LET'S BREAK A RECORD: Mayor Jay Flowers and other members of the Thomasville community at the 2022 attempt to break the world record for "Largest Group of People Dressed as Butterflies."

THOMASVILLE- After their previous attempt to break a world record was cancelled due to weather on May 12, the Vashti Center has scheduled a new attempt on Saturday, June 10, at 10 a.m. at the Ritz Amphitheater. 

Alex English, Director of outreach and training, said that this would be the center’s third attempt at breaking the record for “Largest Group of People Dressed as Butterflies,” and hoped that the changes they made would keep the weather from interfering. 

“The third time’s the charm,” English said. “The weather just does not like us  in May, so we are going to hope that the weather is good for us and we’re able to do it in the morning, before it gets too hot, because the dress requirements are the long sleeve, long pants, so we’re hoping that if we did it a little bit earlier in the morning, we could rally everybody to do it at that time of the day, before they start their Saturdays off.”

The goal, she said, was to bring awareness to children’s mental health and to show that such advocacy doesn’t start and end with the month of May.

“The goal is around children’s mental health advocacy and awareness, so that’s what we do here at Vashti Center, serve children and families through our mental health services,” she said. “Bringing awareness, even outside of May, being mental health awareness month, is just as important.”

English said suicide and other mental health crises are becoming more prevalent amongst generations younger and younger every year, saying that it was their intention to break the stigma around mental health to talk about it more effectively. 

“The kids ages are getting younger and younger,” she said. “It’s the second leading cause of death in people ages 15-24 years old, and so if this is something that can break some stigma and get people talking around children’s mental then we’ve done our job, whether we break the record or not.”

With the current record still at 367 people, English said that she’d love to have at least 368 people show up to break the record, saying that it is a free event that only requires the proper attire and, if possible, arriving early to get checked in.

“It’s a free event, all you have to do is purchase or make your own wings and then you have to be in a single color clothing, on the top and bottom, that cover your arms, legs and torso,” she said. “If people could get there a little bit early, we have to check everyone’s costume requirements, and then we’ll get everyone into their pods.”

With the official count taking place between 10:50 a.m. and 11 a.m., English said that the Ritz Amphitheater is their main location, but she is taking steps to prepare a possible second location as a back up plan.

“I am looking at a possible second location if, for some reason, the weather affects us again, I want to have a back up plan,” she said. 

With the symbol of the Vashti Center being the butterfly, which represents healing, hope and transformation, English said that she hopes the weather works out and that as many people as possible take part and learn to have the conversations that mental health needs.

“My hope is that the weather just stays great and that we get as many people as possible,” she said. “If people can just have those conversations, learn to have those conversations, then we’ve done our job.”

English said that interested parties can pre-register on EventBrite for better communication in case of changes to the event and more information can be found on the Vashti Center Facebook page.