As royal blue bracelets reading "Be Brave" wrapped around children's' wrists at Williamston's elementary schools Thursday, 11-year-old Dan Warschefsky sat in a chair to take everything in.

Students from Discovery and Explorer Elementary schools flocked outside into the sunny, mid-80-degree weather, danced to music, walked a fitness path and donated to a research fund - exactly what Dan had set forth to do.

"I just wanted to raise money for my brother's fund," Dan, a fifth-grade student, said. "I think eating disorder research is great and important."

Dan's brother, Thomas "T.J." Warschefsky, battled anorexia for seven years before it took his life Feb. 14 when he was 22 years old. Warschefsky's family set up a memorial fund in his honor to help contribute to the continuing research on eating disorders.

When Dan and his classmates were assigned a service learning project for their class, Dan immediately knew what he wanted to do.

The T.J. Warschefsky Fund for Eating Disorder Research, administered by the Roger's Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin, was the cause he wanted to raise money for.

Dan's father, Thomas Warschefsky, and his classmate Kyle Gary, 11, teamed up for the project with Dan. Together, they came up with a fundraising walk at the school during lunch hour to raise awareness for eating disorders.

"It's a loosely organized and fun event to raise awareness," Thomas Warschefsky said. "If we can raise some money, that's great, but it's more of an awareness that matters. These kids are going to be moving on to high school and college and experience friends with eating disorders and for them to know how to spot it is the best thing someone can do."

The event hit the hearts of many students as they inventively asked questions and donated money.

"It's great what they're doing for T.J.," fourth-grade student Alex Hagerty, 10, said. "All these people are here not just for one person, but for one cause."

The most frustrating aspect about research on eating disorders, for the Warschefsky's and other family members is the lack of research for men and eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia or binge eating.

"When T.J. died, we immediately thought what we could have done (to prevent it from happening)," Thomas Warschefsky said. "Of course, you go through a guilt thing and a blame thing and you try to figure out what could be done. So we said, 'Let's raise money so more research, can be done on boys and anorexia.' It's sad and (research) shouldn't be that way, but it's also a great opportunity to turn our grief into something positive."

The lack of research on men and eating disorders is caused by the cultural view of eating disorders, Olin Health Center nutritionist Ronda Bokram said.

"Obviously, there wouldn't be as much research with men because it was so long considered a 'women's disorder,'" she said. "Men have only recently come into the arena, so to speak. Not that there weren't problems before, but not as many people were coming forward with their problems as they are now."

Marketing and media outlets may be contributing to the emphasis on body image in men more than they did 10-15 years ago, Bokram said.

"We just want to get a lot of kids to know about eating disorders and to ask questions," said Jennifer Klco, 21, T.J.'s stepsister. "It's really important to let people know that this happens to boys and not just girls."

T.J. Warschefsky's heart was set on staying fit, being strong and maintaining his athletic ability. His grandparents said he was a smart man with big dreams.

A 2002 Okemos High School graduate T.J. Warschefsky attended Albion College where he double-majored with three minors. From there, he was accepted into Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he hoped to pursue a dental career through the Air Force medical program.

Dan remembers T.J. Warschefsky as always being strong and on the go. Swimming was his favorite thing to do with him, and his favorite memory is when the two went to an MSU football game.

"He was a good, nice brother," he said.

At the end of the day, they raised $378. Warchefsky said he hopes the event, and others like it, will help get everyone involved and working together to fund research for the grave diseases at hand.

"I just hope to mix the pot and get everyone involved," he said. "We want to be able to raise money and serve as links between various things."

Dan said he wants people to know that it's OK to get help when you need it, and that's why the bracelets they handed out said "Be Brave."

"You have to be brave to say if you have a problem, and if you're sick then you have to get help," he said. "You have to be brave to tell someone if you know of somebody that's sick."