Paint the Town Pink raises $162,300
Published 5:05 pm Monday, March 17, 2014
Hormel Institute Executive Director Zigang Dong, center, and Austin Bruins owner Craig Patrick, right, were all smiles Monday when the Paint the Town Pink total — $16,300 — was announced at The Institute. Jason Schoonover/jason.schoonover@austindailyherald.com
Organizers seeking ideas for 2015
Watch out, cancer.
Hormel Institute officials and Paint the Town Pink volunteers gathered at The Institute Monday to announce the annual event raised $162,300 for breast cancer research, topping organizers’ goal of $150,000.
“You are real heroes,” Institute Executive Director Dr. Zigang Dong told the volunteers.
Dong said they’re already working on proposals and planning for how to best use the money.
“I promise you we will use it very, very well,” he said.
PTTP grew in its third full year. Vision 2020 Waterways’ second Plunging for Pink raised more than $37,000, and the Austin Bruins’ fourth Paint the Rink Pink raised more than $25,000.
The Hormel Institute’s Gail Dennison claps for the Austin boys basketball team, which took second at state Saturday, during an event to announce the fundraising totals for Paint Town Pink. Austin High School teams held Pink Out Nights for PTTP.
“I was blown away a hundred times over by just the generosity and the caring in Austin and the other communities that got involved,” said PTTP’s Director Kathi Finley.
Other top fundraising events included the inaugural KAUS-AM Pledging for Pink radiothon, Brownsdale’s first PTTP initiative, the Hormel Foods Austin Plant’s fundraising and the 12th annual Fishing for a Cure ice fishing contest. The Mower County Fair Board joined in the cancer-fighting cause by starting Smashing Cancer, a winter demolition derby.
PTTP raised $115,260 last year. Since 2011, PTTP and Paint the Rink Pink have raised $362,430 to help The Hormel Institute fight breast cancer.
“This is our community, and we’re doing it together,” said Gail Dennison, The Institute’s director of development and public relations.
The 2014 funds will support the seven, two-year seed grants awarded to Institute scientists in 2013, according to Dennison. PTTP donations raised in 2011 and 2012 supported the acquisition of cutting-edge technology for The Institute’s researchers to use in accelerating discoveries for breast cancer research. Funds from the 2013 PTTP were distributed as seven seed grants to scientists at The Hormel Institute for breast cancer research.
PTTP started in 2011 with just the inaugural Paint the Rink Pink hockey game by the Bruins, which drew a sellout crowd and raised more than $22,000. In 2012, the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau had the idea to transform efforts into a larger Austin-area initiative.
Bruins officials were on hand Monday and pleased with how the event has grown.
Paint the Town Pink Director Kathi Finley addresses volunteers at The Hormel Institute Monday.
“It’s just mind-blowing,” said Austin Bruins owner Craig Patrick of the $162,300 in fundraising. “I’m so excited this number is as big as it is.”
Finley and other organizers are already looking ahead to next year, though dates haven’t been set since the Bruins’ schedule isn’t released until summer. The plan is to again host the events in February.
PTTP organizers are seeking ideas for improving and growing PTTP in 2015, including expanding into other communities. People with ideas or who would like to participate in next year’s PTTP are encouraged to contact Finley at 507-460-0259 or gopttp@gmail.com.
Work at The Institute isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon. Institute workers are already looking ahead to meeting several goals.
“Of course we want this to be one of the most important cancer research centers in the world — that’s a longterm vision,” Dong said. “Short term, we want to double the size.”
Institute officials will break ground on a $27-million expansion this summer after the Minnesota Legislature approved $13.5 million in funding in the 2012 bonding bill.
Paint the Town Pink organizers gather in The Hormel Institute lobby Monday to announce the drive raised $162,300 this year.
