Fundraising Levels

 

 For those who wonder what the various team levels mean, there was a chart in the Relay for Life Volunteers group showing them.

 

For those that raise 12,500 Linden dollars, or about $50 USD, they have reached Bronze Level fundraising. This is what the plurality of teams reach. 

 

For teams that raise 50,000 Linden dollars, or about $200 USD, Silver Level fundraising.

 

Teams that raise 125,000 Linden dollars, or about $500 USD,  get Gold Level rank. 

 

Teams that raise 250,000 Linden dollars, or about $1000, about the price of a new computer, get  Platinum Level fundraising. 

 

For the teams that have raised 500,000 Linden dollars, or about $2000 USD, they've reached Jade Level.

 

The teams that get to 750,000 Lindens raised, about $3000 USD, they're at Sapphire rank. 

 

Teams that reach one million Lindens raised, about $4000 USD, are at Emerald Level. Those teams that reach this level have put in some work.

 

The teams that reach 1,250,000 Lindens raised, about $5000 USD, are at Ruby Level fundraising. 

 

Teams that raise a million and a half Lindens, about $6000 USD, are at Topaz Level fundraising.  

 

Those teams that raise 1,750,000 Linden dollars, about $7000 USD, are at Diamond Level.

 

Teams that raise 2,500,000 Linden dollars, about $10,000 USD, are at Crimson rank.

 

Those teams that raise 3,750,000 Linden dollars, about $15,000 USD, are at Purple Level fundraising.  

 

Teams that raise five million Linden dollars, about $20,000 USD, are at All Star Level fundraising.

 

The teams that raise 6,750,000 Linden dollars, about $25,000 USD, are at Super Star rank.

 

Teams that raise 7,500,000 Linden dollars, about $30,000 USD, are at Supernova Level fundraising.

 

The teams that raise ten million Linden dollars, about $40,000 USD, are at Hypernova Level fundriasing.

 

Finally, the teams that raise 12,500,000 Linden dollars, about $50,000 USD, have reached the top rank for this year - Intergalactic Level fundraising.

 

The ranks have changed somewhat over the years. For a time, they would get a little higher each year, until there was a reset. And sometimes the names are different. One year, "All Star" was the first fundraising level, before Bronze.  

 

How high will the various teams get this year?

 

RFL Team Sunbeamers Start At Platinum

 

Some Relay teams are starting off the season with only a few Lindens in their totals after a few days. In the case of Team Sunbeamers, the team of the Sunweaver community in Second Life, they've been setting money aside since soon after the last season ended. Over the months, they'd collected over 400,000 Lindens in collection jars. So the team is starting off at Platinum level fundraising rank, and as of now, number four out of over 100 teams in terms of total money raised, and number two counting only inworld fundraising. 

Number three is River of Life, second is "TAP - The Adult Partnership," and first is One More Light.

The "Little team that could" is off to a promising start.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!
 

RFL Team Sunbeamers Platinum Award

 

 When the Relay for Life's season started, team Sunbeamers made Platinum level fundraising right away thanks to off-season donations. On Friday Feb 26 at Club Cutlass, team captain Rita Mariner showed off the (virtually) physical award the team had gotten. So yours truly posed next to it with the dinkie fox avatar, of which it was the last night I had to wear it as part of the Platinum avatar challenge.

So what happens when we reach Jade level? Well, you'll see.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers Hit Platinum At Start

 

 The Relay season is on! The Kickoff was on Saturday (more on that later), and among the teams is the Sunbeamers. The team of the Sunweaver community, the "beamers have been a top-performing team, last year making the top ten teams in terms of Lindens raised. And this season, they hit the ground running. As the team has been raising money since the end of last season, they started out at 255,050 Linden dollars in their kiosks. And so, right off the bat, the Sunbeamers were at Platinum fundraising level. And as a picture provided to the Newser showed, started out in the lead. 

As the weekend went on, Grove Country Club Estates also reached Platinum and took the lead. A look at team totals shows most teams are still at Bronze level or below. This includes some yearly heavy-hitters, such as the Relay Rockers and Team ACTS. But the number of teams in Silver and beyond will quickly grow as the teams hold various events. Those holding events include the Sunbeamers with their first Moon Dance later this week.

