While the leaders of the American Cancer Society in Second Life may not be walking from sim to sim in a Relay for Life today, they are still on the move. With some key organizational steps this Fall, this organization continues its innovation in SL.

The appointment of Xandi Mars as new Office Coordination Chair is one in a series of moves this Fall by the ACS to advance it SL vision. This follows on the heels of the creation of the ACS island in SL in September. Mars forms part of an ACS team which is both resourceful and committed, several of whom are cancer survivors themselves.

On an exploratory trip to the island, SLNN was greeted by Poppy Zabelin, chair of the ACS Survivorship program in SL. Zabelin runs ACS in-world Survior/Caregiver Chats program. The program typically runs two sessions per week at the facilities of the ACS island. "The people who come here are survivors, either just diagnosed, or going through treatment, or in remission," says Zabelin. A cancer survivor herself, Zabelin had some RL experience in facilitating before volunteering for ACS SL programs. As compared to real-life sessions, Zabelin feels that the SL sessions are attractive because they enable people to interact and share experiences without physically leaving their homes.

The Survivor program is only one of several new ACS services hosted on the new island. The ACS also brings in its medical professionals on occasion for presentations in its auditorium, and is also working to connect residents to the National Cancer Information Center 24/7 hotline.

Even since its establishment in September, the ACS island has been undergoing a major redesign, with Xandi Mars behind the work. In addition to the interactive services mentioned above, the island provides numerous venues for remembrance of cancer victims and cancer education.

Of course, these activities spring from the highly successful Relay for Life SL events of the past three years. In each case, the RFL events raised tens of thousands of dollars, and have drawn wide participation across SL. Many of the ACS current volunteers became acquainted with ACS in SL through the RFL events, including Zabelin, and co-chairperson Synergy Devonshire.

People and the energy they bring seem to be key to all that ACS is doing in SL. Randal Moss (RC Moss in-world) is Director of the ACS Futuring and Innovation Center, both in RL and SL, and has been the architect of much of ACS thrust in SL. "The key has always been to tap the resources of the volunteers and empower them to move the mission forward in new and creative ways. With more minds working together we are able to create these major innovations."

With respect to success in SL, Moss and Zabelin say an understanding of the SL culture and community are central to success. Says Zabelin, "I think some organizations, commercial as well as non-commercial, have thought that simply setting up shop is enough." In Zabelin's opinion, it is key for an organization to find meaningful ways to mobilize its community, even putting regular programs in place.

Moss echos those observations, "Anyone who will be a success in SL has to understand SL the culture, the technology. Know what you as an NGO want to get out of your SL experience." Moss sums up his vision for ACS in SL, I " [try] to bridge the two [i.e.