Saturday, June 6th – the Chippensails take to the stage for RFL of SL
On Saturday, June 6th from 14:00 SLT eight members of the Second Life sailing fraternity will take to the stage at the Three Pines Sailing School and Resource Centre, in a special sail4Life RFL of SL fund-raiser that promises to be a lot of fun.
Akiiki, August, Barry, Chaos, David, Dutch, Jake, and Stone will be donning black trousers, bow ties, formal shirt cuffs, dancing and baring their torsos as The Chippensails. Each of them will be auctioning a special prize to the highest bidder, with all proceeds from bids going diectly to RFL of SL.
Past prizes offered by the Chippensails have included long distance cruises around the Blake Sea, sailing lessons, a sailing yacht, French language lessons, an evening of dancing and conversation at the club of the winner’s choice, and the opportunity to be part of a yacht racing crew. Bidding will be open from 14:00 through 15:00 SLT, after which all those attending will be invited to party to the music of and enjoy the music of DJ Kota through until 16:00 SLT.
As well as the auction boards for the Chippensails, people will be able to donate to RFL of SL through the Sail4Life kiosks at the venue.
Stand is the title of a portrait exhibition currently open in a purpose-built gallery above the Relay Rocker’s Relay d’Alliez region and a part of Rocker’s Relay for Life campaign.
The portraits, all of which have been taken by Catalina Staheli, feature some of those who have been faced with cancer in one of its many forms and have either survived, or are living within its ever-present shadow – and in one case, someone who lost their life to the disease.
Each of the pictures features several images of the subject, which change every 30 seconds to show them in different poses (and even different forms, if they use more than one avatar in SL), with one image of each of them offering a quote.
Each of the framed portraits is displayed in its own space or alcove, allowing visitors to focus solely on each in turn without distraction. In addition, those featured in the portraits have each written a brief personal story, which offer moving reading, and can be obtained through the information givers found within the gallery space along with RFL kiosks for those wishing to make donations to RFL of SL and the American Cancer Society.
Taken together, the portraits and the gallery space – also, I believe, designed by Catalina – present a moving and inspirational exhibition, and full kudos should go to her for developing the idea for the exhibit and for producing such remarkable pictures. Thanks, as well, should go to the Relay Rockers for agreeing to host such an exhibition; even though there were some misgivings at first, as Trader Whiplash, the Rocker’s Co-Founder, freely admits.
“As always I asked the same question I have asked of the Relay Rockers for 11 years,” he said. “How much work it involved and how much will it raise? The answer was unclear. We weren’t even sure it would raise any money at all! We talked for a few days. We met resistance in several directions from the team, including myself.”
“I was however wrong,” he added with a laugh. “I totally underestimated the importance of this event. This exhibition not only captures the essence of survivorship, it celebrates our diverse community here in Second Life and does much to explain how a virtual world can become the seventeenth largest Relay For Life in the world!”
Also on display in the gallery are some of Catalina’s Why I Relay challenge, which was also featured at this year’s Fantasy Faire. The challenge offered anyone supporting RFL of SL with the opportunity to have their photo taken by Catalina, together with a short message on why they participate in RFL.
This is a remarkable, inspirational and poignant exhibit; inspirational in the stories that are to be found here, and poignant through the presence of the portrait set of Riko Kamachi, one of the early participants in the exhibit, but who sadly lost her life to cancer before she could provide her story. Instead, she is remembered here in pictures and in the words of those who knew her.
Stand, will be open through until the end of the RFL Weekend on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th July 2015, and I urge you to find the time to pay a visit; it beautifully encapsulates and spirit and meaning of Relay for Life of Second Life.
It’s a weekend of Peace Love and Hope, Great Music and yes, lots of MUD! So read the opening words about RelayStock, a special homage to the great a glorious days of Woodstock, and which is taking place in support of Relay for Life of SL over the weekend of Saturday, May 23rd and Sunday May 24th 2015. Hosted by the indomitable Relay Rockers team, RelayStock provides a very Woodsotck-esque look and feel, with Relay teams provided with a tent or minivan (both in 60’s style finishes), which are spread before the festival stage across a field woven with dirt tracks and – as the note above suggests – lots on puddles and pools of mud people can slosh through (or indeed, dance in!). Vendors and kiosks have been set-up in and around the various camps, and all is ready for a weekend of music, fun and fund-raising – and let’s not forget that is 2014, RelayStock raised L$ 1.5 million over two days!
Special Events for the Weekend
The event venue is already open, and things will kick-off from 08:00 on Saturday, May 23rd and continue through until 20:00 SLT on Sunday, May 24th. The main schedule of events includes: Saturday, May 23rd
13:00 – 17:15: the Relay Rocker’s 2015 CRFB Top Dj Contest finals
13:00 – 15:00: CRFB 2nd Seeded Finalist
15:00 – 17:00: CRFB 1st Seeded Finalist
17:00 – 17:15: Presentation of 2015 CRFB Top DJ Trophies and Awards
17:15 – 21:00: Saturday BYOK Fever, featuring the music of:
17:00 – 20:00: The famous T1Radio TIme Machine and a Trip to the Sixties with Trader Whiplash and Team Relay Rockers BYOK
In addition, Relay Teams will be hosting their own DJ-led events at the following times:
Saturday, May 23rd: 08:00-10:00; 10:00-12:00 noon; 12:00 noon-13:00
Sunday, May 24th: 08:00-10:00; 10:00-12:00 noon; 12:00 noon-14:00; 14:00-15:00
So, let the age of Aquarius enter your life this weekend, don your kaftan (and galoshes!), put flowers in your hair and head on over to RelayStock for get music, great dancing, great fun – and all in a good cause!
