A Conversation with Ever Courtois
A Conversation Over Tea: Ever Courtois on the Spoonful of Sugar Festival
An Interview with Sethos Lionheart, Duke of Caerleone
As Caerleone Manor prepares to host the ChariTea—a preview event for the upcoming Spoonful of Sugar Festival—I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Ever Courtois, co-founder of the festival and longtime champion of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). Over tea (virtual, but no less heartfelt), we spoke about the origins of the event, its remarkable impact, and the joy of giving.
Sethos: Ever, you’ve been with the Spoonful of Sugar Festival since its beginning. What inspired you to launch such an ambitious charitable project in Second Life?
Ever: Angelique Wickentower (my co-founder) and I decided at one of our real-life meetups back in 2015 that charity events were among our favorite things in SL—me as a merchant, Angel as a black-belt shopper! I told her MSF was my favorite organization and explained why. Angel, who runs a nonprofit in real life, already knew them by their reputation and stellar A+ ratings. Within weeks we had MSF on board, and we began revving up our very first Spoonful of Sugar.
Sethos: Médecins Sans Frontières operates in some of the most urgent crisis zones around the world. How does the SOS Festival support their efforts?
Ever: We go to quite a bit of trouble to have learning materials available at each SOS Festival, so that as people wander, they can pause and read and discover more. It’s often surprising—and more than a bit heartwarming—how many people engage with that part of the event, not just the "fun" parts.
The fundraising is largely built on microtransactions. My understanding is that the average charitable donation in SL is about 100 lindens, or 40 cents USD. But from those small acts, we raise anywhere from 4 to 7 million lindens over the course of the event—and sometimes from smaller fundraising throughout the year. That translates to $15,000 to $30,000 USD annually for MSF. We’re proud of that.
And we often hear that participating in the SOS does just as much for those giving as it does for the cause. Giving and kindness are contagious—and healthy—for everyone involved.
Sethos: The Festival has become a much-anticipated event each year. What keeps people coming back?
Ever: First, it’s Médecins Sans Frontières. Per Charity Watch, with a score of 96%, if this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence. They run lean, they run wisely, and they’ve been doing it since 1971 when they were formed in Paris.
Second—it’s the incredible talent involved! From our builders and environmental creators to over 100 shops and stellar performers, the Spoonful of Sugar Festival stays fresh, fun, and never quite the same. About about 80% of our team and merchants return each year. We call them repeat afrienders :)
Sethos: I’ve been delighted to work with you on the ChariTea at Caerleone Manor, which offers a quieter moment of reflection. What role do you see for events like this?
Ever: It is delightful to be part of the ChariTea! From music venues to RP communities, money finds its way to our cause all year round, and that provides both psychological and practical rocket fuel for the main event, but I think this "Tea" is exciting and new for many reasons.
When you and I were talking about Caerleone hosting something, we came up with this lovely idea—a short preview event to give people a little taste of what's to come, and of course, an opportunity to donate. It’s tricky to pre-advertise in SL, so this one-hour experience—full of music, tea, and those gorgeous surroundings—can really leave a lasting impression. When the full two-week festival arrives in September, we hope that memory brings them back. It’s like our own little virtual commercial! I said, “Brilliant,” and you said, “Done.”
Sethos: For someone who’s never attended an SOS event or isn’t familiar with MSF, what’s the most important takeaway?
Ever: Your going to have a lot of fun and feel great about doing it! To spread the word. Just telling others is so important. That helping helps them, yes—but it helps you, too. You don’t have to be “rich” to make a difference. So whether you give 10 or 10,000 lindens, you’re helping in ways you can’t imagine. Even if all you do is look around and tell someone else about it, it has an impact!
The Spoonful of Sugar Festival to benefit MSF/Doctors Without Borders is part of a Second Life community that shows, grid-wide, that we care. That’s not small—it’s mighty. In ten years, we’ve raised over $160,000 USD. The SOS is now considered a major donor to MSF. I’m proud of that—and we all should be.
Sethos: Ever, thank you—not only for speaking with me, but for everything you’ve poured into this cause. It’s been an honor to help host this year’s ChariTea and to support such a meaningful mission.
Ever: Thank you! For your generosity, your creativity, and for giving SOS a place of such beauty and refinement to begin the season.
