Scenes From The Relaystock

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

The Relayers had a lot of fun at the Relaystock Woodstock tribute from Friday May 12 to Sunday May 14. There were numerous teams taking part, as well as numerous live musicians and DJs. On Satutday night, it was the turn of two certain teams. At 6PM, DJ Cynthia of Team Subneamers would get on stage, dancing with a number of teammates, including team captain Rita Mariner, Nydia Tungsten, and Shockwave Yareach.

 

 

Like other teams the "Sunnies" had their campsite. 

 

 Some would hang out there for a while.

 

 

Team Captain Rita Mariner, in her "Bid Me" skunk form, demonstrates one new Sunbeamer item up for sale this year, "The Hindenburger," which floated around her. 

Nydia Tungsten had Internet trouble weeks, but thankfully was able to get online for the Relaystock.

Cynthia Farshore had gotten a temporary reprieve from her "Bid Me Ruth," back in her nannygoat form.

At the time, I was in a lapine appearance due to the "Bid Me Bunny" I volunteered for. 

At the nearby Meli's Maniacs' camp, Ginger (Dusk Griswold) would occasionally play the drums).

When not there, we were often at the music stage.

Among the DJs were some live musicians, such as Maxamillian Kleene. 

Team leaders Trader Whiplash and Arizona Ballinger were dancing away as well with the audience, sometimes on top of the nearby van.

On Saturday afternoon May 13, over time most of the more active members of Team Sunbeamers came to the event area. At first it was to dance in the mud alongside the others.

As 6PM neared, the 'beamers gathered behind the stage.

Practicing their dance moves, making sure everyone was coordinated.

Finally it was time to get on stage. Trader Whiplash joked, "Did you wipe your feet before you climbed up there?" Shockwave responded, "You all having fun out there in the mud?"

Cynthia started the music, and the Sunnies started to dance. They danced to a number of classic rock songs as Cynthia played them.

With the furry dancers on stage before a mostly human audience, Shockwave mused, "Everybody avoid the brown acid. Everyone on stage looks like an animal to me." There were other musing as well, "I don't know what the age of Aquariums was." When the song "Something In The Air" was played, someone commented, "Something in the Air?  Another darn Chinese Balloon?" "Would you like to spy, in my beautiful balloon?" "The thing with Chinese Spy Balloons, there is always another along in about an hour." "Chinese balloons are never full."

 

Eventually the songs took a break for a short announcement reminding people to not keep snacking while sitting at their computer. Then the music resumed with "Sugar Sugar," which got some people musing, "Good song to follow that announcement (laughter)." "Hehe funny, they say not to eat or drink at your desk then they put on this song (giggles)." When the song "California Dreamin'" was played, Valkyrie Ice, the team succubus, mused, "Val always thought it was 'Califirnia Demons.'" When Arthur Brown's "Fire" was played, Shockwave grinned, "I was tempted to rez a giant fire for this song." When the song "Eve of Destruction" was played, Ginger mused, "the time before I am about to cook." Then came "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" by The Byrds. Ginger mused, "There is a seasoning for nearly all food. ... To everything I cook, burn burn burn."

 At one point, Shock challenged the crowd, "Okay audience!!  You got no L, but wanna contribute? Answer this question and you get 1K in the kiosk! ... What color is the Tamborine?" Several people answered "green." Shock grinned, "Damn all you know that song." Ginger mused, "We're old." Liska joked, "Listen while I eat my green tangerine." Cynthia would then play "My Green Tambourine," which Nydia Tungsten did a video of a few years ago to celebrate the team reaching Emerald for the first time.

 

When donations came in, the kiosk would give the following message:

Thank you for creating hope! Donations to this kiosk are distributed to the American Cancer Society IRL, and used to fund life-saving cancer research grants and patient services that benefit the entire world, including residents of Second Life through Hope Haven on American Cancer Society island.

Team captain Rita had pledged to match donations, and they kept coming in. Shockwave would soon challenge the crowd that if enough was raised, he'd wear a nightgown, looking like the "Big Bad Wolf" trying to disguise himself as Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother, "Anyone makes it 45K I'll wear the whole Grandma outfit." Well, the amount was soon raised, and he made good on his promise. Shock would muse, "People just don't understand the whole wearing grandma's clothes kink." Liska mused, "You should get back into World of Warships, Shocky, you could be a wolf in ship's clothing." Eventually, he heard the pictures being taken, "That better not be a camera flash I see in the back!!"

Ginger, who was in an anthro otter avatar, commented, "Earlier someone here told me I made their autistic son's day, as he loves otters." Cynthia's response was, "Well you 'otter' do that more often."

