Sunnny Awards Night at Cutlass

By Bixyl Shuftan (and Becky Shamen)

On the night of April 22, the Sunweaver community held an event to honor several individuals whom have distinguished themselves for their efforts to help out the community. The ceremony took place in the middle of the usual Friday night dance, DJed by Cynthia Farshore, which was briefly put on hold.

"People can I have your attention, please?!" Rita spoke up, then began reading from some notes, "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here to join this man and this women........wait a minute....oops .....wrong ceremony. We are gathered here to award to some very deserving individuals the very first ever SUNNY Awards." After a couple chuckles from the audience, the white bunnygirl continued, "This award was inspired by the deeds of a certain individual who went way above the Call of Duty, to others and in the opinion of many of us deserves this award and more! Our own Sha, Becky Shamen designed it, so kudos to her for her work, on this and much, much more."

"Since we only set aside 15 minutes for this, let's get rolling. Perri Prinz, please step forward and stand beside the box and the center column, please." Perri moved, but was having a little trouble with lag, "Perri? Behind the column, please. Center one. Thank you." Perri would be receiving the first award on behalf of her partner RECoyote Mines, whom sadly wasn't there at the ceremony, but busy with his trucking job in real life.

"RECoyote is the inspiration for the SUNNY Award, it has been his over the top generosity, too so many, that it has to be recognized and honored. The wonderful part is he did it without being asked, he just saw the need and helped! That is a rare quality in today's world and so that needs to be appreciated and nurtured. The Sunweavers are like that, we are family! Now while most of us can't be as helpful as RECoyote was, many of us have stepped up in the past and done what we can, when we could, with what we had. Really no one can ask for more.

"So RECoyote from ALL of US to you we present you with the very first SUNNY Award and to top it off, we also present you with a statue of your mangy coyote self, so pigeons can poop on you daily! We do this cause WE LOVE YOU!" There were a number of cheers and claps and a "huzzaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh" animation, "Thanks for your deeds REC."

Perri spoke, "Since REC couldn't be here for unavoidable reasons, it's my honor to accept this award on his behalf. I'm sure he'll appreciate it and be long reminded of the love that comes to those who do good." Becky commented, "REC is the reason I made the award. It is designed to radiate JOY. The statue was a co-build with Rita." Shockwave spoke, "One of the nicest folks I've known. ... was worried about Perri and Ny.  A class act all the way."

"Thanks to him, living here just got a little easier for all of us. Those fees (to Linden Lab) weren't cheap. Neither were those tablets." "And he is helping with my transmission." "He also paid my family out of a ... debt. ... Pretty much saved our lives." "And he is helping with my transmission." "A very very generous soul." "There's a place in heaven for him." "Not soon I hope." "We bring heaven to earth by helping others."

After a few more comments, Rita continued, "Next up, Shockwave Yareach and Cynthia Farshore, please step forward and stand next to your awards, please." Sockwave pretended to be worried, "I didn't do anything! The tape lies!" Once they were at their places, the white rabbitgirl continued, "Shockwave has been with me since Day One, he has been my right hand Wolf, also pissing on my foot and chewing on the furniture, never totally housebroken." After a pause for chuckles, she continued, "Still if you need some building done, something sripted, a renter's temper soothed, a glitch in the club's media system, or running the Sunday Night Movies, Shockwave is right there. I don't think SL would be half as much fun without him. The greatest compliment I can give him is to call him my friend both here and in RL. So you deserve this Sunny award Shockwave. Enjoy it!" There were then a number of cheers, followed by Shockwave saying, "Thank you very much."

Rita then turned her attention to Cynthia, "Cynthia Farshore, I don't know you as well as Shockwave, but Shockwave likes you and since you keep a smile on his face and keep him out of the gutter, that has to account for something. On a more serious note, Cynthia has repeatedly, let us use her SIM to host Air shows for the RFL, she is also half of our dynamic duo build team for the Sunbeamer campsites. She has put out alot of her own money to get things done. She also loves to DJ. She is a valued member of our community, so you are deserving of this award Cynthia, Enjoy!" There were more cheers.

Rita then looked to Becky, "Becky your turn, park your tushie next to your award." Becky did, then Rita resumed, "The fourth person is our own Sha, Becky Shamen, the bouncing Bunny, who decorates the dance pole,here at Cutlass,during our dances. She also designs and makes all the clothes for the Sunbeamer RFL team. Sha also runs things here on Sunweaver Bay for me, taking in strays, mentoring new people, building stuff, ...  Sha is like my own bunny clone on the sim. She keeps things running smoothly here so I can goof off. Supreme Bunny is LAZY! Becky enjoy your award you earned it!" There were more cheers and congratulations."