Those wishing to donate to the Sunbeamers can use the kiosk at Club Cutlass at Sunweaver Bay (114/117/757).

And for yours truly, the season started having to own up on a certain promise right away. Five years ago, I challenged the team that if they ever reached Platinum Level fundraising, I'd go pony for a week. Since then, I've gone about in an odd look for a week when it happened. For a time, it was one I never went about in public before, the most remembered of these being the "Rita clone." But as time has gone on, I've been running low on options I've never done before, such as going pink and pantsless. So this year, I'll be a tiny Dinkie fox for a week.

The Dinkie Fox isn't sold as is, but is a mod of the Dinkie cat made by Missy (terris Graves). As I haven't installed this kind of mod before, I needed a little help from Missy herself. But as you can see, the job was done. And unlike my other tiny fox, this one can wear a jacket and pants. As before, my "out" is when obviously on Newser duty such as doing interviews. And finally on Saturday the 27th, I'll be back at my usual height.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Middle image credit: Spooked Dreamscape

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers Gearing Up For Relay Season

The Relay for Life in Second Life's official fundraising season doesn't officially start until Saturday February 20. But some of the Relayers have been getting ready ahead of time. This includes Team Sunbeamers, the Relay team of the Sunweaver community, whom last year made the top ten teams in terms of money raised. Not long after the last season concluded, team captain Rita Mariner set up an off-season tip jar for anyone to donate for the one this year. Over the months, thousands of Linden dollars were collected. And last weekend, Rita herself donated enough to bring the team just past 250,000 Lindens raised (or $1000 USD). Should fundraising levels be the same as last year, this means the "beamers" will begin past Bronze, Silver, and Gold, and right at Platinum level.

On Sunday Feb 14, those of the team who could gathered for a group picture at the America Cancer Society sim. This included the newest member, Andrew Foxian Arctic.

The Sunbeamers plan for an active season to get beyond Platinum level. This includes an Air Show, at least one Moon Dance, taking part in multiteam events, notably Relaystock, and of course some Bid Me Events. For one certain Sunbeamer though, that the team will start at Platinum means someone will have to own up to a promise. More details on that later.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Sunbeamers Now Platinum, Bid Me Results

On Saturday March 21, the Relay For Life's Team Sunbeamers reached a milestone for this year. The season total crossed the 250,000 Linden dollar mark, putting them in Platinum level fundraising.

Later that evening a 8PM, the totals of the team's first three "Bid Me" events were made final, and the totals announced.

Beamers:  Here are the results of the voting for the first three BID MEs of the 2020 RFL Season.

BIXYL: Fox:         7.756L
             Bunny: 15,100L , goes Bunny for 6 weeks
            
LISKA: Fox:              50L
            Purple: 15,200L, goes Purple for 6 weeks
           
RITA:    Bunny:    8,884L
             Mouse: 12,500L, goes Mouse for 5 weeks

TOTAL RAISED: 59,490L        

So this means for five weeks, the team captain goes about on little mouse feet. Liska, usually a red vixen, will be purple for a month and a half. And yours truly will be going about with long ears and a cottontail for six weeks.

And then there's my little tradition of doing something whenever the team hits Platinum. So the first week of the period, I'll be going about as a purple bunny, purple being the color of the Relayers. Perhaps not as flashy as some other times the team reached Platinum, but it is keeping with tradition.

There is still one Bid Me event going, Matt Carlton's "Bid Me Feral." Those interested in making him go on for feet for a while can heat to Club Cutlass at Sunweaver Bay (114/117/757).

As of now, the Sunbeamer team has raised almost 256,000. But the team won't be resting. It has a game almost ready for others to play. And then there is the air show. The next fundraising level is Jade, which is 500,000 Linden dollars.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers Pass 200,000 Lindens

Sometime on Saturday, March 14, the Relay for Life's Team Sunbeamers passed a milestone. The fundraising total reached the 200,000 Linden Dollar mark. As of the writing of this brief, the team total for this season is 217,002. This is over 50,000 raised in a little less than a month.

