RFL - Team Caledon

Second Life's Relay for Life, uh, relay was this past weekend. Once again, the Steamlands were well represented, with at least five builds, at least three teams, at least seven of the top 15 finishers, and more participants than I could count.

I'll break up this picture-heavy set of posts across the various groups and builds. First up: Team Caledon, which occupied a space in the RFL Start Here sim (something of a mixed blessing, as too many people did, in fact, Start Here, causing immense lag initially).

The team camp was a modest building from the outside, with bricks and rivets giving a nod to Steampunkery.


The designation "Diamond Team" signifies raising between L$1 million and L$10 million - only the "Purple" level - above L$10 million - is higher. Caledon raised slightly more than L$1.5 million, an impressive total in a deep recession when the Guv signalled a desire to cut back on fundraising efforts this year.

Inside, the building houses the Hope of a Cure Factory, created by Mr. Equine McMillan, representing "the power of cooperation against a common enemy, for a future that's a better place for all of us."

Paying the Factory yields the RFL Cure Rose, created by Mr. Omicron Llewellyn and Miss Soliel Snook:

Behind the main structure is a smaller, modest building, housing various fundraising goodies.

The race itself - sorry, no pictures, as I was running, okay? - was horribly laggy for the first few hours. It was probably just great overnight, but I'm a slacker, and needed sleep. Sunday morning it was fairly low-lag, and I managed to complete two full laps at that point. All in all, I estimate I managed about four laps, or close to 48,000 meters.

Of course, I was a complete idler compared to the big guns: Miss Fogwoman Gray (21.12 laps), Miss Eugenia Burton (21.00 - fine, a Steelheader, not a Caledonian, but let's not quibble), Miss Aevalle Galicia (20.96), Miss Darlingmonster Ember (20.77), Mr. Viderian Vollmar (20.69), Mr. Wrath Constantine (17.92), and Miss Random Wezzog (17.85). (Apologies if I missed anyone from the Steamlands in the top 15 - no slight intended.) I don't know how they had the stamina, or the patience to outwait the lag.

Congratulations to Miss Kiralette Kelley, Team Captain for Team Caledon in 2009, and everyone who put in so many hours, not just over the past weekend, but the entire season. It's heartbreaking to hear so many stories of cancer - survivors, relatives of cancer patients, the stories of those who didn't make it. But in shared tragedy is shared comfort.