Rita was a bit hesitant in speaking about the fifth award winner, "The last person on the list to get an award is me, but I am not going to blow my own horn, as they say, I'll leave that to others. If they wish." Shockwave spoke first, "Rita started this mad house.  Paid for it with her own money for years and years.  Kept us together when many other groups had fallen apart." Becky added, "Being a useful member of this community is one of my greatest joys. I am thankful and I insisted that our beloved Big Moma should also receive this award. She is the core of Sunweavers." Cynthia spoke, "I was still rather shy when I found this place but Rita and Shocky here help me to be more open."

Becky told Rita, "Take your place on stage, Chief." The white rabbitgirl did, "It has been a real pleasure to lead ths freak show, I LOVE YOU ALL!" Shockwave smiled, "We love you too, chief freak." Cynthia mused, "So for our chief freak I bring you ..." and the music resumed, then so did the dancing as the people on stage got down.

The coyote statue made in honor of RECoyote Mines would later be placed in the Sunweaver Estates, somewhere in Sunweaver Bay.

Pictures by Becky Shamen, Story by Bixyl Shuftan

Bixyl Shuftan

Sunny Award

By Becky "Sha" Shamen

 By now, the word is out that local resident, RECoyote Mindes, has been helping out some members of the community. This story has grown on me and even made me a part of it. When I first began hearing of it, my friend and co-artist, Valkrye, announced that the coyote was sending her a powerful computer and a Wacom cintiq display/drawing board. Lucky Val! In my dreams, thought I, knowing how such a set up would aid my own art. After a week, I got an IM from REC, saying that he was also sending me the same equipment. I was stunned. Was this some kind of April Fools joke? Since I was now in the group of people that were being assisted, I began hearing details of how much and who was being helped. We were all being helped in real life, but the effects directly ripple through our SL community.

I contemplated that since he was helping Second Life residents, one could estimate the amount of Linden Dollars that would equal. Mind you, at the time I did the math, I only knew of a handful of cases, but it was adding up to over twelve million Linden Dollars. Now it was beginning to look like a news story that folks need to see. In a conversation with Rita Mariner, I half jokingly said' Maybe we should put up a coyote statue in the town square. She adopted the idea and we've played with building one. I think she wants to add pigeons to poop on it.


I have always been a big supporter of building healthy communities. If there are punishments for bad behavior, there should also be rewards for good behavior. Perhaps, like Oscars and Emmies, we could create an award for those that have given generously of their services to the community. I told Rita I was thinking of making such a reward and giving it to her to give out as she and or a committee decided. I made a walnut base and made the top design of translucent woven gold, which glows and gives off light. The gold forms a symbol, which is based on the universal thought-form that joy creates. The shape can be found in a smiley face, the SL hand logo and there is a hint of an all seeing eye, in the center. When the build was completed, I was delighted to discover that it seems to radiate joy, when you come near it.  I call it the "Sunny" award.

 So now I'm writing a story about a community hero, an award and a statue. Good heroes tend to be humble, so I think it best to go ask the yote if it's OK to write a story about him. I found him, relaxing at home with Perri. As I meandered up, shuffling my feet and clearing my throat, I made my request. His initial response was a heroic please no, but Perri quickly pointed out that, with the wide reaching benefits to community, having a "hero" will lift their eyes to the behaviors that lead to building a better world. With that in mind, he decided this article would be OK and I could ask him more questions.

   I began with my favorite question, "Was there a "spirit" or inspiration that led to his actions?". He just said, "I like to help". What does he do in RL? He drives a tank truck, hauling blood.  He said, "I drive truck. I love to drive, but hate driving". Driving is hard on the body and he's getting where he can't handle some equipment and climbing up in the cab is painful. Asked about the source of this new wealth, I learned it came with the sale of some land that had been passed down in his family.

   As we talked, we were joined by Niko and Erik. When I told REC that my artistic service would be freely given to him, the group began talking about how a coop of local artists would benefit them and the community. Pooling our talents, we could produce illustrated and or animated stories, with a potential attention and even income to the artists. I mentioned that Erik had also shown interest in creating graphic stories and could use Sunny Beach for "location" backgrounds for pictures and movies, a mini Hollywood.

 

   This is the ripple effect, which started with REC's help. Community members, joining to make a better world. I hope readers will join in honoring RECoyote, for his humble services to the community that loves him.

"Sha"