Official dates are set for Austin’s fourth annual Paint the Town Pink, which raises support for breast cancer research at The Hormel Institute.

Paint the Town Pink will run from Jan. 31 to Feb. 8 in Austin, featuring numerous pink events, including the marquee event — the Austin Bruins’ fifth annual Paint the Rink Pink hockey game on Feb. 7 at Riverside Arena.

Each year, Paint the Rink Pink, which annually has been a sellout crowd of 2,000 and has raised about $125,000 in four years for the Institute’s breast cancer research. The game features pink ice and pink Bruins jerseys which are auctioned after the game.

Other major PTTP events include the third annual Plunging for Pink polar plunge on Jan. 31 at East Side Lake, Matchbox Children’s Theatre’s “The Pale Pink Dragon” Feb. 6-8 at the Paramount Theatre and the Mower County Fairgrounds’ second annual Smashing Cancer demolition derby and YMCA 5K run/walk on Feb. 8.

Anyone interested in starting a new PTTP and learning more about how to grow PTTP further is invited to attend an informational meeting from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday at The Hormel Institute. PTTP director Kathi Finley and Gail Dennison, The Hormel Institute’s director of development and public relations, will give a presentation. Attendees can park in the Institute’s west/main lobby lot.

The 2015 PTTP honorees are the Rodney and Susan Ryks Family. Susan Ryks is a breast cancer survivor, and the Ryks family has been significantly involved in PTTP fundraising and events, including in 2013 winning the PTTP pink home decorating contest. The Ryks also have been active in PTTP fundraising at the Hormel Foods Austin Plant, Plunging for Pink and the annual Austin Packers football team’s Pink Out night game, among other things.

“We are very pleased to have the Ryks family serve as this year’s PTTP honorees,” Finley said. “They know firsthand the importance of breast cancer awareness as well as the fundraising that is needed to support research leading to better ways to prevent and control this terrible disease that affects so many families.”

Since 2011, Paint the Town Pink has raised nearly $365,000.

Anyone who has ideas or is interested in participating in the 2015 PTTP is encouraged to contact Kathi Finley at 507-460-0259 or by email at GoPTTP@gmail.com. You also can follow PTTP updates on its Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/austinpttp