It may be half a year away, but community organizers are already thinking pink again.

Paint the Town Pink organizers and supporters gathered Wednesday at The Hormel Institute to announce their goals for next year’s event: $150,000 for breast cancer research. Last year’s PTTP raised more than $115,000, and new PTTP Director Kathi Finley hopes the hype will spread to other towns, which could help raise more money.

“Grow, grow, grow,” Finley said. “We want all the towns in Minnesota to be pink. Ultimately, research is going to be the answer, and we need money to do that.”

Finley’s family, like so many others, has been affected by cancer. She spoke from the heart Wednesday while discussing the matter and explained why she decided to get involved with Austin’s event.

“With the first Paint the Rink Pink, I saw what a great success it was,” she said. “It’s just such a great thing, so why wouldn’t you want to be part of something so wonderful?”

Dr. Zigang Dong, executive director of The Hormel Institute, said the new focus has been to set aside funds from Paint the Town Pink and urge state and federal agencies and other organizations to match those funds to make a bigger impact.

“We already have several grants specifically from the federal government, but now we want more,” he said.

PTTP organizers hope each individual event can grow, as well, such as Paint the Rink Pink — the event that started it all — and the polar plunge. Last year’s plunge raised more than $16,000 alone, and volunteer Joe Muzik hopes with the word out early, more businesses and volunteers will attend and support next year’s event.

PTTP will run from Feb. 14 through 23, 2014, in Austin.