American Cancer Society to hold third annual Virtual Relay For Life in Second Life

Second Life volunteers shatter fundraising goal weeks before event

On July 27 and 28, the American Cancer Society and Second Life will team up once again to celebrate survivorship and raise money for the fight against cancer by holding the Society’s third annual virtual Relay For Life® in the Second Life virtual world.

This year’s event, supported by the Society’s Futuring and Innovation Center, is expected to attract nearly 2,500 global participants. Volunteer organizers have already shattered their goal of raising $75,000 by raising nearly $90,000 (or $24 million Linden dollars, the official Second Life currency) to support cancer research and programs.

The Society’s virtual Relay For Life began in 2005 when Society volunteers in the Second Life community contacted Society staff to discuss the idea of creating a Relay event in the virtual world. In 2006, the event raised more than $41,000 and attracted more than 1,100 participants to a track that included real-world representations of New York City, Paris, Mexico, Sweden and South Africa. During this year’s event, as in past years, avatars will gather to donate money and walk on a custom-built track that encompasses a 512-acre park.

Using the theme “Quest for a Cure,” volunteers are planning to use action adventure movies as inspiration for the games, scenes and activities that will greet participants during this year’s Relay.

“The Second Life community continues to show unwavering support, dedication and inexhaustible creativity as we draw close to another record breaking event,” said Randal Moss, the Society’s manager of futuring and innovation-based strategies.