RelayStock will take place at Relay dAlliez, a region dedicated to the memory of dAlliez Estates estates founder Alliez Mysterio, who along with Nuala Maracas and Trader Whiplash, helped found the Relay Rockers team in 2005. Alliez was lost to breast cancer in 2013. The region was first made available in 2014 to any Relay Teams wishing to host their own RFL of SL fund-raising events. Currently, there are still several prime weekend dates open in the 2015 RFL of SL season which can be used by Relay Teams to host their own events. Representatives from teams interested in doing so can visit the Relay dAlliez InfoHub for more information and to submit a reservation request.
Holly Kai Park Pavilion – will launch and close the Sail4Life silent art auction in support of Relay for Life and taking place over the weekend of May 22nd through 24th
Taking place over the weekend of the 22nd through 24th May is a special silent art auction organised by the Sail4Life team, with all proceeds raised going directly to Relay for Life of Second Life.
On offer to the highest bidders are a number of original maritime pieces offered by SL artists, all of which can be previewed and bid for on the hills of the beautiful Holy Kai Park on the north side of Blake Sea (you can read my write-up on the opening of the park here).
Sail4Life silent art auction for RFL of SL, May 22nd-24th, 2015
The pieces on offer are all original works, and represent a range of styles and approaches to maritime art that will grace any home in Second Life. What’s more, a donor who wishes to remain anonymous has offered to match the total amount raised through the donation kiosks during the course of the auction.
Things kick-off at 17:00 SLT on Friday, May 22nd, with a special auction launch party at the Holy Kai Park Pavilion, featuring DJ Joy Canadeo. The party will run through until 19:00 SLT on Friday. The auction will run through until Sunday, May 24th, with a further closing party at the Holy Kai Park Pavilion with DJ G Winz, from 15:00 through 17:00 SLT.
Sail4Life silent art auction for RFL of SL, May 22nd-24th, 2015
Further information on the event can be obtained from Winnie Sweetwater, chair, Sail4Life team.
Saturday, May 16th and Sunday May 17th officially mark the Halfway There weekend for the 2015 Relay For Life season in Second Life.
As is usual for the half-way stage in the season, a full weekend of activities has been planned, including fund-raising, DJs sets, tribute bands, and many RFL of SL Relay Team events, with everything kicking-off from 16:00 on Saturday, May 16th, and then running through until the evening of Sunday, May 17th.
Four regions have been set-up for the weekend, and they draw upon this year’s Back to the Future-esque theme for their inspiration. So, throughout the Halfway There festivities, you can travel back to the Pac-Man dominated 1980s, or tour the 1990s, reminisce over the 2000s, and look ahead to a hopefully eco-friendly future.
Each region has its own stage area, and all four are connected by a central hub area which offers a main stage for key events. The SLurl for arrivals is given at the end of this article, but please note it will not be open until just before the weekend is due to kick-off.
Pac-Man features in the Halfway There 1980s region
On Sunday, May 17th in particular, the event will feature the Halfway There Awards ceremony, which will take place at 10:00 on Sunday, and will include the 2015 Relay For Life of Second Life Planning Committee.
Schedule of Events
At the time of writing, the Halfway There weekend schedule of events read as follows (as usual, all times SLT):
Saturday, May 16, 2015
16:00 – 17:00 – Opening Party
17:00 – 18:00 – The Purple Man Group
18:00 – 19:00 – Dance Party
19:00 – 21:00 – Garth Brooks Tribute Band
Halfway There events area walk
Sunday, May 17, 2015
06:00 – 20:00: Raffle, auction, and vendor fundraising areas are open
10:00 – 11:00: 2015 Halfway There Awards Ceremony
11:00 – 20:00: Relay For Life of Second Life Team Events
The Medieval Faire is a week-long event for RFL of SL, currently taking place through until Sunday, May 17th. Whether you are into medieval role-play or not, the Faire is offering a host of events and activities right throughout the week, with something for just about everyone to try and / or enjoy.
The Faire is the brainchild of Nyza Stillwater, who is working as it’s General Manager, and is being run by the Unmasking a Cure (UAC) RFL of SL relay team coordinated by Mary Teodosio and Jean Munro, and hosted by the Realm of Cedarwood. Activities are spread across a series of skyborne locations, with the central one taking the form of a medieval village surrounded by rolling hills and distance peaks.
Here can be found merchant stalls offering a rich cross-section of goods representing the medieval and fantasy genres, and additional atmosphere is given to the village by the inclusion of NPCs – dancers, market stall operators and minstrels. In and around this sits the activities on offer to visitors – the live entertainments stage, a carnival, a combat arena, fencing, archery, jousting, and a battleground, all surrounded by the relay horse track – an against-the-clock steeple chase.
There are tournaments scheduled throughout the Faire, and additional jousting lists can be reached via teleporter near the arrival point. As well as actual competitions, there are opportunities to watch exhibition events and receive training from some of the major medieval sports groups in Second Life – the Medieval Games Fellowship, the Second Life Tournament Association, Double Dragon Academy and the United Jousters.
General Entertainments will be occurring throughout the week, and there is an open invitation for anyone who wishes to DJ or perform to do so whenever there is a free slot in the general entertainment sechdule, with entertainers from other RFL teams allowed to rez their own kiosks while performing.
The full schedule of entertainments and events can be found on the Faire’s website, where information on the Faire’s auctions and raffles can also be found.
With plenty to see and do, and all of it to further the cause of RFL 2015, the UMC Medieval Faire offers something for everyone – so why not pay it a visit?
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 