October is notorious for its abundance of pumpkin spice, scary movies and sweater weather. However, people often overlook the little pink ribbons printed on signs or pinned to clothing. These bubble gum-colored reminders announce that it is once again Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Several events take place in October to raise awareness and often funds for breast cancer research.

     This past weekend the Allen Event Center hosted Pinktoberfest, a women's ice hockey tournament for breast cancer awareness. Admission was free, and all proceeds from team registration, t-shirts and raffles went to Texas Health Presbyterian at Allen Breast Center, said Chris Margiotta, Adult Hockey Director at the Event Center.

     Five teams participated in the tournament, three of which were from the DFW area and two from Houston. The Arctic Foxes, Chicks with Sticks, Gunners, Mother Puckers and Stingers battled it out throughout Columbus Day weekend starting at 8 p.m. on Friday and ending at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

     In the final game of the tournament, the Houston Gunners led the Mother Puckers 5-2. 

History of Pinktoberfest     

     2014 is not the first year Allen has hosted the Pinktoberfest tournament.

     "[Pinktoberfest] was started by the previous hockey director. . . and has constantly grown every year," said Margiotta, "she is unfortunately no longer with us, so we wanted to keep the good vibe going and keep Pinktoberfest alive."

     Events like Pinktoberfest raise awareness of the effects of breast cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, no matter their race or ethnicity.   

     In the end, the tournament raised support for the cause both financially and morally.

    "Our goalie's step mom just got diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago. . .so it's kind of nice that we all know people that have gone through breast cancer. It's nice that they're trying to raise money," said Jennifer Madsen, Center for the Houston Gunners.

     Through Pinktoberfest, Allen showed its support for those battling breast cancer and brought members of the community together to cheer on their favorite teams.

     "It was a fun event for the women locally, and also to kind of get the community backing it as well," Margiotta said.