Through my  ”second life”, I’ve come to call some New Zealanders friends. Although I don’t sit beside them at a ballgame, or watch their kids play sports, I do interact with them every day. Just recently, I, along with some other friends, received a gift in the mail of some fantastic handmade jewelry from one of these friends. So, although I don’t physically see them every day, I do consider them friends, in all worlds.

As the news coverage started to show the pictures of Christchurch, I sat here stunned, thinking what if this were my town? What if they were my neighbors. How can we help them when they are so far away?

I am lucky enough to be a part of Second Life and to have the tools to easily reach out to friends, no matter their physical location. As I’ve seen happen, time and time again, Second Lifers showed just how generous they can be. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a community that comes together for charities quite like those in Second Life. The offers to help were literally overwhelming.  One person said to me–thank you all for doing this and I replied…”How could we not?”  There was never a question that we’d reach out and hold the hands of our neighbors.

$3600NZ was given to the NZ Red Cross today from our GCR fundraiser. Thank you to Jori, Hibi and Kat for helping me organize it and to Jori another thank you for the venue space. A huge thank you to the creators for the gift of your time. Thank you to everyone who made it happen –your support means the world to our New Zealand friends.

Once again, a reminder that no matter where I sit when I’m talking to you, beside you at dinner, behind my monitor, we are all friends and there truly is only one world, one life.

<3

Shelly/Michelle

(don’t forget to go back a second time…not everyone was set up the first day!)

Top, both pictures: Somnia-female clothing; Bottom Left: No Strings Attached; Bottom Right: Pompompom-Female outfit

Top Left: Mad Designs-male hair; Top Right: Hidey Spot-Fantasy makeups; Bottom Left: Frooti-multipose stool; Bottom right: Fab pony-top

Top Left: Miamai-outfit; Top Right: ?Why-lingerie; Bottom both pictures: Bounce-dress & makeup

Top Left: Adorkable Poses-Pose Set; Top Right: Moonshine-Female outfit; Bottom both pictures Puarangi Designs-Jewelry (one unisex)

Top Left: Chelle-Makeups; Top Right: Shine-Eyes; Bottom Left: Absolution-Female top; Bottom Right: Philo-Female Jeans

Top Left: GOS-eyeglasses; Top Right: FIR & MNA-Unisex Top; Bottom both pictures: Bare Rose-Native outfits

I honestly think there’ s something for everyone out here–we have such a wide variety of styles, genres and pricing.

Top Left: Designer Prims-Chic Studio; Top Right: Ingenue-Ladies Tee; Bottom Left; Kouse’s Santum-Gown; Bottom Right: dDx-4 hairstyles

Top Left: Rag Dollz-Gown, Mask, Choker; Top Right: Park Place-Curio Cabinet; Bottom Both pics: Vanitas Vesture-Ladies clothing

Top Left: Identity-Male shape; Top Right Janae’s Fancies-Kiwi’s (multiple colors); Bottom Left: Evie’s Closet-Gown;

Bottom Right: Cheeky Pea-Zen tree with poses

If I missed your IM or notecard, please accept my apology and resend it. The response was overwhelming!

If you have a few L$ to spare, there’s definitely something for everyone at the Garden City Relief location.  I didn’t receive vendor ads for everything, and quite honestly, this was faster. I’d like to get the pictures out quickly to give you an idea of what our vendors have to offer.

Top Right: Olive Juice-pose set; Top Left Cluter-Friends chair; Bottom both items Crackberry-Furniture

Top Left: Snatch-2 dresses; Top Right: Stellar-female outfit; Bottom Left: Elika-hairstyle; Bottom right: NSFW Dresses

Top Left: Republic-FATPACK shoes; Top Right: Spyralle-Female outfit; Bottom both pictures: Gesticulate-Male and female poses

More to come!!!

MOOD-Jori Watler**Clutter-Kat Alderson**Zoe’s Garden-Adele Rhiadra**Tacky Star-Aura Falta**Kouse’s Sanctum-Kouse Singh**

POSEUR-Melanie774 Kidd**[Insatiable Fashions]-AliannaMarie Gossipgirl**’No Strings Attached’-Milli Santos**

Crackberry-jemima Clowes**Snowpaws-Carrie Snowpaw**DCNY-Anessa Stine**Gesticulate-Gidge Uriza, Elusyve Jewell**

Shine-Brandy Rasmuson** -dDx-Kallisti Burns**[elikatira]-Elikapeka Tiramisu**Spyralle-Kerryth Tarantal**

Vanitas Vesture-SarahTheRed Aurbierre**Absolution- Aurora Deischer**Evie’s Closet-Evangeline Miles**[Acide!]-AcIde Innovia**

Park Place Home Decor-DeAnn Dufaux**aDORKable Poses -Adorkable Peapod**Evaki Clothing Boutique- Taury Barbee**

NSFW Brand-Stormy Wilde**GOS-Gospel Voom*** AR – Kidz *-Anjelika Rexen**Fab.Pony-Tatianna Faulkes

Find out more about how you can help

http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/news/vodafone-and-2-degrees-launch-text-donations

http://www.redcross.org.nz/http://www.redcross.org.nz/cms_display.php?friendly_url=donate

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/christchurch-quake-appeals-launched-4038581

To all of you that have passed and repassed and replurked and regurgitated this info.

A very early stage list of participants follows:

KMADD-Maddox Dupont

Exile-Kavar Cleanslate

Stellar-Lexi Morgan

Purangi Designs-Hibiscus Flossburg

MOOD-Jori Watler

Clutter-Kat Alderson

Zoe’s Garden-Adele Rhiadra

Tacky Star-Aura Falta

Kouse’s Sanctum-Kouse Singh

POSEUR-Melanie774 Kidd

[Insatiable Fashions]-AliannaMarie Gossipgirl’

No Strings Attached’-Milli Santos

Crackberry-jemima Clowes

Snowpaws-Carrie Snowpaws

DCNY-Anessa Stine

Gesticulate-Gidge Uriza, Elusyve Jewell

Shine-Brandy Rasmuson

**Please note–the avatar who will handle the funds is already set up and able to take donations. If you prefer to drop a donation directly, please donate to GardenCityRelief Resident**

Along with some other Second Lifers, I’m organizing a fundraiser to benefit those affected by this tragedy. Currently we have space from Jori Watler and a small group of creators willing to donate items.
What you can do to help:
Spread the word.
Commit to a donation. Your item must be a quality item that you are willing to donate 100% of the proceeds to this cause. This is not a fair with a charity attached. This is 100%. Your item does not need to be new, nor does it need to be exclusive, though those things certainly help.
No time to make something? We will have a donation box set up–drop in the cost of your morning latte. It’s greatly appreciated!
Blog blog blog!!! Get excited!
If you are interested in making a donation item, please contact me with your name and the name of your store.  You drop me a note in world, comment on this blog, reach me on plurk  http://www.plurk.com/ShellyToonie or facebook or email me at shellytoonie@gmail.com.
I’m hoping to start the fundraiser run from Saturday Feb 26 thru Saturday Mar 5th.
Thanks for your help and interest.
For more information on how you can help, please visit this website:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708187