ITHACA, N.Y.(WENY)-- Friday night is the night that the Ithaca Salvation Army will be taking on a new challenge like never before. Lieutenant Stacy McNeil will ringing her red kettle donation bell from 6 p.m. Friday night until 6 p.m. Saturday night. She is going to be participating in this challenge to attempt to raise $20,000 for the Ithaca Salvation Army. 

"You have to get creative when doing donations, asking for donations form your community and so just the simple bell ringing is great and people are so generous, but this year we wanted to go even further and take it a little bit further and be a little more creative and hopefully inspire people to maybe give a little more generously tonight," McNeil tells WENY News. 

McNeil will attempt to ring the bell for 24 hours straight, with possible food breaks, and will be joined by different guests at each hour to help bring in donations. 

"I will be there for 24 hours. I do have people that will be coming to stand with me, so I am never standing by myself, but ya. 24 hours with maybe a break or two to eat some food but other than that, 24 hours I will be at Walmart," says McNeil.

One of those special guests will be Santa Claus! So if you would like to donate, McNeil and other guests will be at the Ithaca Walmart location until 6 p.m. Saturday night accepting cash, check, and text in donations! 

If you would like to text in a donation, you can text text Ithaca kettle at 4144 and you can text a donation in. All of the proceeds raised will go towards helping over 250 families and 500 children throughout 2020.