Relay for Life, the signature fundraising event to benefit the American Cancer Society, recently ended its fifth and most successful campaign in the virtual world of Second Life after having raised over a quarter of a million US dollars in support of cancer research.

Fayandria & Morgan, originally uploaded by Ka Rasmuson.

It may seem odd to be involved in a walkathon event, without leaving your home or doing any actual walking, but Fayandria Foley, the Relay for Life of Second Life Event Chair who has participated in the virtual event for four very successful years (three as the Event Chair) says it is also very powerful. She describes it as a “very intense mind to mind connecting with people at a moment of raw.”  She says it is “more emotional and has a stronger impact” then doing the event at a real world location. “You are home in your comfort zone and you are Relaying; walking the track, seeing others there with you, hearing the songs, and reading the memories. There is nothing to pull you off of the experience.”

RFL 2009, originally uploaded by Daniel Voyager.

Foley joined the cause after receiving her own diagnosis of cancer. “I heard I had cancer, went to my car, and waited. I was going to kill myself; I couldn’t face cancer.” Foley says Relay saved her life. “I saw a Relay event at a High School across a street. At the time, I didn’t even know what it was. Those Relayers grabbed me up and gave me the desire to love my life and to live it; with cancer, but it live it without fear.”

RFL sculpture, originally uploaded by kumi kuhr.

Foley, along with the many virtual volunteers, did a fantastic job of making this year Relay nothing short of spectacular. The theme of the event was “One World, One Hope.” It was the largest Second Life Relay to date, with a track running 11,907 meters long, winding through 37 beautifully crafted SIMs. More than 1,900 avatars on over 120 teams completed a combined total of 2,155 laps, during the 24 hour virtual walkathon.

RFL Tranquility sim, originally uploaded by kumi kuhr.

Foley, who after this year is stepping down as SL RFL Event Chair said,

“This was our largest and most successful Relay ever. We have put Relay for Life of Second Life on the map not only in Second Life, but also in real life. Gwinnett County Relay For Life (one of the largest perennial events in the USA, with more than 6,000 participants raising more than one million dollars) may be the biggest Relay for Life and the largest money maker in real life, but they don’t have participants from over 26 different countries, a survivor camp on the moon, a roller coaster, or sailing activities, they don’t have tinies and furries, they don’t have the ability to fly and to teleport from one side of the track to the other, and above all they don’t have you! We are truly One World!”

Snapshot_1964, originally uploaded by Miss D Ember.

Second Life resident and Relay participant Kumi Kuhr said, “For me RFL is a truly public event in SL.. and is the most wonderful time of year to meet all types of people united for a common purpose.” One reason this occurs is because of the numerous public campaigns that are thrown by each Relay group. The campaigns feature a wide range of events for the Second Life community to participate from live musical performances, to specialized contests, to art and clothing auctions.

RFL Auction, originally uploaded by Juko Tempel.

Another reason this virtual community is strong is that Second Life offers a way for patients and caregivers to feel less isolated. Many times they cannot leave their homes or participate in a Relay event at their real location so this virtual event gives them to have the opportunity to do their part, fight, and have their voice be heard.

RFL Tranquility, originally uploaded by redesigns.

Many people call the virtual world of Second Life a game. Events like Relay for Life and the communities it unites prove not only that Second Life is not a game, but it also has the ability to positively impact, change, and make a difference in our real lives. I applaud everyone who participated in this virtual event whether it was by walking, donating, designing, contributing, etc.

RFL walk 2009 , originally uploaded by Kyla Radikal.

Next year’s Second Life campaign runs from March through July 2010, but you don’t have to wait until then to fight back against cancer. Visit www.cancer.org and get involved today!

Linden Lab, the creators of Second Life, debuted a new portal for organizations to serve as a more professional face for the virtual world. The new “Work” sub-domain continues the company’s slow, but steady revamp. The site features case studies of enterprises successfully using Second Life and offers a free tour of the Second Life environment.

For those of us, like myself, that work in virtual worlds helping businesses, educational institutions, and non-profits harness the power of these 3D worlds, this site is a breathe of fresh air. While the tides are changing everyday, historically it has been difficult to present to organizations the true potential of these virtual worlds. This site not only brings a fresh, clean design sense, but it also clearly highlights some of the uses and benefits of the platform in way that is organized and easy to follow. It is a welcomed leap from the former portal, the SLGrid, which was cluttered and disorganized.

If Linden Lab continues this kind of progression to other areas such as the client user interface, and launches a much needed marketing campaign, I believe it might fulfill its claim that “2009 is a Breakout Year for Virtual Collaboration.” I am very excited to see what future fresh views they have in store for us.