‘Paint the Rink Pink’ another success for Austin Bruins
By Mike Delhanty, Austin Bruins
In three years, the Austin Bruins hockey organization now has raised more than $100,000 in support for The Hormel Institute’s world-renowned breast cancer research through its annual “Paint the Rink Pink” fundraiser game and jersey auction.
On Monday, Austin Bruins owner Craig Patrick presented a check for $39,819 to The Hormel Institute’s Executive Director Dr. Zigang Dong. That amount put the Austin Bruins, a junior hockey team in the North American Hockey League, at $100,313 overall in donations raised from “Paint the Rink Pink,” which the team started in February 2011.
This year’s donation is the highest amount raised yet by the Austin Bruins through “Paint the Rink Pink,” topping the inaugural game’s $22,370 and the 2012 amount of $38,124. Most of the donated funds -- $33,350 – came from the post-game “Paint the Rink Pink” auction of the Bruins players’ 27 specially made jerseys featuring pink, with the rest raised from apparel sales, a raffle, puck drop, general donations and more.
By matching these funds with other funds from cancer research foundations and the University of Minnesota, The Hormel Institute has purchased technology that can be used to accelerate breast cancer research.
“All of us at The Hormel Institute remain deeply grateful for and inspired by the tremendous level of support raised each year through ‘Paint the Rink Pink’ by the Austin Bruins and our community,” said Dr. Zigang Dong, Executive Director of The Hormel Institute. “This support is vital in our cutting-edge fight against breast cancer and other types of cancer. The best way we can show our sincere gratitude is by continuing to focus on pushing for discoveries leading to the prevention and control of cancer.”