Just 33,000 Linden dollars remain before the team reaches Platinum.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

RFL: Team Sunbeamers Pass 160,000 Lindens

Team Sunbeamers had been saving up all winter to get an early start in the Relay season, and in December had raised enough for Gold level fundraising. But when the kiosks were first delivered, the Lindens were loaded into it too early by mistake. But thanks to a little help, the team was given the proper credit for the donated money. Since the minor incident, almost 16,000 was raised and added to the kiosk as well, for a total of 160,000 Linden dollars. This isn't too far from Platinum. So yours truly will likely be going through his "Platinum Avatar Challenge" soon.

Expect a "Bid Me" event or two soon.  And not far from now, the Sunbeamer Air Show.

The "Platinum Avatar Challenge"

On Monday, Team Sunbeamers of the Relay for Life in Second Life finally reached Platinum Level fundraising, 250,000 Linden dollars or about $1000 USD. And so came what's become a tradition among the Sunbeamers and their friends: The Platinum Avatar Challenge.

For yours truly, for the third time I would be something I haven't been before. This time it was a pink avatar. *But*, I didn't say what kind it would be. So in a slight twist of the challenge two years ago, I appeared as a pink "Rita clone." I revealed the new look at 4PM At the Happy Vixen yesterday. It got a few chuckles, thought not as many the first time I pulled it off. Rita herself, whom doesn't think much of being a pink bunny didn't have much of a comment this time. My own "bubblegum crisis" will be for a week, baring those occasions when I'm obviously doing something for the Newser, such as interviews and covering the Fantasy Faire.

This time, I was joined by others in the challenge. Nydia Tungsten had offered to go purple for a week. And so yesterday the normally white vixen was sporting a shade of amethyst  But it was DJ Geerkil and his Dragon Crew teammates LS Raccoon and JB Raccoon that made the biggest change: going as Yinglet avatars. Geers had read up on the lore of the usually amusing small beings from the "Out of Placers" online comic, and found the creatures interesting. For someone used to huge avatars though, shrinking to being just a few feet high took some getting used to. On the other hand, fitting behind the DJ booth and dancing with others on the dance floor was now no trouble. The three stated they'll be staying in these appearances for three months. Definitely "above and beyond the call of duty." We'll keep them well-stocked with clams and oysters.

But the Relay goes on. The Sunbeamers are planning another "Bid Me" event this week, and there will be other chances this month to raise some funds, such as the Relaystock. With Platinum having been achieved, next the Sunbeamers are after Jade level fundraising, which is 500,000, a half million, Linden dollars. A daunting task, but we've done it before. And yes, I'll wear the "Bix Bilby" avatar again.

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

Announcement: RFL Music Marathon at Club Happy Vixen, Tomorrow Noon to 6PM

Team Sunbeamers and Team Meli's Maniacs are getting together for a six-hour music extravaganza with three great DJs. Join us at the recently renovated Happy Vixen Beach club as DJ Geerkil, DJ Snowbuns, and DJ Tech spin their tunage for a great cause. The theme is "Best in Purple," and near the end of each of the three sets we'll have a vote to see who's best in theme.

As this is a charity event, the tip jars for the DJs, hostesses, and dancers will be inactive. All tips go to the Relay for Life in Second Life.

To keep things fair, the winner of the first contest will have to sit out from entering the contest board on the second.

To make things interesting, two of the Sunbeamer team, club owner Nydia Tungsten, and Bixyl Shuftan, have offers for a "Platinum Avatar Challenge." If Team Sunbeamers reaches Platinum fundraising level, 250,000 Linden dollars before the end of the event, Bixyl is offering to go pink for a week (something he *never* does) whenever appearing at club events or Relay events outside of the Fantasy Faire (everywhere else he can go back to normal). Nydia says if Platinum rank is reached, she will go Purple for a week.

The event will be Saturday April 20, from Noon to 6PM SL time.

Purrfection Estates (236, 219, 24)   

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

Hair Fair 2017

With the Relay Weekend coming up, the Relay for Life is clearly the most active charity this month. But by all means it's not the only one. The 2017 Hair Fair, which raises money for Wigs for Kids, has been going on since the first of the month, and will continue until Sunday July 16.

Over four sims, Osmium, Iridium, Rhodium, and Platinum, various small shops offer a number of hairpieces for male and female avatars, with at least 15% going to charity. The website also states, "There are also Kiosks for direct donations, and Bandana Booths that donate 100% of all purchases." Among the booths, there were also a number of pictures up, possibly the results of an art contest.

