Relay for Life

This time last year I was helping build for the Caledon RFL team. This time, with full time work I don't have time to contend with the lag that is SL. So I haven't been even reading the IMs on the subject let alone joining in.
So I was kinda chuffed when Autopilotpatty asked me to build a lantern for her as part of the RFL activities.
I built the lantern... eventually and Patty was very happy with it and asked if I would be happy to put it in a RFL vendor. Well of course!
Only thing is that I was then sent the vendor to set up! Well with my lag it tool three crashes and the better part of an hour to get it all happening. But it is happening and you can buy a set of three copyable lanterns in the three shades.

Relay for Life

It's that time of year again! Caledon's Relay for Life build team is being lead by Mr Volare. A wonderful bunch of builders have been attending meetings... and I have not. 5 am ozzie morning time!

So while I was invited to join them, as time passed it seemed less and less likely that i would be able to contribute.
Finally I was free of other commitments and on line at the same time as the rest of the world and I contacted Miss Fog and Mr Volare and was encouraged to take on the forecourt for the build they had begun up on the platform above their sim

It seemed a huge job.
Especially when I wasn't feeling up to speed on the big picture. I re-read all my note cards and blundered around with prims for 36 hours. I managed to build a gazebo but little else that was inspiring me.
Finally I went to the actual Relay for Life site and saw our place and was both excited and devastated to see we had topography!
Ditch all original plans. no loss they were dull
.
As it is, what I have built isn't exciting... exactly... but I think it does what it should. Welcomes and entices. Yeh?
Pond

Bridge

Water fowl

Relay For Life

Relay for Life is something that is a relatively big thing in Second Life. Not sure about across the whole grid, as I seldom venture far from Caledon, but certainly it is a big thing in the circles that I move in. It is a massive effort thrown behind fund raising for Cancer and also raising awareness. First there is fund raising within certain groups. Caledon has vendors selling donated goods. In previous years there were also a lot of functions. Then there are the sims built to for the actual relay. A place full of wonderful visions within SL to honour the families affected by cancer. There are lots of vendors set up here too to raise money. Then there is the relay itself with avatars trekking the course.
Last year the money seemed to have the major focus. This year was a lower key affair due to the whole economic thing. I have not had a lot to do with it. Not by design. I started out with good intentions, knowing that later I might find it more difficult to do much.
At the beginning there was a call out for donations. I set to and built a summer house just for the occasion. To be put in a vendor and sold with funds to go to the cause. For reasons I have no insight into, my summer house never saw the light of day. No idea why. Too embarrassed to ask.

But, it's not about egos but about cancer. At the moment my uncle is dying from it. Horrible to say, but he has been dying for a year now. We thought it would be any day now, and it may, but last I heard he seemed to be rallying. Such a cruel thing, this disease. So I walked some of the Relay track, and I lit a couple of candles for him.

It happened that the where I found an unlit lamp was just outside a place Wrath had been building for the relay. I took a few photos.. but had my huds and stuff in the photos which was a stupid oversight and not worth putting those picks up Hopefully a lesson learnt! Above shows one of the lamps I lit and below Wrath's build. I met up with Mr Whybrow and Miss Garnet there and had a bit of a chat. I could see that some where high above me, Mr Wrath was sitting amongst his creations :)