2013 Bell Ringing World Record Contest
In 2011, Caleb Stokes and Leilan McNally made bell ringing history. The men rang the iconic bells outside of the Emmis Communications Building on Monument Circle for 60 straight hours. Along with Darrell Tureskis, another contestant in Springfield IL, the two men set the new world record.
This inaugural World Record of Bell Ringing was put on by The Salvation Army’s National Headquarters as part of a national effort to celebrate and recognize 120 years of The Salvation Army Red Kettle. Last year the record was broken by reigning co-champion Tureskis and two ringers in New Mexico and California who put down their bells after 80 hours of continuous ringing.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Current Record stands at 80 hours
- Entry Deadline is Friday, November 20, 2013 at 5 p.m. EST
- Rules of the contest include, but are not limited to:
- Contestants must stand the entire time, except during allocated breaks
- Contestants must ring the bell continuously, except during allocated breaks
- Contestants must be signed up as Salvation Army bell ringers
- Contestants may eat and drink non-alcoholic beverages, but only during approved breaks
- Two witnesses must be present at all times for the duration of the event
- Bell ringing begins on December 3, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) and continues until the last bell is put down
- Contestants must sign-up as bell ringers with their local Salvation Army unit
- For more information or to sign up, contact Amy Howard at the Eastern Michigan Headquarters at amy_howard@usc.salvationarmy.org
Background: The annual Red Kettle Campaign was started as a fundraiser by Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee in San Francisco in 1891. Since that time, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army workers and volunteers spread throughout the country to ring bells daily and solicit spare change donations to the iconic red kettles from holiday shoppers. In 2012, the campaign collected a record $148.7 million nationwide, supported by the public’s nickels, dimes, quarters, dollars and credit cards. With this support The Salvation Army was able to serve 30 million people in communities where the money was raised.
For updates on the World Record contest as it takes place, please visit www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyUSA or www.blog.salvationarmyusa.org