Then Nydia made her own challenge, shouting, "Tell you all what, if we get to 40K, I will go human for a week 50 K am I will go human for TWO weeks! For this cause, I will DO IT!" To her surprise, it was quickly matched. Shockwave groaned, "We just got her back!! And now she's gotta shave?!" Her response was to up the ante, " I am putting out here. IF we reach $100K I will go human for over 1 MONTH!" FluffyFoxy364 Resident offered, "I'll go Shark for a month if the Sunbeamers hit 1 Million." Someone responded, "We're gonna need a bigger stage"

The offers to match donations continued to come in, Brian (BrianL61 Landar) offering, "I will donte $L1000 if two people match me, I will donate another $L2000."

 

Finally Rita announced, "By the way, we hit 100K mudpuppies." Hearing that she had to make good on her promise, Nydia spoke, "Okay I love you ALL, but I'm a shut my mouth now. ... I will be Human until JUNE 15th!" Her friends cheered, "Go Nydia!"

At one point, someone rezzed a Volkswagon Beetle painted in 60s colors and started driving around. Eventually the driver lagged and spun out of the sim, crashing afterwards.

Among the funnery, some of the team would explain some personal reasons for why they were in the Relay for Life. Shockwave Yareach would say, "My dad and stepmom died from cancer.  I relay for them. ...  I hope we can find the magic bullet and stop this terror." Ginger would add, "My Mom died from cancer when I was 12, I mostly relay for her. ... My sister and sister in law survived breast cancer, fairly recently." Snowy (Skylark Lefavre) would say, "I relay for my 11 year-old (SL) daughter cancer took." Nydia spoke, "I survived cancer, but I relay for my friends and family and those I care for here in SL!" Liska remarked, "Resident): Been fairly lucky with family, I relay mostly for Fluffy.  Cancer went after him, and cancer got it's ass kicked."

 

Rita would say, "We relay for many of our friends and family who lost the fight against cancer." Ginger would say, "Our campsite will have items out representing those we have lost and those who are either fighting it or survived." Shockwave told, "Together, we remember them, and try to save the next generation!"

Eventually, the end of the Sunweaver's time on stage was in sight. Shockwave told the crowd, "We are grateful for your generosity.  And we hope you've enjoyed the trip down memory lane," then grinned about his outfit, "even if this is one memory I'll regret." Fireworks would soon be launched into the air, better visible when the viewer was set to Midnight. 

 

Finally, it was over, and time for the 'beamers to leave the stage.

From Cynthia Farshore

The team had done very well, that night, raising over 111,000 Linden dollars, or as Cynthia put it, "WWHHOOOOOOOAaaaaaa! Goat is going to faint!" "That was a lot of fun," Mato would say, "we raised a lot!"

 

An amount of a few tens of thousands would come from one generous donor who prefers to stay anonymous.

It was then 7:30PM, and time for the last performance that night, DJ Kayla with other members of "Roos With A Dream."

As the Roos' set wound down, they joined those of the Sunbeamer team that had stuck around.

From Cynthia Farshore

When the Roos' set ended at 9PM, they'd gotten another large amount of cash. They'd raised over 126,000 Linden dollars, even more than the Sunbeamers. For the home team, the Relay Rockers, they'd gotten the largest boost of all from the event. When the final performance on Sunday night, Trader Whiplash's, was over, the team had been pushed past the one million mark, and Emerald rank fundraising. A few days later, the Rockers would score more with the "Bid The Lindens Bald" event, which sent them past the two million mark.

On the last day of the Relaystock, Sunday May 14, Sunbeamer captain Rita would say, "I want to thank those of you that participated yesterday at Relaystock. It was a blast and we set a record for raising donations for the Sunbeamers. The ROOS beat us in total, but they loved our help.  Between the two of us, we raised enough to make a team go from zero to Platinum."

The last comment would be Trader Whiplash's who on Wednesday May 17 announced how much the events raised:

Final totals are in for the RelayStock weekend and today's  Bid Lindens & Moles Bald

L$1,825,179
$7,437 US

Thanks You to all the teams who took part in RelayStock and everyone who came over to enjoy the weekend and to those who took part in today's Bid The Lindens Bald.  You all rock !

It was one groovy weekend with lots of mud, rock n' roll, and fun Relaying.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Roos! Go Rockers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Addition: The lady who donated the few tens of thousands of Lindens was Charlee Amethyst.

Reader Submitted: The Privateers Ball Hauls In A King’s Ransom!

