On Friday, Mississippi State University’s Dance Marathon hosted its annual Bullython event from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Foster Ballroom of the Colvard Student Union, celebrating a year of fundraising that brought in $40,372.04 for children’s hospitals.

Dance Marathon is a student-led organization that raises funds for organizations such as Children’s Miracle Network and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Each year, the organization works toward a fundraising goal. This year’s goal was $50,000.

Throughout the year, Dance Marathon members were divided into six different teams: red, orange, green, blue, purple and pink. The teams could collect points through fundraising or their tabling event prior to Bullython. Those points are then calculated, and whichever team has the most points wins the Morale Cup.

The event opened with the “Morale Dance,” performed by the morale captains and later taught to participants. Members set up tables displaying colorful necklaces, rings and bandanas so participants could dress in their team colors. Activity stations also allowed attendees to make bracelets and write letters to children between events.

Lainey Channell, a sophomore kinesiology major, served as one of the blue team captains and said this was her first year participating in Dance Marathon.

“I got a notification for an interview about Dance Marathon. I found the backstory behind them to be touching because I would like to work in the medical field with kids one day myself,” Channell said. “This really teaches you that every dollar does, in fact, count when you are trying to fundraise for something like this.” 

Anna Claire Boutwell, a senior biological sciences major and this year’s president of Dance Marathon, described the event as “beautiful chaos.”

“The chaotic part would be the amount of changes we have gone through this year. We moved into a new office. We got a new advisor. We even got a completely new executive. Despite all these changes and how much that has gone on, we persevered and had a beautiful outcome because of the purpose behind Dance Marathon,” Boutwell said. 

The money stays local, with the majority supporting equipment and resources at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, including those used at the hospital’s Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center.

Boutwell said Bullython serves as the organization’s main annual event and celebrates both the funds raised and the children and families supported by Dance Marathon.

“We dance for those who cannot,” Boutwell said.

Throughout the night, participants heard stories from six Miracle Kids — three in person and three through video messages. Miracle kids are those who have been treated at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and can tell their stories at events such as Bullython. Each Miracle Kid represented one of the color teams.

Attendees also participated in activities throughout the evening, including line dancing and bath bomb painting.

Andy Kimbrough, the father of Mary Michael Kimbrough, one of the Miracle Kids who spoke at the event, expressed gratitude for the organization.

“Our first event like this was when she was three. It’s great to see what they do and how they do it. The hospital means so much to us because we would not have our little girl without them,” Kimbrough said. “Dance marathon is a great organization and you could not find anything better than this. The money that they raise affects everyone that walks into the doors of the hospital.”

Mary Michael Kimbrough remained at the event throughout the evening while representing the purple team. Members who raised $21 during the event timeline received a pin from her and had the opportunity to take photos with her. She later performed a song for the crowd and participated in the night’s final event, a silent disco.

Samantha Williams, a freshman biological sciences major and green team morale captain, said the event provided an opportunity to get involved on campus and support the families connected to the organization.

“It is touching to see the kids that are fighting on and pushing through whatever they are going through, but it is even more touching to watch the parents push through and continue to show up and support their kid,” Williams said.

At the end of the event, the executive board revealed that Dance Marathon raised $40,372.04 throughout the year. Members said they were proud of the fundraising total and emphasized that Bullython celebrates both the children supported by the organization and the people who help make that support possible.

Because the event included team competition, organizers also announced that the green team won the Morale Cup, an award that gives the team bragging rights.

Meredith Foreman, a freshman educational psychology major and member of the morale team, said she joined Dance Marathon on a whim and has enjoyed getting involved with the organization.

“I love seeing how we can meet the families and make a change,” Foreman said. “…I believe that everyone should get involved if they can.”