From Terra Nova comes this discussion about how the American Cancer Society is performing community outreach, and fund raising… you konw… IN A VIRTUAL WORLD!!?!?!?

Yep… Here is a copy of the statement from the ACS rep:

The American Cancer Society, building off of its success with the first virtual Relay For Life in Second Life, is expanding its community presence in the virtual world in 2006. The Society has plans to purchase an Island and create a center for ACS related activities. The goal of the Virtual ACS Office is to provide the residents of SL with cancer related programs ad services including education sessions, peer support groups, advocacy activities and fund-raising opportunities. The goal is to engage the residents of SL in the same way that we would engage any community. Our proposed time-line is to have this Virtual Office constructed and running by the beginning of summer 2006 to coincide with our second annual Relay For Life.

The Relay planning committee is already working on ways to improve the event for the residents. In the 2006 Relay there will be opportunities for team fund-raising, and sponsorship fund-raising. We look forward to more people waking the track, more fantastic campsites, and more interactive activities. As the only virtual walk-a-thon we are actively looking for ways to draw on the benefits of holding this type of event in a virtual world. We are open to ideas and suggestions from Terra Nova readers and hope to post updates here throughout 2006.

Randal Moss
American Cancer Society
Futuring and Innovation Center
404-329-7573
randal.moss@cancer.org

Um… damn.

So.. Based on this, it seems you can go into a virtual world… make “therebucks” or whatever… GIVE that to a fund raiser in game, who then converts it to REAL money, and applies that to the fight against cancer.

Um…is that tax deductable?