Wigs for Kids is a charity that is aimed at helping children deal with hair loss, such as from the side-effects of chemotherapy, by providing them with hairpieces made from human hair. More  can be read about them at: http://dfwhairloss.com/wigs-for-kids/ .

For more information on the Hair Fair, check their website at: https://hairfair.wordpress.com/ .

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Osmium/38/128/24

Scenes From The Steampunk Land and Sky Race

Last weekend on Sunday June 25, the Sunbeamer team, the RFL team of the Newser office neighbors the Sunweaver community, held an ambitious event for the Relay. They held a steampunk-themed racing event taking place not just on the ground but in the air. Team Meli's Maniacs also took part, and a number of people came for the races and the music and dance party that took place afterwards. It was a fun event with lots to do and see. It was also the most successful event Team Sunbeamers ever had, getting over 154,000 Linden dollars for them and bringing the team into Platinum Level.

See the pictures in Events.

Bixyl's Sunbeamer Platinum Avatar Challenge

Those who know me well know that I almost never take on a female appearance in Second Life, at least deliberately. But with the Sunbeamer team needing something to help encourage them on the way to Platinum, once again I offered to put my avatar's appearance on the line. Last year, the result of us going Platinum was me going pony for a week, an avatar I had never had worn. And so I offered another challenge of similar scale, going about in a female avatar for a week.

Maybe it egged on team captain Rita Mariner a little, but the results in any case were the team going Platinum, so I had to make do on my promise. BUT, I didn't say what kind of female look. So when we kept steadily heading to the mark, an idea came to me: get a look as close to our team captain as I could. I asked a few mutual friends first as many who prefer furry avatars take being unique seriously. When I was told she wouldn't get upset, I went for it. Luckily, she had told people what brand dress she had. Getting the hairpiece and the feet was another matter and had to get items that were close. As it turned out, the store where she got the hair was no longer around.

So what did the "Killer Rabbit" think upon seeing the results of the avatar challenge? She had a good laugh, considering it funny and clever, and had the idea of posing for this picture. So for a week, yours truly will be in a skirt. The only complaint so far, one girl ribbing me that I should have done a look based on her. But considering her chest, the results would have given me a backache just by looking at it.

But it's all in the name of fun, and for a good cause, the Relay for Life. And yours truly can say it took a large amount of money to take this step. It just went to cancer research, not me.

Update: Rita posted the following on Facebook:

I am posting 2 days in a row, but this one is too good not to put up. As I mentioned before my Second Life team, The Sunbeamers, raises money for the RFL and the ACS (American Cancer Society). Well we had a small side bet going from one of our members, Bixyl Shuftan. He said, if our team made Platinum, he would go female avatar for a week. We did and yesterday evening he revealed herself to a waiting crowd, at my Club Cutlass. I was surprised, delighted and laughed some. Bixyl came dressed as a Rita Clone, or as close as he could get. It was like looking into a mirror. He spent some time and money on this one. Good Going Bixyl, you got me! 

Bixyl Shuftan

Sunbeamers Strike Platinum, Raise 154,000 Lindens at Land and Sky Race Event

 It was a day Artistic Fimicloud would have been proud of.

When the Steampunk Land and Sky Races event for Team Sunbeamers, in cooperation with Mel's Maniacs, started yesterday, the "beamers" had raised a total of 412,500 Linden dollars. We were well into Gold and 150,000 Linden dollars away from Platinum rank. We had achieved this seemingly impossible dream last year. And once again, it was within sight.

And once again, the little team that could pulled it off once again. Near the end of the day, thanks to several people who reached a little deeper into their pockets, and of course the hard work and cleverness of Cynthia Farshore and Shockwave Yareach, our shooting for the moon had once again resulted in the Eagle landing.

For those of us lucky enough to be at Cynthia's Road Rally/Air Race today.  We made PLATINUM!  We cracked the level at the dance down in the Goblin Cave, while listening to great music, DJ'd by Cynthia.  Oldesoul and several members of other teams showed.  We even helped Meli's Maniacs make SILVER.  All in all a very successful event. 

Team Captain Rita Mariner's only complaint was that not everyone could be at the race and party. And some people contacted me, saying events in real life had kept them away and were sorry they missed the event.

