First, let’s get the bad news out of the way…Pathfinder is leaving the community team! Yeah, I really can’t believe it myself. He’s been a crucial part of our little group, and instrumental in helping educators, non-profits and volunteers create innovative, welcoming and helpful spaces and communities in Second Life for a couple of years now. We’ll miss his virtual self at our Monday meetings.

The GOOD news is that Path is charged with very exciting task of setting up a satellite office in the Boston Area! (So if you’ve been considering applying to Linden Lab, but didn’t want to leave The Hub, please re-consider!) As a New-Englander myself I can say, with an accent and without a doubt, that he’s the guy for the job. Luckily, he’ll still be the evangelist and general resource for Education in SL as we expand, which continues to be highly appropriate considering the abundance of educators in the Boston area.

Now, you’re likely wondering why I’m the one telling this story, perhaps thinking to yourself “So Blue, if that’s the Good and the Bad, then you must be the Ugly!” As it turns out I do play a role, picking up where Pathfinder left off, working with Amber and the Volunteers in-world. Having been a resident volunteer myself as well as a Liaison, I am filled with love and respect for them and the often difficult, sometimes stressful, always invaluable work they are committed to. I very much look forward to helping to support them.

And because supporting the Volunteers is something that we all see as a priority, it won’t just be Amber and me…please be kind enough to welcome our incoming team of Liaison Volunteer Specialists who will be dedicated to helping the helpers! You know them as the lovable George, Lexie, Matthew and Mia!

With change being the very nature of SL and our continued growth, we see the expansion of and resulting changes to the volunteer programs and to the Lab itself, as both challenging and beneficial to us all…except Pathfinder, who will no longer be able to work in his pajamas. Sorry Path!