Relay For Life of Second Life

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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

  • The American Cancer Society's real world Relay For Life began in Tacoma, Washington in May 1985.
  • Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, decided to personally raise money for his local American Cancer Society office and show support for his patients by doing something he enjoyed – running marathons.
  • Dr. Klatt ran for 24 hours around the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran for more than 83 miles. Nearly 300 of his friends, family, and patients watched and friends donated $25 to run or walk with him for 30 minutes. His efforts raised $27,000 to fight cancer.
  • Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event, and 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 'City of Destiny Classic 24-hour Run Against Cancer' on the track at the historic Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000.

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. It was the brainchild of Jade Lily (who in real life, as The New York Times reported, was an airman called Keith Morris). It covered six sims.
  • 2006 The second Relay For Life of Second Life took place on Saturday, July 22 through Sunday, July 23. It started on Saturday at 5pm SL time. The total raised was approx. US$40,000. It was again 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 Saturday, July 21 through Sunday, July 22, 2007. 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 through 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 and the Event Co-Chair was David Jacobs.
  • 2009 The fifth Relay For Life of Second Life took place on Saturday, July 18 through Sunday, July 19, 2009. 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: The significance of daytime and nighttime coincides with the journey that all cancer patients go through. A much-used slogan is 'Cancer doesn't sleep and neither do we'.

Q: How does this Relay differ from Relay For Life in real life?

A: The main difference is location. Residents form teams, set up and decorate campsites, and sell small items to help raise money just like at a local relay. Since this is a virtual environment however, there are some activities that are special to Second Life, such as, snail races and sailboat races.

Q: Relay For Life is an activity of the American Cancer Society. Is it just for Americans?

A: Relay For Life is international. In real life, Relay For Life is licensed to national cancer societies in 21 countries outside the United States, and the American Cancer Society's International Relay For Life Program provides training and technical assistance to licensees. In Second Life, participation by residents from other countries is growing, with avatars from over 26 real life countries taking part in 2009.

Q: Why should people from other countries donate Lindens to an American cause?

A: Approx. 12-15% of Lindens donated to Relay For Life of Second Life are donated to international causes.

Q: How can I be sure my Lindens will get to the right place?

A: See: http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/secondlifedonations

Q: Where does my Relay For Life donation go?

A: See: http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/dollarsmakeadifference

Q: Is it possible to fundraise outside the Relay For Life season?

A: In Second Life, 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. For the current procedures see Off-season/year-round fundraising guidelines 2009-2010 below.

Planning Committee 2009-2010

Timetable 2009-2010

  • Feb 1, 2010 -- Teams registration opens!
  • March 13, 2010 -- Kick-off Party
  • July 17-18, 2010 -- Go Relay!

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 in 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 completely during the downtime.
  • People who request off-season kiosks and vendors will be obliged, but with a specific set of kiosks and vendors that deposit donations into the general Relay For Life event fund.
  • 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.
  • No split percentages, (offering products for sale with a percentage of proceeds going to the American Cancer Society) is allowed. This is a safeguard so people do not use the ACS name to benefit/profit themselves.
  • Offseason Vendors/kiosks 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 kiosks/vendors, or request new general donation kiosks/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).

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