The 2021 Relay Kickoff

 By Bixyl Shuftan

After months of waiting, the Relay for Life's 2021 fundraising season finally started on Saturday February 20.

The theme for this year, "Cure for a Happy Ending."

Yours truly hopped over a couple days early for a few pictures of the American Cancer society sim.

But what was behind the curtain wouldn't be revealed until later.

The schedule that day was: 9am - music by Trader then at 10am the Kick Off Ceremony. Following that was the "all day party" with 11am music by Fiz Underwood, 1pm Purelife Magnifico, 3pm Riker, 5pm Tazzie Tuque, 7pm Anni Braveheart. Those who couldn't listen inworld could tune to T1Radio and RelayRadio on their webbrowsers.

Gemma Cleanslate was there before I was, and got a few pictures.

The sim where most of the action was, American Cancer Society2, was full with 60 avatars. I was at the edge of ACS in the "overflow" with over two dozen more.

Because of the Platinum Avatar Challenge, I was in a different form, a tiny Dinkie fox. 

Some of the people didn't show up as much more than body parts early on, but Stingray Raymaker and Gem Sunkiller rezzed okay.

Several members of team Friends For A Cure, including co-captains Ari and Adam Spark. Behind them are Avariel Falcon, Bane Finch, and Panza Eilde.

There were several members of team Sunbeamers, Matt Carlton, Liska Fuchs, Spooked Dreamscape, Snowbuns (Skylark Lefavre) and Nikki (Cynthia Farshore had made it ahead of us)

One of the HC Honor Guard.

By now, most people had rezzed, most of them. I still needed to "cover some butts" in the editing room.

The lighting was best viewed at Midnight. We caught up with Cynthia.

MamaP Alter (AlterP Beerbaum) was among those dancing to the music.

Visible at times were scenes of fireworks.

 In the back of the sim behind the castle was a "Road to Recovery."

It was a path with a number of obstacles.

But persistence eventually overcomes them.

For those interested, the "Road to Recovery" is still up, at least for now.

A video of the event was made, and pictures can be found on the RFL Flickr page, including Ishtarkiss's Kickoff album.

Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

The 2020 Relay Season Kickoff

By Bixyl Shuftan
Some pictures from Gemma Cleanslate

The largest fundraiser in Second Life is the Relay for Life. Started in 1985, the leading charity for the American Cancer Society has numerous chapters not only across the United States, but around the world. The Relay for Life in Second Life ranks as one of it's largest, one year ranking 17th in size. Starting in 2014, the Relay has held fundraising seasons inworld every year. This year's theme: "Game on Cancer!"

Just a couple days before the Kickoff, the Home and Garden Expo started.

There were several sims with shops, and places to look around.

The Kickoff took place on Saturday February 15 at 10AM SL time. With so many Relayers, it would be not in one sim, but two. The main location was at the Hope 1 sim, at the Home and Garden Expo.

There was also another location at the Bellissaria fairgrounds.

Gemma Cleanslate was there and took a few pictures.

Including of when Stingray Rainmaker showed up.

There were avatars of all kinds, including a giant fox.

The Committee was on stage, some rezzing more properly on my viewer than others.

There were numerous words of encouragement from the Committee, with videogame music tribute melodies in the background from Mario Land to Tetris, and others.

 Following the Kickoff, there was a "Family Feud" game. This one pitted Moles against some noted Relayers.

While I was there, the Relayers were ahead, but the Moles were putting up a  fight.

Two other photographers would take a number of screenshots that day. They were Ishtarkiss (link), and Wildstar Beaumont (link).

Stay tuned for more pictures of Relay events.