Virtual Reality...Real Caring

 
Tonight marked the end of a two-week fund raiser for a fellow Second Lifer who lost everything, including her home,  in Superstorm Sandy. Through a series of trivia events the SL trivia community of which I'm part raised over $1500 USD for her. That translates to several hundred thousand Linden Dollars (L$) garnered by trivia hosts donating tips, trivia players donating winnings and various challenges and matching opportunities. 

What's different about this philanthropy is that only a handful of those of us who contributed actually *know* the recipient in "real life". I only know her as a kitten - literally. Her avatar in SL is a cat. Not a humanoid cat, an actual cat. This is her...

I don't know her real name and only know she live(d) in the coastal New York City area. I'm not worried that we've been "had" as obviously, several people know her. But still, I think it's amazing that a community of "virtual friends" came together so naturally and without reservation to provide "real life" help out a "friend" most of us will never meet.

I'm proud of us. Obviously $1500 is a mere drop in the bucket when faced with her losses, but it's something. Most importantly I hope it lets her know that he has a bunch of people who without knowing her, care about her, have been thinking about her and working to help her. I think after having been what she's been through, that may be the true value of this endeavor.