Paint the Town Pink kicks off with $140K goal
Published 10:33 am Wednesday, January 14, 2015
This year’s Paint the Town Pink honorees Susan and Rod Ryks, of Austin, spoke Tuesday night at the Paint the Town Pink kickoff at The Hormel Institute as part of the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Business After Hours. Susan is a breast cancer survivor and the Ryks family has been involved significantly in PTTP events and fundraising. — Photo provided
This year’s Paint the Town Pink kicked off Tuesday with a big goal: Volunteers hope to raise about $140,000 over the next few weeks to top the $500,000 mark in overall fundraising for five years of work.
The fifth annual Paint the Rink Pink hockey game will take place Feb. 7, while the fourth annual Paint the Town Pink will run from Jan. 31 to Feb. 8.
Members of the Austin Bruins hockey team participate in the “Paint the Town Pink” kickoff Tuesday night at The Hormel Institute. The Bruins will host its fifth annual “Paint the Rink Pink” game on Feb. 7 at Riverside Arena, playing on pink ice and auctioning special pink jerseys after the game. — Photo provided
Since 2011, the Austin area’s Paint the Town Pink efforts have raised more than $362,000 for breast cancer research at The Hormel Institute.
Funds raised through PTTP in 2011 and 2012 went toward acquiring technology to accelerate breast cancer research. Donations the past two years have been distributed as “seed” grants to researchers at The Hormel Institute for new breast cancer projects. These funds greatly help researchers explore new ideas and gather preliminary data vital for seeking major research grants.
This year’s PTTP honorees are Rodney and Susan Ryks, along with their family. Susan Ryks is a breast cancer survivor and her family has been significantly involved in PTTP fundraising and events.
The event will feature pink flags and ribbons throughout the city along with numerous “pink” events, including the marquee event — the Austin Bruins’ fifth annual “Paint the Rink Pink” hockey game Feb. 7 at Riverside Arena. Each year, Paint the Rink Pink draws a sellout crowd of 2,000 with its game on pink ice that features a post-game pink jersey auction. Overall, the Bruins have raised about $125,000 in four years for the Institute’s breast cancer research.
PTTP organizers also are hoping to attract the first $5,000 winning bid on a jersey during the post-game auction.
“We have grown substantially over the years and have expanded the lineup of events and supporting communities for 2015 even further,” PTTP Director Kathi Finley said in a press release. “We truly are excited for the great fun ahead as well as for the meaningful moments and tributes that help remind us all why we are supporting this important cause.”
The third annual Plunging for Pink polar plunge, which has raised more than $55,000 in two years and attracted over 200 plungers a year ago, will be Jan. 31 at East Side Lake. Vision 2020 Waterways, Austin Parks & Recreation and Austin Fire Department put on the event. A first-time Snowmobile Speed Run also will take place earlier that same day on the lake.
A complete list of events, business fundraisers and more is available online at www.hi.umn.edu and “Click for Pink” at the top of the homepage. Paint the Town Pink and various other PTTP groups also have Facebook pages updated frequently.
