Serious Request is a major charity event which takes place in the Netherlands every December. It sees a team of 3 DJs have themselves locked into a glass studio for a week, playing non-stop requests 24/7 to raise money for a good cause – each request being accompanied by a donation from the person making it.
In 2015, Serious Request is raising money for the International Red Cross to help give a better future to children and young people living in some of the world’s war zones. And the event restricted to the physical world.
Serious Request SL sees a team of DJ’s presenting music non-stop from December 12th through 21st to raise money for the International Red Cross to help children and young people in some of the world’s war zones
For the last few years Dutch DJs with a foot in Second Life have been supporting Serious Request by playing tunes in-world in return for donations in Linden Dollars, and 2015 is no exception. Running through until Sunday, December 20th, Serious Request Second Life is now under way.
Taking place at a specially constructed event space in-world, Serious Request SL offers everyone a chance to enjoy great music across all genres and languages, dance, and pick-up special promotional items.
You can make a donation to Serious Request Second Life through any of the distinctive donation kiosks
Above all, you can use your requests to help raise money for the International Red Cross in their efforts to provide support and assistance to children and young people trying to survive under the most extreme conditions in Syria, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Donations can be made with requests at the event, or donations can be made through any of the distinctive orange donation boxes (shown right).
You can find out more on the Serious Request SL website, which includes a live running total of the amount raised, a stream of the event so you can listen while not logged-in to Second Life. If you prefer, you can use the website to obtain the iOS or Android app for Nieuwland FM, allowing you to listen to Serious Request while on the move.
Supported by a range of brands and content creators providing sponsorship, and featuring clubs and shops from across SL as active participants, Serious Request Second Life offers something for everyone.
So – why not go Dutch this week and help raise money for an international cause?
It’s time to kick-off another week of fabulous story-telling in voice, brought to our virtual lives by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library.This week sees something special – the return of the Dickens Project, Seanchai library’s seasonal gift to Second Life, featuring readings from Charles Dicken’s classic a Christmas Carol and more besides!
You can read more about the history of The Dickens Project by reading my special preview of this year’s event. The schedule below is simply the highlights.
As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.
Sunday, December 13th – Tea-time and Tiny Carolers
13:15
The Plaza
Christmas Carols and cheer
The Raglan Shire Tinie Carolers
13:30
The Gallery
Tea-time with Mr. Dickens
(Upstairs in the bookshop)
Monday, December 14th – Stave One: Marley’s Ghost
13:00
The Plaza
Caledonia Skytower
19:00
The Plaza
Kayden Oconnell
Tuesday, December 15th – Stave Two: The First of Three Spirits
13:00
The Plaza
Trolley Trollop
19:00
The Plaza
Corwyn Allen and Faerie Maven-Pralou
Wednesday, December 16th – Stave Three: The Second of Three Spirits
13:00
The Plaza
Dubhna Rhiadra
19:00
The Plaza
Aoife Lorefield
Thursday, December 17th – Stave Four: The Last of Three Spirits, and Stave Five: The End of It
13:00
The Plaza
TBA Reads Stave Four
19:00
The Plaza
Shandon Loring read Stave Five
Friday, December 18th – Trivia and More Tinies!
18:00
TBA
Dickens Trivia
Peaches, Suemoon and HJ of the Community Virtual Library
18:50
The Plaza
Christmas Carols and cheer
The Raglan Shire Tinie Carolers
Additional Seanchai Events This Week
Thursday, December 17th, 21:00 – Seanchai Late Night
With Finn Zeddmore.
Saturday, December 19th 12:00 noon – Fezziwig’s Ball
Come dressed for Dickens’ times, but be ready to dance and have fun to the voices and music of two contemporary musicians from either side of “the pond”.
From noon through until 14:00 Seanchai Library will be pleased to present to guests at the ball British Songstress Josie Anderton, followed by American Rocker Paul Nowles. A ball not to be missed – so find your best Victorian gowns, your finest Dickensian tailed coats and hats, and come join the festivities!
Josie Anderton and Paul Nowles will be performing at Fizziwgi’s Ball on Saturday, December 19th, 12:00 Noon through 14:00 SLT
Sunday, December 20th – The Big Read
Come join the staff and guests of Seanchai Library from 12:00 noon on Sunday, December 20th, as they present A Christmas Carol from beginning to end in a special pre-Christmas reading (estimated duration 3-5 hours, visitors free to drop in and leave as time dictates). Staves will be read in relay.
The Library, above the bookshop, will also play host to some events
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Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.
The featured charity for October – December is Reach Out and Read, one of the most highly rated literacy charities in the USA which reaches 4.4 million children annually and distributes 1.6 million books.
Christmas is a time for giving, and on Sunday, December 13th, 2015, Bay City will be hosting their annual Christmas Tree Lighting and fund-raiser.
Activities will commence at 13:00 SLT and run through until 16:00 SLT, taking place at the Bay City fairgrounds. On offer will be:
Live entertainment, music and dancing
A skating party
A silent auction
refreshments and fun.
