Relay For Life of Second Life
What is Relay For Life?
- Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's signature fundraising activity.
- It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much-needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment.
- Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path.
- Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event.
- Relays are an overnight event, up to 24 hours in length.
What is Relay For Life of Second Life?
- Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL) is an annual activity that takes place in Second Life in July each year.
- Volunteers form or join teams to have fun while fundraising and raising awareness from mid-March through mid-July.
- In July teams build campsites and walk a track, just like in a Real World Relay.
- In 2009, Relay for Life of Second Life raised over a quarter of a million dollars for the American Cancer Society.
- Relay For Life has become an international movement in RL and in SL. In 2009 participants from over 30 countries took part in Relay For Life of Second Life.
History of Relay for Life
- One person can make a difference. Nowhere is that more evident than with the story of the American Cancer Society's real world Relay For Life, which began in Tacoma, Washington. In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office and to show support for all of his patients who had battled cancer. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed – running marathons.
- In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran for more than 83 miles. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt's friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course. Throughout the night, friends donated $25 to run or walk with Dr. Klatt for 30 minutes. His efforts raised $27,000 to fight cancer.
- While circling the track those 24 hours, Dr. Klatt thought about how others could take part in his mission to fight cancer. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event, known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.
- In 1986, with the help of Pat Flynn – now known as the 'Mother of Relay' – 19 teams took part in the first team Relay event on the track at the historic Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000. An indescribable spirit prevailed at the track and in the tents that dotted the infield.
History of Relay for Life of Second Life
- 2005 The first Relay for Life of Second Life took place on Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28, 2005. It started at 5pm SL time. It raised almost US$5,000. According to an article in The New York Times it was the brainchild of Keith Morris, a senior airman in the United States Air Force.
- 2006 The second Relay for Life of Second Life took place on Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23. It started on Saturday at 5pm SL time. The total raised was approx. US$40,000. It was organized by Jade Lily, and the track was laid out over 12 sims representing the different countries of the world.
- 2007 The third Relay for Life of Second Life took place on ... The theme was 'Quest for a Cure'. It attracted more than 1,700 avatar participants and raised over US$118,000. The Event Chair was Fayandria Foley.
- 2008 The fourth Relay for Life of Second Life took place on Saturday July 19 and Sunday July 20, 2008. The theme was 'Heroes'. It took place over 33 sims laid out in the shape of an 'H', and raised the sum of over US$210,000. The Event Chair was Fayandria Foley.
- 2009 The fifth Relay for Life of Second Life took place on ... The theme was 'One World, One Hope'. It took place over 37 sims laid out in the shape of an 'O'. There were over 200 teams and over 2,000 avatar participants and the event raised over US$274,000. The Event Chair was Fayandria Foley, and there were four co-Chairs: Tayzia Abattoir, Nuala Maracas, Stella Costello who was succeeded halfway by Charlene Trudeau, and Belle Loll.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Why does Relay for Life take place overnight? A:
- Q: Where do the funds go? A:
- Q: Is it possible to fundraise outside the Relay for Life season? A: The committee encourages volunteers to take a break between August and February. But off-season/year-round fundraising for the American Cancer Society is permitted in some circumstances, yes. See Off-season/year-round fundraising guidelines below.
Planning Committee 2009-2010
- Event Chair: Tayzia Abattoir
- Event co-chairs: Nuala Maracas and MamaP Beerbaum
- American Cancer Society representative in Second Life: Stingray9798 Raymaker
- Other positions to be announced
Timetable 2009-2010
- To be announced
Off-season/year-round fundraising guidelines 2009-2010
- The RFL of SL committee recommends that volunteers take a break from Relay For Life from August to February. This is to avoid donor fatigue and give everyone a much-needed break to spend time with their SL and RL families, so that they are all well-rested and ready to devote their time and passion once again from March onwards.
- Just because volunteers are resting does not mean that they have to cease all activity. Many teams plan year-round and have events on the kick-off day.
