Are you Tough Enough to Wear Pink? New Mexico State University Aggies are, and for a good cause: supporting breast cancer research through Tough Enough to Wear Pink's support of Cowboys for Cancer Research.

NMSU's annual Tough Enough to Wear Pink Week will take place from Sunday, Sept. 23 through Saturday, Sept. 29, with a series of events to educate the community about breast cancer and to raise money for breast cancer research. NMSU is the host sponsor for Tough Enough to Wear Pink Week.

Events on campus begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, with a TETWP Scavenger Hunt for students starting and ending at the outdoor stage at Corbett Center Student Union. Following the scavenger hunt, there will be an outdoor barbecue at 5 p.m. For those on a meal plan, you simply swipe for the meal; cost for non-meal plan attendees is $7.75 plus tax.

Monday brings Hideout for a Cure for residents of student family housing from 3 to 6 p.m., at Pistol Pete's Hideout, located in Sutherland Village. There will be fun games and activities for the adults and children alike - a pink ribbon art contest, cowboy poetry contest, cowboy art contest and a slide and obstacle course. The Campus Health Center will have information about self-exams for women and men on-site, too. Pizza, pink sherbet floats and water will be provided at no cost to student family housing residents. Photo opportunities also will be available.

Sodexo partners with NMSU for the much anticipated Pink Dinner, Fashion Show and Silent Auction at Taos Restaurant, which will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. This event is open to both students and the Las Cruces community. The fashion show will feature student models, along with children, modeling pink fashion to help promote breast cancer awareness. Silent auction items will include a variety of items from airline tickets to snowboards. Students on a meal plan swipe their cards for dinner; the cost for non-meal plan attendees is $7.75 plus tax.

Wednesday evening will feature a luminaria display and ceremony in front of the Pan American Center, beginning at dusk. More than three thousand luminarias will be lit in memory or honor of those who have been affected by breast cancer. Luminarias may be purchased for $2 for students and $5 for nonstudents by calling 575-646-3202. Luminaria order forms will be available at other TETWP events on campus, too.

Rec Sports will sponsor a glow-in-the-dark volleyball tournament on Thursday. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Activity Center and play begins at 6 p.m. in men's, women's and co-rec divisions. Rec Sports also will host Zumba from 5:30-6:30 p.m. These two events are for the NMSU community and an NMSU ID card is required for entry. Email questions to intramurals@nmsu.edu.

The week culminates on Saturday with an event filled day. The Tough Enough to Wear Pink 5K Fun Run and Walk, sponsored by Cervantes Enterprises, will begin in front of Hadley Hall at 8 a.m. Registration for the event is $5 for students and kids, $10 for the general public and $20 for runners. Participants may pre-register at the NMSU Housing office, or register on-site beginning at 7 a.m. the day of the event.

All Aggies are encouraged to wear pink for the annual Tough Enough to Wear Pink football game, when the Aggies take on University of Texas-San Antonio with a 6 p.m. kick-off. TETWP events during the game include a check presentation from TETWP to Cowboys for Cancer Research at halftime; the field will be decorated in pink; women affected by breast cancer will fire the ROTC cannon; and there will be a moment of silence to honor those who have been affected by the disease.

"Sooner or later, breast cancer touches everybody," said Julie Weber, TETWP campus coordinator, director of housing and residential life and interim director of Corbett Center Student Union. "Breast cancer awareness and education is especially important in this area of the country."

Weber encourages all Aggies to sport their pink throughout Tough Enough to Wear Pink Week and to attend the events.

Barnes and Noble at NMSU Bookstore and Cafe has a variety of official TETWP gear available now. From bracelets and car decals to T-shirts and polo shirts. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of TETWP items will benefit Tough Enough to Wear Pink.

Are YOU tough enough to wear pink?

For more information, contact Julie Weber at 575-646-3202 or jeweber@nmsu.edu. Visit www.pinkaggie.com for more information about TETWP.