A blog post from Kat Alderson on the Second Life Home and Garden Expo website brings word that this year’s event, the 7th to be held in Second life, has been rescheduled.
Originally set to take place on May 13th through 27th inclusive, the event will now take place in September, with the Press Days set for the 14th and 15th September, and opening its doors to the public at large on September 16th through 28th inclusive.
The change has come about due to a mix of unforeseeable circumstances, misunderstandings in what is proving to be a packed events season, as Kat explains in the post:
In October 2013, we announced that the 2014 Home Expo would take place May 13-27. Since then, other events announced their schedules, and the spring and summer are packed with high volume events which support Relay For Life of Second Life, as well as other non-profit organizations, charitable institutions, and private interests.
The Home and Garden Expo is the SL event where users can see homes, gardens and furnishing from creators across SL, enjoy talks and presentations by designers, enjoy entertainment throughout the week and – most importantly, help raise funds for RFL of SL. The 2014 event will now take place between September 16th and 28th, with press days on the 14th and 16th September
While the new dates for the event fall outside of the main RFL of SL fundraising season, the 2014 Home and Garden Expo will still be an RFL of SL event, and 100% of all fees, sponsorships and donations will go directly to the RFL of SL 2014 fundraising coffers.
One element of the Expo will, however, still occur in May 2014. This is the Fiction for a Cure activities (readings, auctions, and raffle), which will take place May 16-26 on the American Cancer Society island.
The Relay for Life of SL organisers are getting ready for the 2014 season in Second Life, and in doing so, have put out a call to people interested in helping with committee work.
The committee work is divided into four key areas, and assistance is being sought to help with the work carried out by all four. These are:
Outreach, including: mission education, bringing-in sponsors and business partnerships, supporting international relations (providing internal aspects for key RFL of SL activities such as the Kick-off Celebration, Halfway There fair and Relay Weekend and translating written material); bringing people from within and beyond SL to the Relay
PR and Media Relations, including writing and / or distributing press releases, photography, video and audio recording, scheduling interviews with media partners, updating the RFL of SL blog; undertaking social media outreach
Events and Design, including planning and executing RFL season special events such as the Kick-off Celebration, Halfway There fair, Multi Team Event and Wrap Up Party; providing support for RFL of SL special mega events as well as the Relay Weekend
Internal Support, including providing support to all Relay Teams (processing information on teams, providing mentoring and coaching to teams, moderating group chat, providing inspiration and advice to teams, etc); reaching out to caregivers and survivors; managing the various tools used by RFL of SL (databases, fundraising tools, etc.
Full details on the responsibilities for each division, together with the key skills being sought for each, can be found in the notes accompanying the application form.
If you would like to apply to help with any of the committee work, please complete the committee interest application form, making sure all required fields and filled-out.
Last year, RFL of SL almost broke through the $400,000 barrier. Why not help make 2014 even more of a record-breaking year?
The 2013 SL Christmas Expo is underway. While the official Relay For Life Second Life 2013 events season is officially closed, the Expo is in support of RFL SL, and is being held on four regions adjacent to that of the American Cancer Society. Proceeds will be donated directly to the RFL of SL 2014 campaign.
The Expo, which runs through until December 15th, brings together merchants and entertainers from across the grid to help us prepare for the holiday season and get in the mood for Christmas as the New Year, and features a number of special events and activities.
Running alongside of the Expo is the 2013 Magic of Christmas Breedables Fair, which is being held on two regions which are linked to the Expo via the RFL Christmas Festival region, which adjoins the American Cancer Society’s HQ in Second Life.
The 2013 Xmas Expo – click to enlarge
The Expo regions are laid-out so as to be as low-lag as possible, with shops arranged around the outside of each of the four regions to form a continuous street scene with a Victorian feel to it, with cobbled road surfaces and gas lamps providing the light along the footpaths at night. There are 84 content creators with stores along the streets, each of whom has at least one or two RFL vendors selling selected items the proceeds of which go directly to RFL of SL. In addition, scattered through the Expo region are market stalls and also special RFL vendors offering a range of items, the proceeds of which also go directly to RFL of SL.
In the middle of each of the four regions are the special event areas, including a frozen lake for ice skating (free skates available for both Big ‘Uns and Tinies) the event stage, where entertainment will be provided throughout the length of the Expo, and the Expo Theatre, which will, on December 11th and 12th, be hosting a special production of Wit, Margaret Edson’s first play which, in 1999, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (see more below).
InWorldz have issued details of their kick-off rally to mark the start of their 2013 Relay for Life of InWorldz season in aid of the American Cancer Society.
The press release, circulated to virtual world bloggers, reads in part:
InWorldz community members are uniting at a rally to officially launch their Second Relay For Life season of Many Worldz For A Cure. Hundreds of participants again are will ringing in the new season with a rally that educates everyone on how their involvement benefits the American Cancer Society’s goal to save lives and create more birthdays. Money raised will fight cancer by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.
Come join us, as we meet the American Cancer Society organizing committee and a live performance by Russell Eponym. Come rally with us to begin a campaign we will not lose.
