RebelTHON, a fundraising organization advocating for Children’s of Mississippi, the state’s only children’s hospital, hosted its Fallin’ for RebelTHON event at the Grove Stage from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2. The event was a mini dance marathon prior to the organization’s big event dance marathon fundraiser to be held in February.
A few of RebelTHON’s “miracle children,” kids who receive medical care at the Children’s of Mississippi hospital, were in attendance, dancing and singing in the crowd. The miracle children spoke to attendees briefly, with miracle child Aubrey saying, “Crank up the music and let’s have some fun,” to kick off the event.
Senior exercise science major and RebelTHON president Maddie Grace Lightsey, who previously served as the director of the RebelTHON’s first-year program, Ignite, and the vice president of internal operations, told The Daily Mississippian about the campaign’s fundraising efforts and goals.
“This year, our theme is ‘Believe in Champions,’ so our whole thing is just really focused on our champions,” Lightsey said. “We are fundraising for 12 infusion bays within the center for cancer and blood disorders. Those are $25,000 each, so we are working hard to reach our goal of $300,000.”
There are six fundraising teams within RebelTHON, all led by a group of morale captains. At the event, this year’s team colors were revealed as the morale captains were given colored powder and threw it up on a countdown, surprising themselves and attendees with their designated colors of yellow, purple, pink, green, orange and blue.
Joshua Petermann, a sophomore forensic chemistry major, is a morale captain this year and was a member of the Ignite team last year.
“I’m really excited for the dance marathon. It might be a little cliché, but I just love seeing the families and the children and just how they light up the rooms,” Petermann said. “Getting involved in RebelTHON, I’ve met some of my better friends through it. It’s always a great place to make friends and make a difference in the world.”
Addison Finley, a freshman psychology major from West Plains, Mo., is a current member of the Ignite program.
“I’m doing RebelTHON because I think it is such a special thing that you get to help kids and meet so many people doing it and just make an impact, and no matter how small it is, it’s always something. And that matters,” Finley said. “If you’ve never done it (RebelTHON) before, (Ignite is) a good program to kind of dip your feet in the water and learn about it.”
Attendees were encouraged to make friendship bracelets and cards for miracle children while a live band, Saint A, performed for the crowd dancing in front of the stage.
Free pizza, Celsius, t-shirts, water and lemonade were provided. The shirts read, “Celebrate the Miracles.”
RebelTHON’s annual dance marathon will take place on Feb. 21, 2026. Registration is open on their website.