Some teams manage to make it big once, then for whatever reason are unable to make an effort the following year. While the Sunbeamers are not the most successful Relay team, they, and their predecessor team the Passionate Redheads, have made good showings year after year after year. The Relay has been a source of community pride, and we were happy to share that pride with Mel's Maniacs who took part in this and other events this year.

But our work isn't quite over. We still have our campsite for the Relay Weekend to work on. But this time, the little team that could will be taking part in the walk around the track a little prouder, flying it's flag a little higher. Many from the Sunbeamer community and outside contributed in some way with time, money, or both, some people in large ways. And once again, our effort has paid off.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan, member of the RFL Sunbeamer Team

Relay for Life's Team Sunbeamers Reach Platinum Rank

The Relay for Life's Sunbeamer Team has never known when to quit. Born from the ashes of the Passionate Redheads after the longtime successful Relay team folded, the "beamers" have strove to continue their success. While they had something of a bumpy start as a team in their first year, 2013, they did manage to reach Silver level in fundraising. In every year after that, the team would strike gold. At the beginning of this season, the team would have a slow start due to the economic troubles of some members and personal problems of a few, reaching only 50,000 Lindens by May. But by the end of the month, it had reached Silver rank, and by mid-June, it had reached Gold.

But the team still kept making fundraising efforts, members such as Skylark Lefavre and Cynthia Farshore appearing at multiteam events and setting up a kiosk. While the Relay Weekend means the end to the fundraising efforts of many teams, the leaders of the Sunbeamers saw a chance to make one more rank: Platinum. While the Passionate Redheads had reached the level a number of times, this would be a first for the "beamers."

Beamers:  We have a chance to reach Platinum, by AUG 14th, Cynthia and I are willing to kick in a major amount of cash to get there, but we would like help from the team and others to help us out.  We need $345 worth on Lindens to make Platinum.  So please give what you can into the kiosks, ASAP. Cynthia and I will make up the balance.

On Saturday July 30th, the day of the Sunbeamer's Road Rally, donations came in throughout the day and night, and not just at the racetrack. After the event, donations continued to come in, 15,500 Lindens were dropped in by Oriana Sun alone at the party in Club Cutlass that night. At 8:22PM SL time, Cynthia Farshore announced, "SUNBEAMERS JUST HIT PLATINUM!!!"

Finally, the team had achieved what it's members hadn't seen since the days of the Redheads. If Gold meant proof we were among the big leagues, Platinum was confirmation. As of the writing of this article, the team has raised a total of 571,160 Lindens, or $2,285 US dollars. This makes them the 19th highest ranking team, having raised almost as much as one of the major events: the Relay's Science Fiction Convention.

But, I did have to make good on an avatar challenge I had set up if we reached this level.

Beamers thanks to generosity of Cynthia, Oriana, Dusk and your bunny boss, along with what we made at the Road Rally and Pool Party.  The Sunbeamers are now officially PLATINUM!  Bixyl get that pony ready!  LOL

My friend Skylark Lefavre is a "My Little Pony" fan, and has kept asking me to wear one of the MLP avatars in Second Life. This was the one type I had never worn. Finally last year, I told her if the team ever reached Platinum rank, I'd wear one for a week. And since Skylark "ponied up" so much time, and Rita "ponied up" so many bucks, I went ahead and went through my end of the bargain. I can still change out of it briefly for interviews and similar circumstances. But when just going about, it's on horseshoes, at least until Saturday.

So far, there's been a number of reactions. Among them, Liška Bystrouška (liska.fuchs). "Poor Bix is gonna be saddled with equine puns." Oh well, reporters always have to deal with the occasional "neigh"sayer.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day: Relay for Life

The Passionate Redheads aren't the only team whom go for laughs. This picture, titled "Fuzzball's New Hair," came with an announcement of Team Steelhead officially making the Platinum category by raising $2,000 US. The announcer stated, "I said if we make it, I'd wear the wackiest wildest hair around. Well.........here it is."

The notice was titled, "Make Sure Tiggs Sees This." Not being at the event, I don't know who Tiggs is, or if Fuzzball is the guy's real name. But I figured they'd get a chuckle out of the cartooning.

Bixyl Shuftan