 

By Cynthia Farshore

 

On Sunday May 21st Relay For Life Team Aether Chrononauts Tiny Steps or ACTS lead by Wildstar Beaumont  and Liz Wilner held The Privateers Ball Swashbucklers for Life Edition to benefit Relay for Life of Second Life 2023 on Rosehaven Absinthe in the Rosehaven sim group from noon to 2pm SLT. The dance was to raise donations for the American Cancer Society through Relay For Life of Second Life kiosk. 

 

With music DJed by Magda Kamanev, who has done all the Privateers Balls, the dance proved to be promising when within 15 minutes had collected L$35,000. By the time an hour had passed the total climbed to over L$100,000 with around 50 people present. Right at an hour and a half the kiosk hit L$150,000! About this time a challenge was put up that if the total reached L$175,000 then a L$25,000 contribution would be given. It was down to the wire but in the last minutes the kiosk hit L$175,000 but then quickly 185 then 195 and right in the last few seconds L$200,000!!!

 

Wildstar Beaumont is quoted to say” Thank you so much for being here and for your donations! Including the Ascot kiosks we made more than 250k L$ That is more than 1000 USD for relay for life.” and “when we started the ball team ACTS was sapphire. We sailed through emerald and we are almost ruby now. Thank you all again ! “. With three weeks left till relay weekend it’s going to be interesting just how far this team might go

Cynthia Farshore

JAPA World Tour And Graduation

 

 By Gemma Cleanslate

 

 

Our very own Dancerina Starlight who writes for the SL Newser invited us to a Showcase by Japa, The Foundation in Performing Arts April 30. The invitation read, “ In a fabulous spectacle combining Music, Movement, Dance and Light, JAPA Students will take you on a magical Journey to some of the countries of the word. We hope you enjoy this adventure with them! “

It was called World Tour and the backgrounds reflected that. It was delightful. Each student danced their own creative performance in a distinctive background and their choice of music.”

Below are several of the dancers expressing their choice of location in the world.

And Dancerina

The audience was full and so appreciative of the entire show. Many of the dancers had friends there who cheered them after the performance. Each one put a lot of work into studying how to create dances and all the accoutrements that went with their work of art. It was very impressive and enjoyed by all

This past Sunday the participants who showcased last week had an elegant Graduation. The venue was lovely and each student was presented to the audience and thanked both K L A R K (Klark Harvy), the Director and ᴅᴇʟᴀɴᴇʏ ᴊᴇɴꜱᴏɴ (DelaneyJenson Resident) Assistant Director, who were their Principals and instructors on their journey learning the elements of Choreographing in sl.

Klark addressed the class and reminded them of commitment, deligence, reliability humility, trying their best at all different levels and offered future help when asked. He reminded them to keep quality not quantity as a goal. Delaney also spoke to the group and talked about the last three months.stressing the same values as Klark and adding” fun … laughter .tears, new journeys”. She also promised help in their future endeavors.

Each graduate addressed the Principals and talked of their dedication to helping them on their way to being dance choreographers in the second life world. They also recognized the support of their classmates in achieving all that they did.

Dancerina said, “Thank you, Principal Klark Harvy and Vice Principal Delaney Jenson for your unwavering expectations of excellence in all aspects of the JAPA Foundation in Performing Arts Program. You have taught (me) us and have done that exceedingly well. You have prepared us for walls beyond the JAPA complex, which demonstrates your commitment to dance in Second Life at-large! Thank you!

Also, thank you, ladies for being so Class of 2023(ish)! *Winks* I appreciated all the support you each provided! Congratulations to us! Yeah, we didn't learn easily!”

After the ceremony all moved outside to enjoy a party with music provided by Faith Heartsong It was a delightful event all around. It will be fun to see what the graduates do with all their new found knowledge in Second Life.

Here is the full list of graduates. Keep an eye out for their creations.


Jaden Samas
Icy Zeplin
Inara Sugarplum
(Sarah) Sarah Flinker
Morganna Marenwolf
Darcy Darkheart
Dancerina Starlight
Lin Carlucci
(Raven) Ravyn Amore
(Rose) Rosewan Resident

Gemma Cleanslate

 

RFL Sunbeamers, Roos With A Dream, Teams Level Up After Medieval Fun Faire

 

By Bixyl Shuftab

 

 

Saturday May 6 was the day of the Relay for Life's Team Sunbeamer's Medieval Fun Faire. At Caledon Downs, from 9AM to 5PM, people could take part in activities such as archery, axe tossing, kissing booths, racing horses over an obstacle course, and jousting. There was also a "jail and bail" with team captain Rita Mariner as the appointed sheriff. 

The event was organized by Cynthia Farshore, who only the week before had done the Sunbeamer and Roos Air Show.

