Celebration of PTTP
Published 6:30 pm Tuesday, March 8, 2022
- Not only did the Business After Hours Tuesday night celebrate Paint the Town Pink at The Hormel Institute, but it was also an opportunity to cut the ribbon on its 80th anniversary year. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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Institute hosts Business After Hours to recognize this year’s events
It might have come a little bit after it was originally scheduled, but Tuesday night’s Business After Hours at The Hormel Institute still had that celebratory tone.
This Year’s Paint the Town Pink Honorary Chair Cheryl Constancio speaks during Business After Hours at The Hormel Institute Tuesday night. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
This Business After Hours celebrated Paint the Town Pink. In prior years this event is used as a kick-off for the annual fundraiser, but due to the most recent COVID-19 surge, it was postponed to Tuesday night.
There was no cumulative total announced Tuesday night because some events were either postponed or are still coming up.
However, The Dutchtown Jumpers were able to present a check for $32,610, which included $32,000 raised for this year’s Plunging for Pink and other fundraisers, and $610 from a crowd funding campaign.
Since 2013, the group has been one of the most prolific money raisers, contributing $219,486 to PTTP.
“I don’t know how we keep doing it,” Jeremy Olson said. “People are just so generous.”
Dr. Robert Clarke, executive director for The Hormel Institute, welcomes people to the Business After Hours Tuesday night at the Institute. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
There was also a check for $10,000 donated to the Institute by the Blooming Prairie Cancer Group.
George Aslanidi, PhD spoke to those in attendance Tuesday night of the importance of the money raised from PTTP.
Aslanidi, and the rest of the scientists at the Institute have used the over $2.2 million raised since 2011 as seed grants to help fund their research to provide proof of concept that can lead to bigger dollar amounts from places like the National Institutes of Health.
“I’ve been in Austin five years and it always amazes me how the community has come together on several events,” Aslanidi said. “We’re not only doing research for ourselves, but doing something meaningful and giving back.”
One of the last speakers was this year’s honorary chair, Cheryl Constancio. She used her time to further emphasize the importance of what Paint the Town Pink and the scientists at the Institute are doing.
“It has been an honor and privilege being this year’s honorary chair,” she said. “Keep supporting their research. Bigger and better things are coming.”
While much of the night was for Paint the Town Pink, there was also a ribbon cutting for the Institute’s 80 anniversary year.