This year will see Christov Kohnke and Grace McDunnough take to the stage to provide the live music, with GoSpeed Racer spinning the tunes as the event’s DJ.
The silent auction will take place throughout the afternoon, and will conclude at 16:00 SLT, when activities officially draw to a close. All proceeds from the silent auction and from donation bins at the venue will go to Child’s Play Charity, a 501c3 non-profit organisation offering on-line communities such as the Bay City Alliance an opportunity to help seriously ill children around the globe during their hospital stays with the purchase of games and gaming equipment.
So far, Bay City events in 2015 have raised US $1,675.00, for the charity, so the Christmas Tree Lighting offers a special chance to push this even higher!
GoSpeed Racer will be spinning the tunes and Christov Kohnke and Grace McDunnough providing the live music
About Bay City and the Bay City Alliance
Bay City is a mainland community, developed by Linden Lab™ and home to the Bay City Alliance. The Bay City Alliance was founded in 2008 to promote the Bay City regions of Second Life and provide a venue for Bay City Residents and other interested parties to socialize and network. It is now the largest Bay city group, and home to most Residents of Bay City. To find out more, contact Marianne McCann in-world.
Saturday, December 12th sees the The Dickens Project re-open its gates for a week-long celebration of Charles Dickens and his work. Centred on A Christmas Carol, which will be read throughout the week by staff and guests of Seanchai Library, the Project features so much more as well.
Originally conceived under the Storyfests SL banner (Storyfests being the special events “spin-off” from Seanchai Library), The Dickens Project was first presented in 2012, as a part of activities being held around the world to mark the 200th anniversary of Charles’ Dickens birth. Over the course of two weeks, thousands of visitors passed through the project’s gates, explored the life and times of Charles Dickens and attended presentations of A Christmas Carol and other works by the author.
In December 2013, The Dickens Project allowed Seanchai Library to further bridge the digital divide when a special reading of A Christmas Carol was held, with Caledonia Skytower, in her alter ego of writer Judith Cullen, narrated the story to an audience attending the Knights of Pythias Temple in Tacoma, Washington States, and to an audience in Second Life. At the same time, Kayden Oconnell and Shandon Loring appeared in-world and also at the Teemple, courtesy of a big screen.After the presentation, the audiences in Second Life and at the Temple were able to interact with one another, with the latter able to learn more about Second Life.
The Dickens Project plaza, where readings of a Christmas Carol and other activities will take place throughout the festival
Now firmly established as a part of Seanchai Library’s seasonal calendar, the 2015 edition of The Dickens Project will take place in the Community Virtual Library’s exhibit space. All activities throughout the festival are free to attend, and any donations received will be awarded to the Community Virtual Library: a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, connecting residents with information resources, reference services, and serving as a networking tool for information resource professionals.
Programme of Events
The programme of events for The Dickens Project is given below, all times SLT. For the latest updates and any revisions, please refer to the Seanchai Library’s Dickens Project web page.
Saturday, December 12th – Welcome
13:00
The Plaza
“The Story Behind a Christmas Classic”
Caledonia Skytower
Sunday, December 13th – Tea-time and Tiny Carolers
13:15
The Plaza
Christmas Carols and cheer
The Raglan Shire Tinie Carolers
13:30
The Gallery
Tea-time with Mr. Dickens
(Upstairs in the bookshop)
Monday, December 14th – Stave One: Marley’s Ghost
13:00
The Plaza
Caledonia Skytower
19:00
The Plaza
Kayden Oconnell
Tuesday, December 15th – Stave Two: The First of Three Spirits
13:00
The Plaza
Trolley Trollop
19:00
The Plaza
Corwyn Allen and Faerie Maven-Pralou
Wednesday, December 16th – Stave Three: The Second of Three Spirits
13:00
The Plaza
Dubhna Rhiadra
19:00
The Plaza
Aoife Lorefield
Thursday, December 17th – Stave Four: The Last of Three Spirits, and Stave Five: The End of It
13:00
The Plaza
TBA Reads Stave Four
19:00
The Plaza
Shandon Loring read Stave Five
Friday, December 18th – Trivia and More Tinies!
18:00
TBA
Dickens Trivia
Peaches, Suemoon and HJ of the Community Virtual Library
18:50
The Plaza
Christmas Carols and cheer
The Raglan Shire Tinie Carolers
Special Events
Fezziwig’s Ball – Saturday, December 19th
Come dressed for Dickens’ times, but be ready to dance and have fun to the voices and music of two contemporary musicians from either side of “the pond”.
From noon through until 14:00 Seanchai Library will be pleased to present to guests at the ball British Songstress Josie Anderton, followed by American Rocker Paul Nowles. A ball not to be missed – so find your best Victorian gowns, your finest Dickensian tailed coats and hats, and come join the festivities!
Josie Anderton and Paul Nowles will be performing at Fizziwgi’s Ball on Saturday, December 19th, 12:00 Noon through 14:00 SLT
Sunday, December 20th – The Big Read
Come join the staff and guests of Seanchai Library from 12:00 noon on Sunday, December 20th, as they present A Christmas Carol from beginning to end in a special pre-Christmas reading (estimated duration 3-5 hours, visitors free to drop in and leave as time dictates). Staves will be read in relay.