 

There were more than a few jokes among those showing up. Of the hatching throwing contest, "Well, you 'axed' for it, Cuz." "Not a real problem. I have, a 'handle' on it." Also there were a few from team "Roos With A Dream," one commenting, "Yea we can get a little vulgar, but ya know,  when you live in a place where even the sun is trying to  kill you, you gotta learn to laugh at things."

There was a contest at the archery shoot, with the prize being a special bow. The winner was Nephilim Ventris.

 

 

Of the jousting tournament, several took part including Liska and Ginger. The winner of the jousting tournament was Jeff Keith (Redshirt Zepp), getting a 1000L prize. He also won the axe throwing competition, the latter which got him a special axe as a prize. Cynthia would also tell me, "Skysong (sgudeman Resident) won the horse jump competition prize of L$1000."

 

As for the Jail and Bail, everyone must have been on their best behavior as the stocks were empty that day.

 

Just a few minutes before 3PM, I saw a balloon floating over, It was DJ Kakya and more of the 'Roos team."We'd like to thank the Sunbeamers for letting us be part of another fun event!" one shouted after they landed. And before long, they were on stage dancing away, with those in the audience dancing as well.

 

The donations soon started, "Okay, everyone, here is our first challenge tonight. When the kiosk reaches 10,000, Roos will add 5,000." Someone mused, "10,000 Roos? How much is that in Lindens?" There were also a few comments about Australia being founded in part by penal colonies, one American commenting, "Our country wasn't founded by convicts, but the crooks are running it now." 

 

But the comments soon turned to the main issue, "The Roos' 'dream' is of a world where cancer has been ended as a concerning health issue. In this world: - the words "You have cancer" no longer strike FEAR in people's hearts... - the treatments for cancer cause no PAIN.. - care is not EXHAUSTING for loved ones...- and the GRIEF of losing our family and friends before their time is a thing of the past. We’d like to enlist your support in making this dream come true sooner rather than later so more people will be spared the agony of dealing with cancer."

People started chipping in. And at one point, a dragon showed up to hover. Cynthia warned him, "Uuuhh, just a warning, your butt is right on top of the fireworks launcher." So he landed nearby and joined in the dancing. 

At one point the talk turned to a planned music video of "Cheeseburgers in Paradise" that was never made. Kalya commented, "By the way Aussie  cheeseburger recipe!, get out your pens to make notes :  1 hotdog roll  sliced down the middle, enough tomato to cover lengthwise, a  slice of shaved ham,    some onion rings, again  lengthwise!  4 slices of  cheddar cheese,  lay that on top of the  rest, salt and petter to taste, then put the cover on, put in sandwich machine and cook! ... Anyway that's the cheese burger I know." "No burger in your cheeseburger?" someone asked. "That is how its done in Oz !" the DJ responded. "Ummm, that's called a Ham and Cheese Kayla."

The donations kept coming and coming, and at one point Cynthia looked at the total, and did a fainting gesture, "Dang been in so much IM and WHAT!!!!" Shockwave responded, "Okay which one of you keeps fainting my goat?!"

As the event got closer to the end, fireworks went off, better visible with one's viewer at Midnight.

Of the kiosks around the rest of the festival grounds, the money donated into them added up to 17,570 Lindens. But the lion's share was done at the concert kiosk. A whopping amount of over 150K ended up in the stage kiosks thanks in part to the remote donations. When word got out the teams were getting close to leveling, still more came and it was enough to send them over the edge. 

 

 

A total of 170,826 Linden dollars was raised between the Sunbeamers and Roos, the Sunnies making 94,198 L and the Roos getting 76,628 Lindens. This bumped the Sunbeamers to over 750K, and making Sapphire rank, and Roos With a Dream past a half million and into Jade.

 

Before leaving, one of the Roos would say, "We love doing these events with Sunbeamers and we love the support of you all just being here!"

Cynthia would later post on Discord an after-action report. 

 

Well as the Sunbeamer Medieval Fun Fair went, it was fun however the fair was a little weak in attendance but did just a tad better in donations. Together with the Roos it came out Roos gained L$76,628 and Sunbeamers got L$94,198 for a two team total of L$170,826. Thus the Roos made Jade and the Sunbeamers crossed the Sapphire line. oh well maybe we'll do better next year.

Still, the event did get both teams a lot of cash. As of the writing of this article, the Sunbeamers are ninth of 173 teams on the totals page (leaving out the Sci-Fi Expo, which isn't really a team). The Roos were bumped up to number fifteen. 

And this is far from the end of the Sunbeamer's efforts. There's still one more Bid Me event to donate to (more on that later), the team's participation at the Relaystock. And of course there's the Relay Weekend next month.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Roos! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan