Tag: event

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Join us on September 21 for the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life 5th Anniversary Celebration

Friday, September 21 at the Nonprofit Commons (NPC) on Plush and Aloft
with events throughout the day and festive formal dress encouraged!

5th Anniversary Celebration Events happen at 8:30 AM, 3:30 PM, 8:30
PM, and 3:30 AM. Please see details below:

8:30 – 10:00 AM SLT
Morning Nonprofit Commons Meeting including NPC History, Awards, and
All Star NPC Members Coughran Mayo, Jacques Macaire and much more at
Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

Meeting Agenda
8:30 AM Introductions
8:40 AM TechSoup Announcements
8:45 AM Nonprofit Commons History
9:00 AM All Star NPC Members’ Stories for the Future
9:30 AM Nonprofit Commons All Star Awards
9:45 AM Open Mic / Announcements

3:30 – 5:00 PM SLT
DJ DyVerse Dance Party Meet and Greet at CommonGround Aloft Nonprofit
Commons. Enjoy networking and dancing among other nonprofits and
supporters! Learn more about what nonprofits, educators,
humanitarians, scientists, and artists accomplish in Second Life at
the Nonprofit Commons at this fun and informative event.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aloft%20Nonprofit%20Commons/59/68/25

8:30 – 10:30 PM SLT
Active Collaborative Community Planning Workshop to create solutions
for all our unify goals for the Virtual Vision 2020 – an initiative to
develop a plan for the Second Life community at Plush Nonprofit
Commons Amphitheater. All Second Life Communities are welcome to
participate in building partnerships and solutions.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

Workshop Agenda
8:30 PM Introductions
8:40 PM Explanation of Community Planning and Virtual Vision 2020 Purpose
8:50 PM Breakout groups discussion of goals and identification of who
might help achieve goal
9:20 PM Presentation of breakout group solutions and strategies
9:40 PM Build partnerships to lead by example

3:30 – 4:30 AM SLT Live Music Meet and Greet at CommonGround Aloft
Nonprofit Commons.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aloft%20Nonprofit%20Commons/59/68/25

Please Come Join the Nonprofit All Stars!

Written by: Zinnia Zauber

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Techsoup @CALCASA National Sexual Assault Conference

This week the @NPSL leaders are speaking at the National Sexual Assault Conference hosted by @CALCASA in Hollywood, CA. Susan Tenby and Megan Keane are on a panel with Janet Fouts today on LISTENING online, engaging through finding, hearing and connecting with your greater audience.

Listen NSAC

There are presenters and exhibitors here from state and government agencies, nonprofits and technology service providers assisting the domestic violence and sexual assault agencies around the United States. Some use very unusual methods to get their stories across.

Tomorrow Jessica Dally, Megan Keane, Susan Tenby and Evonne Heyning will be leading a panel at 8:30AM Thursday on storytelling across many media channels online. We look forward to sharing tools and tips with this audience and sharing them with you! We are doing a mixed reality tour today at 2PM with Buffy Beale inworld if you’d like to join us here #NSAC.

Written by: InKenzo

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Candlelight Vigil for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

Candlelight Vigil for ALS
Sunday, May 16
5 – 7 p.m. SLT
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/94/128/26

Please join The ALS Association in a candlelight vigil to mark ALS Awareness Month. This virtual vigil will follow the RL vigil in Washington DC, so that people who are not able to attend in DC can still be involved.

It will provide an opportunity for each person to raise a candle in memory of loved ones who passed away from ALS and to honor those who continue to live with the disease.

Many custom designed items will be for sale to help raise funds and awareness for ALS. All proceeds go directly to The ALS Association.

The ALS Association fights Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front by leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating care through certified clinics, and fostering government partnerships.

The ALS Association is an NPC tenant and has a presence on Health Commons. For more information, please contact:
Em Ellsmere (Tina Walker in RL, tina@alsa-national.org)

Written by: DustyArtaud

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Haiti Relief in Second Life: A View from the Nonprofit Commons Collaboration

The Virtual Haiti Relief campaign in Second Life has become a fascinating experiment in engagement here for us at Nonprofit Commons — I hope we can learn from this endeavor for future work. Over a dozen avatars actively shared their skills by creating interactive experiences, events, fundraisers and outreach campaigns to help raise support for the people of Haiti over 6 weeks this winter. Many hundreds of avatars visited campaign spaces, from the Benefit Music Festival to the Help Haiti Hub aid distribution center.

Haiti Benefit Festival at Nonprofit Commons

This campaign took off when Rhiannon Chatnoir and the Virtual Haiti Relief group was able to take the scripted code from the Relay for Life kiosks and create a specialized Haiti relief kiosk that was spread throughout Second Life. Let’s look at the fundraising numbers and rank of monies raised by this community on our four sims:

2) Health Commons $760 or L$197619
24) Plush Nonprofit Commons $83 or L$21440
28) Aloft Nonprofit Commons $68 or L$17541
72) ECO Commons $16 or L$3910

Total raised from NPC: L$240,510 or nearly $1,000USD (thanks to all of you for contributing!). This campaign as a whole raised L$2,000,000 or over $7,200USD. Together the Nonprofit Commons sims raised more than any other single group working in Second Life.

Much of the money raised was passive — beyond the organized music and arts festival events there were many thousands that came in just by making the means of donation available in public spaces around the sims. There are also over 40 musical acts that donated their time to come play for the festival on Aloft Nonprofit Commons, including LabGraal that packed the sim on a Saturday afternoon.

LabGraal

Lessons Learned:

* Events are essential! Most of our visitors and new guests came for the music festival (hundreds over the course of one weekend)
* Advertising is helpful: It helps to have friends on other sims who will get the word out for us
* Music & Entertainment draws crowds better than most other activities, especially if the band has a following
* It helps to make simple agreements quickly with one organization vs. longer route with foundations/coalition-building
* Offer content that informs as well as entertains — many guests appreciated our speakers and detailed information on how to get more involved in grassroots efforts

Special thanks to those here who supported these events/efforts including Rhiannon for building the kiosks and festival stage, Katydid Something for organizing the music festival, Mia Kitchensink, Brena Benoir, Ninlil Xentiltat & many others here at NPC for building various elements on our sims…thank you for your efforts to make this possible. The Help Haiti Hub will continue to exist for some time to allow us to process how aid and information flows across these spaces.

Dancing at the festival

We are finding that what works inworld connects closely to what works on the ground in Haiti:

HuffingtonPost article on Haitian Solidarity and Giving by Beverly Bell

From this HuffPo article:
“In the meantime, what saved many during the earthquake, and what is keeping them alive today, is a culture and economy of solidarity, or mutual aid. Solidarity is an essential strategy through which on-the-margins communities, and their individual members, can survive and thrive. Today the generosity is on overdrive.”

“Gifting and solidarity are time-honored traditions in Haiti, as around the world. The non-monetary transactions of services, care, and goods are both spontaneous and organized. They honor human relationships and attention to the well-being of the whole, not just oneself. They minimize the role of profit in economic and social relations, and thus keep respect, cooperation, and ethics thriving.”

Haiti Benefit Festival at Nonprofit Commons

We learned a lot by bringing in speakers from Ushahidi, Partners for Others, Sustainable Haiti and many other organizations working with the people on the ground to rebuild and renew.

In the spirit of giving, there are a few organizations where you can be more directly involved:
http://www.sustainablehaiti.org
http://www.crisiscommons.org
http://www.ushahidi.org

Following Ushahidi will show you up to date reports of where issues are noticed and addressed. There are many creative groups solving issues around rebuilding, permaculture and food security, water purification and medical care in remote areas. There’s a long way to go and volunteers will also be welcomed by many groups if you are interested in traveling directly to the region to help rebuild this country.

Help Haiti Hub

We are learning that there’s a lot we can do remotely to help, from fundraising to connecting organizations who are doing good work to collaborate in times of great need. Please share the lessons you have learned here so that we can begin to build better campaigns together at NPC.

Written by: InKenzo

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AVATARS RAISE MONEY FOR HAITI THROUGH VIRTUAL EVENTS, GOODS, CAMPAIGNS

2/26-2/28 THREE DAY EVENT in SECOND LIFE

Virtual Haiti Relief with TechSoup Global’s Nonprofit Commons to help Haiti

Avatars from around the world are coming together to honor the Haitian people with a cultural festival designed to raise money for Haiti relief and rebuilding efforts.

From February 26-28th the virtual world of Second Life will play host to a festival highlighting organizations on the ground in Haiti using emerging technologies for rebuilding and aid efforts. Events will include a live music festival led by Kathey Fatica (Katydid Something in Second Life) along with nonprofit organizers of TechSoup Global’s Nonprofit Commons and Virtual Haiti Relief, an online organization formed by volunteers and nonprofit staff members within the virtual world as a response to the devastation in Haiti.

Nonprofit Commons is a four-island cooperative community with representatives from over 100 charitable organizations in ten countries organized by San Francisco-based technology provider TechSoup Global. Avatars can visit the Nonprofit Commons islands in Second Life to the Help Haiti Hub where they can take action, make a donation and visit a makeshift aid distribution center (SLurl to location in Second Life: www.tinyurl.com/teleporttoNPC). Events on Friday February 26th at the Nonprofit Commons will include speakers from real-world organizations giving aid and a virtual goods auction to raise funds for Haitian relief.

”The Music & Arts Festival for Virtual Haiti Relief will be an example of the rich environment that Second Life® offers. Featured throughout the area will be a number of exhibits and artwork, a sculpture garden, and stage. Users can walk their avatars through a 3-dimensional exhibit depicting interpretations of the devastation of Haiti with a map, examples of broken landscape, and a field hospital with only rudimentary equipment. In addition, the event includes informational exhibits and speakers from organizations working to restore a balance to Haitian life, along with a general art exhibit and 40 consecutive hours of Live Music for our world audience to experience,” explains Kathey Fatica, Virtual Haiti Organizer and Creative Director at Needham Fatica Advertising Agency. “It’s our goal to create not only an environment of entertainment but also of education and empathy.”

A charity ball for avatars in Second Life will be hosted by Brenda Bryan (Brena Benoir) of the national nonprofit organization, Preferred Family Healthcare, from 7-10 PM PST/SLT on Saturday February 27th. This virtual Second Life® event will feature live music and dancing on the water while raising money for the Virtual Haiti Relief campaign.

Live music will be featured around the clock beginning at 5AM PST/Second Life Time (SLT), Saturday February 27th, and continuing through to 10PM PST/SLT on Sunday February 28th. Performances celebrating the diversity of music in Second Life® include folk, rock, jazz, and classical music from international performers based in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America.

The Music & Arts Festival for Virtual Haiti Relief is being produced with the support of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life and TechSoup Global. Visit the web for more information on TechSoupGlobal’s activities to help Haiti.

Linden Lab, creators of Second Life, have lent support to organizing and fundraising efforts within the Second Life community, providing space for memorials and outreach support. To date, dozens of events to help Haiti have been hosted within Second Life and throughout other virtual worlds.

Virtual Haiti Relief’s campaign in Second Life sends 100% of donations toward seven charities on the ground in Haiti:
The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund: www.clintonbushhaitifund.org
United Nations World Food Programme: www.wfp.org
Oxfam America: www.oxfamamerica.org
Partners in Health: www.pih.org or www.standwithhaiti.org
Red Cross: www.redcross.org
UNICEF: www.unicef.org
Yele Haiti Foundation: www.yele.org

Virtual Fundraising Success
Volunteers have already raised over $6,000 U.S. dollars in the short time the campaign has been live. The Virtual Haiti Relief Donation Package includes information on the charity, a Donation Kiosk to raise funds, a Donation Vendor to raise funds by selling items, a informational notecard explaining more details, and a Virtual Haiti Relief t-shirt for avatars to wear. Avatars share fundraising tools with others through gift bags or group gifts created by Joyce Bettencourt (Rhiannon Chatnoir of Global Kids).

To learn more about Virtual Haiti Relief events at the Nonprofit Commons contact Kathey Fatica, festival event producer (katydidsomething@virtualhaitirelief.org) or Evonne Heyning, Nonprofit Commons Interactive Producer (evoamo@gmail.com).

Social Actions for Virtual Haiti Relief

You Can Help by Fundraising
Pick up a Virtual Haiti Relief Donation Package in Second Life:
Put out a kiosk found in any blue Haiti gift bag to help collect donations or drop some Linden dollars in a kiosk near you.
Kiosks and Virtual Hait Relief Donation packages may be found in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vesuvius/100/164/25
If you are a content creator, use the vendors to sell items where proceeds go toward fundraising
You can pass along the Donation Package to others that might be interested in raising funds for Haiti relief

Other Ways to Get Involved:
Blog, tweet/retweet, post on Facebook to help share with others outside of SL, follow @VirtualHaiti on twitter and join the VirtualHaiti Facebook group
Distribute the Donation Package through your Second Life groups
Beyond the events planned here by Nonprofit Commons and others involved with the larger Virtual Haiti Relief group, you can plan your own events towards Haitian relief and awareness. Events ideas include talks on Haitian culture/history, dances, candle lightings, music or DJ performances, art exhibits and shows
For Second Life event listings, photos, blog posts, or social media posting beyond Second Life, tag with: VirtualHaiti
For more information visit http://VirtualHaitiRelief.org; IM or email us contact@virtualhaitirelief.org

Written by: InKenzo

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Using the Event Calendar

As you may have noticed, there has been a little event calendar on the site for the last few weeks. We’ve been ironing out some issues and there are still other elements that we may add in the future, but it is ready for folks to start making use of.