The Library, above the bookshop, will also play host to some events
The Dickens Project is presented in an immersive environment recreating a corner of Dickens’ London. Here, as well as listening to the readings of a Christmas Carol and attending the other special events, visitors can also discover more about Victorian London, learn about the life and times of Charles Dickens and visit many of his works.
The Ghost Town – a MadPea mystery game aimed at new SL users, launching soon at the Firestorm Gateway
During the recent soft launch of the Firestorm Gateway, I reported on the news that MadPea would be joining the Firestorm team as a partner, providing free-to-play games in order to help new users engage with Second Life.
These games are intended to be Experiences-led, and demonstrate some of the many activities those new to Second Life can expect to find in-world, as then learn to find their way around – thus fitting in with the overall thrust of the Firestorm Gateway regions, which offer a range of activities and attractions for incoming new users, as will as practical guidance and support for understanding the viewer and getting to grips with general interactions, etc.
The MadPea team have now announced the first of these games will be launching on December 19th, 2015. Called The Ghost Town. It will see players tasked with investigating the recent disappearance of local fisherman Big Jimmy. Guided by his journal and equipped with a special camera, players follow the clues left by a mind gone mad and discover the terrible truth behind Big Jimmy’s recent activities. One they have completed the game, player will be rewarded with prizes.
It is with regards to the latter point that MadPea are seeking the support of 20 Second Life Creators, as the official blog post from the team explains:
We’re looking for 20 stores to collaborate with us by providing a themed prize for the players. In return your brand and prizes will be promoted by both MadPea and Firestorm and you’ll be potentially promoting yourselves to your customers of the future before anyone else.
In particular, MadPea are looking for prizes which will help new users practically enhance their Second Life experience, and so are particularly hoping to hear from creators of wearable items such as skins, mesh body parts and accessories, hair, clothing, avatar accessories, pets, wearable vehicles, companions, AOs etc.
Creators wishing to indicate their willingness to be involved in the game and offer prizes should complete in full The Ghost Townprize donation application form, and to do so no later than Saturday, December 12th. Those stores / creators selected by the team will be contacted directly shortly thereafter with information on how to proceed.
In the meantime, if you require more information about becoming a vendor, please contact Tichelle Teebrook in world. For more information about MadPea in general, or their collaboration with the Firestorm team, please contact Kess Crystal in world, or via kess-at-madpeagames.com.
The first Team Diabetes of SL Winter Art and Showcase event launches on Monday, December 7th, and will run through until Sunday, December 13th. Occupying a single, winter-themed region, the event offers something for everyone: shopping, entertainment, activities, and art, all within easy reach of one another.
Over the course of the weekend of the 5th and 6th December, bloggers have been able to access the region and explore what’s on offer for themselves, with stores and artists offering little goodies along the way.
The Winter Showcase, sponsored by Tayren’s Fantasy Fashions, features 22 merchants, including, but not limited to, Tayren’s Fantasy Fashions, Zuri Rayna Jewelry, Kittycat’s Creations, Hearthaven Photography, Meshopotamia and Chop Zuey. The showcase is located in the north-west quarter of the region, with stores neatly arranged around a central square, which offer seating from those needing a rest from shopping and well as Santa’s gazebo!
The south side of the region is devoted to 2D and 3D art, with 21 artists and photographers offer their work for viewing, including Bryn Oh, Wicca Merlin, Cica Ghost, Kayly Iali, Bluesrocker Resident and Skip Staheli. The art show is sponsored by Windlight Magazine, and all of the participating artists have contributed a winter themed image for inclusion in the special 2015 Postcards from the Winter Art Show book, which will be on sale throughout the event, with all proceeds being donated directly to Team Diabetes of SL!
Throughout the week, visitors to the Art and showcase can enjoy daily activities, including the Santa hunt, the raffle, gingerbread house building contests, the ugly sweater photo contest, the winter giveaway and the advent calendar. Music and entertainments will also be on offer throughout the week – check the event schedule for details; however, of particular note during the week are (all times SLT):
Tuesday, December 8th, 14:00-16:00: the formal opening of the winter Art show, featuring live performer Cassi Ansar
Friday, December 11th, 16:00-18:00: Red and Green Ball with DJ John
Saturday, December 12th, 10:00-Noon: dancing on ice with DJ Gem Sunkiller
Sunday, December 13th, 13:00: Solaris Winter Queen Fashion Show.
While only in its first season, Team Diabetes of SL has already raised almost L$323,000 for the American Diabetes Association – which is no mean feat for a new charity team to achieve. Hopefully, the Art show and Showcase will see that total pushed higher. Knowing the team behind it as I do, there really is bound to be something for everyone to enjoy – so why not check out the event schedule and hop along to a few of the events? And do be sure to keep an eye on the Team Diabetes of SL website for the latest news and updates!
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 