The kick-off event will take place on the InWorldz Paradise by Design region (please note that is an InWorldz IWurl) on Saturday August 24th, 2013, commencing at 09:00 InWorldz Time. The current schedule comprises presentations from the organising committee and then the aforementioned live performance:
09:00 – Hairy Thor – Chair
09:10 – Neill McCullough – Teams
09:15 – Bain Finch Co Chair
09:30 – Key Note Presentation
09:45 – Russell Eponym – live performer
Sponsorship
According to the RFL of IW website, sponsorships for the season are currently open, and comprise three levels, starting at $50.00 USD and rising to $150.00, each with unique benefits to sponsors, including website promotion, event mentions, logo promotions, and more. For full details of each level of sponsorship, the levels still available, and how to become a sponsor, please refer to the RFL of IW sponsorship page.
Media / press enquiries to RFLofIW.PR@Gmail.com (media contact: Wildstar Beaumont)
About Relay for Life
Relay For Life (RFL) is an inspirational overnight fundraising event that honours cancer survivors and celebrates life. Each Relay is a community-led, non-athletic event where teams fundraise and then join together in the Relay event. There, teams take it in turns to walk round a track for up to 24 hours to signify that ‘cancer never sleeps’.
RFL started in the United States in 1985 when one man circled around a track for 24 hours raising $27,000. Now, over four million people from twenty countries world-wide participate annually in Relay for Life events. RFL of IW is officially sanctioned by the American Cancer Society and a recognised RFL event.
The Second annual Relay for Life of InWorldz (RFL of IW) season has been formally announced.
InWorldz held its first Relay For Life (RFL) season, fully sanctioned by the American Cancer Society, in 2012, raising some $15,000.
The 2013 season will commence in late August 2013 and run through until the start of November, culminating in the Relay itself on Saturday November 2nd.
Key Dates
The season opens on Saturday August 24th, 2013 at 09:00 InWorldz Time at Paradise by Design (IWurl).
The “half way” event will take place on Saturday September 28th, starting at 09:00 InWorldz time.
The Relay itself will be held on Saturday November 2nd, commencing at midday, InWorldz time.
Sponsorship
Sponsorships for the season are currently open, and comprise three levels, starting at $50.00 USD and rising to $150.00, each with unique benefits to sponsors, including website promotion, event mentions, logo promotions, and more. For full details of each level of sponsorship, the levels still available, and how to become a sponsor, please refer to the RFL of IW sponsorship page.
Media / press enquiries to RFLofIW.PR@Gmail.com (media contact: Wildstar Beaumont)
About Relay for Life
Relay For Life (RFL) is an inspirational overnight fundraising event that honours cancer survivors and celebrates life. Each Relay is a community-led, non-athletic event where teams fundraise and then join together in the Relay event. There, teams take it in turns to walk round a track for up to 24 hours to signify that ‘cancer never sleeps’.
RFL started in the United States in 1985 when one man circled around a track for 24 hours raising $27,000. Now, over four million people from twenty countries world-wide participate annually in Relay for Life events. RFL of IW is officially sanctioned by the American Cancer Society and a recognised RFL event.
The 2013 Relay for Life weekend in Second Life is upon us, and with over $300,000 USD already raised this year, it look like the weekend is going to be a scorcher.
The theme for the weekend is 100 Years of Hope, in recognition of the American Cancer Society’s 100th anniversary.
As with previous years, the weekend will be focused on the 34-region Relay Track, which will be divided into Past, Present and Future themes and lined with team camps and exhibits. In addition, there will be five activity regions providing live music, DJs, an art show, snail railing, the Raffle for Relay, a flea market and the silent auction, with the Welcome Area and the American Cancer Society region rounding-out the total at 41 regions.
11:00: Victory Lap – Walk the track and meet the Relay Committee
12:30: RAFFLE Draw
13:00: SILENT AUCTION Closes
14:00 PM Enjoy walking the track and visiting the builds
Survivor/Caregiver Walk
Take your place at the side of the track and cheer on / applaud all those who have heard the words, “You have cancer”, as they walk the track in this opening lap together with those who devote their time and energies to caring and supporting for their loved ones and their friends in they fight cancer.
The Luminaria
As you walk the track you’ll notice luminaria (candles) line the sides. These are your opportunities to pay tribute to a lost loved one, or to thank a person who inspires and encourages you. Donating lindens to a luminaria gives you the chance to mention a special someone in hover text over the bag and will light and change color based on the linden amount paid to it, as noted below. Feel free to type in any amount you wish to donate.
L$50 – L$999 – Green
L$1000 – L$2499 – Orange
L$2500 – L$4999 – Blue
L$5000 – L$7499 – Yellow
L$7500 – L$9999 – Pink
L$10000 or more – Purple + fireworks
The Luminaria Ceremony
At 21:00 SLT on Saturday July 13th, the Luminaria Ceremony will talk place. The track regions will all be set to midnight and thousands of luminaria will be lit, each one representing a survivor or someone who has passed away from cancer. People are invited to walk the track in silence for one hour as dedications are read over the broadcasting stream.
Where to Start
The best place to start is the Welcome Area, particularly if you’ve not participated in the RFL of SL weekend. Here you can pick-up your track tools, which will record the distance you walk around the track and allow you to chat with friends and those around you and walk at the same time. You can also obtain a reference guide to the luminaria donation colours and detailed of the themed laps for the weekend. Greeters will also be on-hand to answer any questions you may have. Once you’re ready to go, use the teleport to get to the track regions.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 