Pink plungers pull in $58,521 to support cancer cure research
Published 9:01 am Tuesday, February 13, 2018
- Plunging for Pink raised $58,521 for cancer research at The Hormel Institute. The check was presented during the Paint the Rink Pink event last week. From left, Chad Thomas and Jeremy Olson from the Dutchtown Jumpers team; and Cody Anderson, Mitzi Anderson, Steven Kremer, Courtney Kremer, Jacob Gross, Toren Bires an Lindsay Bires. Photo provided.
Plunging for Pink teams made a splash by raising $58,521 for the Paint the Town Pink effort in 2018.
It marked the first of event totals released by the Paint the Town Pink organizers, who for the eighth year marshaled forces to raise funds for cancer research at The Hormel Institute.
The total funds from the plunge were announced Saturday, during the Paint the Rink Pink hockey game and fundraiser, hosted by the Austin Bruins – which also was the very first organization to initiate a fundraiser that eventually led to the creation of Paint the Town Pink.
The Dutchtown Jumpers was the top team, raising $28,426. The “best dressed” team was the Neveln Knights.
PTTP activities continue throughout the year, but has a formal slate of activities for two weeks in February. Chairwoman Kathi Finley said it would be six to eight weeks before a final, overall total would be tallied and released.
Word was that the crowds had a “smashing good time” at the Smashing Cancer Demolition Derby held Sunday at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Several derby cars entered the annual Paint the Town Pink event and crashed and careened to the delight of the spectators. A final fundraising total will be announced later this spring. Here, The Dutchtown Jumpers and Duren’s Custom Fab duke it out during one of the heats. Jana Gray/jana.gray@austindailyherald.
A number of traditional events returned this year topepper the two-week schedule of activities. Finley said events drew “good attendance, and was up in some cases,” she said.
“New this year was the Pink Swing, which was really fun; the ice golf was also fun and there is talk of expanding that next year,” she said.
She added that an upcoming event – Pinko Bingo – is already sold out.
Some of the fundraisers this year, in addition to Plunging for the Pink and Paint the Rink Pink, included the Pledging for Pink Radiothon by KAUS, Pink Rocks! Highway to Cure Benefit, YMCA 5K Super Run, Fishing for a Cure, Pink Swing, Mower County Fair Golf Masters Challenge, Smashing Cancer Demo Derby, PTTP Craft Sale at First Federal Savings and Loan, Soup and Bake Sale at St. Mark’s Living and events in Rose Creek and Blooming Prairie.
All funds support research at The Hormel Institute. The initiative targets breast cancer research, but discoveries by researchers can often be applied to other cancers, organizers say.
There is already talk of new events for next year, including a “Festival of Trees”-type of event, which would be fun, she said.
“Just when you think it can’t get any bigger or better, it just does,” she said. “That’s because people are just so supportive.”
