Paint the Town Pink started in Austin about five years ago, but it’s expanded to many Mower County towns since.

Adams is joining in the fun for the first time this year, and festivities ramp up late this week.

“We just think it’s an awesome time to get our town together,” volunteer Patti Hamilton said. “I mean, cancer effects absolutely everyone.”

Hamilton, along with five other committee members, have organized events to help Paint the Town. While there have been a few cancer fundraisers, Hamilton said this year was a good time for an official Adams PTTP.

Hamilton was excited about the events and hopes Paint the Town Pink goes over well.

“When this opportunity came up, or the idea started, we thought ‘We can do this so let’s jump on board,’” Hamilton said.

Adams events include a taco feed on Jan. 22, Paint the Gym Pink on Jan. 24, a soup dinner on Jan. 24, a Pink Party on Jan. 25, and a chili supper and Fighting Like A Girl Big $ Raffle Drawing Feb. 12. She noted there are also children’s events.

“We just want people to come,” Hamilton said. “And whether you drink pink lemonade or a pink drink with raspberries in it, it should be a lot of fun.”

Adams Paint the Town Pink will also sell raffle tickets, T-shirts, window clings and Be-Well soup mixes.

All funds raised will also go to the Hormel Institute for cancer research.

Hamilton thanked everyone helping with the event, and has been excited to see local businesses and homes starting to “turn pink.”

“We are really excited, you know we go hard Thursday, Saturday, Sunday in January, but we have a lot of energy and we have a lot of good people helping us, so it will be just fine,” she said.

Brownsdale

This will be the second year for Brownsdale’s PTTP, and volunteers are excited for what’s to come.

“Last year our goal that we wanted to raise was $2,500, and obviously we exceed that,” volunteer Tina Ellis said.

This year, Brownsdale’s goal is to top last year’s total, which was a little more than $12,000.

Brownsdale got involved with Paint the Town Pink after the Run with the Breast of Us 5K started in 2013.

“The response and everybody wanting to come together and help has just been overwhelming and great,” Ellis said.

Brownsdale will host canvas painting on March 5, a woman’s self defense class followed by a yoga class on March 7, a snowmobile run Feb. 21, and a soup supper with silent auction on March 8. Feb. 1 will start the traveling ribbons, which were successful last year and can be placed in a yard or moved for $10.

People can pay $1 to put a name in a window of a local business, purchase pins or buttons for $3, T-shirts for $15, and spare change jars will be in many local businesses. The community is also invited to participate in other ways.

“We’re trying to get all the local businesses and everyone in town try to decorate in pink,” Ellis said.

The funds raised will be given to the Hormel Institute for breast cancer research.

“It’s just something that I think is just very important to make people aware and raise money for,” Ellis said.