- This year, as years past, the committee continues to get requests for off-season fundraising kiosks and vendors. This has caused the committee to re-examine its guidelines and tweak them to support those that do not wish to cease fundraising efforts during the downtime.
- People who request off-season kiosks and vendors will be obliged, on the understanding that they may not advertise events as 'Relay For Life of Second Life' events.
- They also CANNOT use the volunteer group or any RFL groups to advertise events and/or vendors, as the committee feels that the community needs a break.
- They may, however, advertise in other ways (SL events calendar or other media) that they are doing an event to support the American Cancer Society or with proceeds going from their sales (in official vendors) to the American Cancer Society.
- Vendors/kiosks will have a script in them to make them vanish on March 13, 2010 so that they will not be confused with the regular season fundraising kiosks.
- Those people requesting year-round/off-season vendors/kiosks need to be made aware of this stipulation and will need to either join/have a team for regular season ones, or request new general donation kiosk/vendor(s) after March the 13th, 2010.
- To receive an off-season kiosk/vendor with set up instructions, people should contact: Jaelle Akulla (RFL of SL Off-Season/Non-Team Chair) or Seaway Brodsky (RFL of SL Off-Season/Non-Team Co-Chair).
Articles
- 2005
- 2006
- 'Why Walk? Virtual Walkathon Helps Raise Money For Cancer Research' by Stephen Totilo, MTV News, July 20, 2006
- Relay for Life: Aimee's Build Crew, by Aimee Weber, Second Life Insider, July 21, 2006
- 'Running for Life' by Wagner James Au, New World Notes, July 22, 2006
- 'Virtual Relay for Life nets $38,000 for American Cancer Society!' by Rik Panganiban, The Click Heard Around the World, July 24, 2006
- 'Second Life Fundraising: Philanthropy Dips Its Toe Into Virtual Worlds' by Tom Watson, onPhilanthropy, July 26, 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 'American Cancer Society Relay For Life Of Second Life Marks Milestone Year In Virtual World', Medical News Today, July 9, 2009
- 'Relay for Life of Second Life is International!', Best of Second Life (BOSL), July 2009
- 'Virtual Relay For Life fundraiser in Second Life' by Benny Evangelista, San Francisco Chronicle (SF Gate), July 17, 2009
- 'Relaying for a Good Cause: RFL in SL' by Dulcie Mills, Rezlibris, July 2009
- 'Relay for Life Shatters Records', Best of Second Life (BOSL), July 24, 2009
- 'Relay for Life Shatters Records, Raises Over $270,000 to Fight Cancer', SL Newspaper, July 25, 2009
- 'Compassionate Redheads Win 2009 Spirit of Relay Award' by Bixyl Shuftan, SL Newspaper, August 2, 2009
- 'Relay for Life 2009 Final Results' Best of Second Life (BOSL), August 2009
- 'Relay for Life of Second Life goes to National Summit', SL Newspaper, August 15, 2009
- 'Brother and Sister Team Up in Second Life to Support Relay for Life' by Nazz Lane, September 7, 2009
- 'For the Love of Relay for Life', by Isadora Fiddlesticks, Avenue Magazine, September, 2009 - online version of the special SLCC 2009 print edition
Videos
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 'Relay For Life Giant Snail Race in Second Life - March 21 2009' by SLCNfan, promotional video, March 18, 2009
- 'Giant Snail Relay for Life 09' by waelyatenk, April 15, 2009
- 'Relay For Life 2009 in Second Life' by MarkTwain White, July 2009
- 'Relay for Life Charity Video: Believe in the Dream', by waelyatenk, July 19, 2009
Links
Pictures
- volunteer pictures on Flickr
- Second Life Relay For Life 2007 pictures by Tao Takashi
- RFL of SL 2009 pictures by IshtarAngel Micheline
- RFL of SL 2008 pictures by IshtarAngel Micheline
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