  1. To post to the calendar you must be registered as a blogger on the site. We are limiting who can post to the calendar to prevent spam from ending up on the calendar.
  2. If you want to post to the calendar, please ask Glit, Penguin, or Creech (me!) to set you up.
  3. If you want to book space in one of the sims, please see Penguin or Glit and ask one of them to make the arrangements.
  4. This goes without saying, but please be sensible about what events you post.

Alright, how do you go about posting an event? It is pretty simple.

  1. Log into the NPC site.
  2. Click on "Create Content" in your right hand menu
  3. Click on "Event"
  4. Choose a start and end date along with times. Please note that the time zone is Pacific/SL.
  5. Type in a Title
  6. Add body–you can use some HTML. If you want to see what the filter will accept and what options you have–click on "Input Format"
  7. You may include a file attachment if you have something like a flyer
  8. Click "Preview" if you’d like to look at your event before you post it
  9. Click "Submit" when you are ready for it to be posted to the site.

It is that easy. Happy event posting!

Creech Antwerp/Matthew Saunders

Written by: Creech

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Dancing in the Streets Tomorrow, May 17th to Benefit Ophoenix, Nonprofit Commons and China earthquake relief

Ophoenix logo

Don’t miss Dancing in the Streets–well, virtual dancing, that is– on the streets of NPC2 this Sat. May 17th from from 2-6 pm SLT/PDT.

New Nonprofit Commons resident, Ophoenix will be having an in-world dance party/fundraiser in conjunction with their real life fundraising event. Come and enjoy music avatar DJ Namov Abramovic, dancing, and tours of the second Nonprofit Commons location, NPC2.

Want to help the fundraising efforts? Click on one of the virtual images of artist, Shirley Pinchev’s artwork and you can show your support by donating real-life dollars. All proceeds will be split evenly between Ophoenix, the Nonprofit Commons project, and OxFam America’s support for earthquake relief in China. As a thank you to supporter, contributors who give $40 USD will receive a copy of the image of their choice You can see all of the photo landing pages here.

Come show your support for Ophoenix and the Nonprofit Commons tomorrow afternoon at the Dancing in the Streets event and spread the word to any interested avatars!

Written by: penguin kuhn

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Heroes Happen Here

Three ways to be a hero.
One event to launch them.

The Second Life Event April 26th will celebrate the launch of:

Windows Server 2008

Visual Studio 2008

SQL Server 2008

Register in Second Life to ensure you have a seat or visit the Face Book Event Page.

The virtual event will bring together IT Pros and Developers to get an in-depth, up-close look at the new products and will give attendees an opportunity to meet with their peers as well as Microsoft employees.

The event is designed to give attendees a high level technical overview covering features and solutions of all three new products in a classroom environment.

This is an opportunity to:

  • See the applications in action.
  • Attend break-out sessions and meet with product experts.
  • Have Q&A sessions with the speakers and your peers.

Join in for this day long celebration!

Check out the schedule of the day’s events, find links to downloads for Live Meeting, and more information here.

Written by: penguin kuhn

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Oleander Health Fair raises dollars and awareness

conference

This past Wed. Nov. 7th, Oleander Island was host to the Womens’ Health Fair/Expo. This event sought to educate women on the health issues that concern them in their everyday lives, share ideas, and talk to professionals in the field. In addition, the health fair helped raise linden dollars for the organization, Drive By Agony/Life Learning programs, a non-profit organization that helps victims of crime.

The event featured a variety of speakers involved in health issues. In-between speakers, participants could check out the dance floor, refreshments from the bar and buffet table, and visit the variety of projects on display.

Highlights from the speakers included:

PCOSGurl Infinity of Project PCOS on the importance of education and awareness about PCOS, a hidden syndrome that many women have.

Coughran Mayo of Preferred Family Healthcare speaking on issues dealing with body and mind.

MB Chevalier of the University of Plymouth discussing concerns surrounding Sexual health education

Carmen Gray of Drive By Agony/Life learning programs speaking about the thousands of youth victims in America and why the organization made the decision to come to Second Life.

Jacmacaire Humby of Humanbe highlighting his organization’s peace project and a need to create more peace in the world.

This Penguin stopped by and said a few words about the Nonprofit Commons, and was very impressed by the event and speakers.

Written by: penguin kuhn