EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
Pastor Billy Nickrand of La Porte, Indiana was going for a bell-ringing record to raise money for The Salvation Army.
Nickrand's sister lives in Evansville and she says Billy has broken that record and raised even more money than he had hoped.
Nickrand's sister is Jenni Martin of Evansville, and she says Billy managed to stay upright and ring that bell for just over 60 hours straight.
Martin says her brother started ringing the bell at noon on Thursday and she says he finally concluded the bell-ringing marathon just after midnight, Saturday night.
Nickrand's goal was to raise at least $5,000 for The Salvation Army, but Martin tells 14 News he managed to raise over $6,000.
Martin says Billy is hypoglycemic and that his health and mental state had deteriorated toward the end of this record setting venture, but that he managed to keep going with support from the La Porte community.
"Strangers, didn't even know Billy, came out and supported him, rang their bells, and just, you know, showed him what he's doing can make a difference. This time of the year people need to realize that the small things do count and do make a difference," Martin said.
Martin says Nickrand had submitted documentation to the Guiness Book of World Records prior to Thursday, but she has not heard if he has been officially deemed the world record holder, as of yet.
Either way, Martin says she and her family are very proud of Billy's accomplishment.
Related Stories:
Copyright 2012 WFIE. All Rights Reserved.
Billy's sister says he managed to stay upright and ring that bell for just over 60 hours straight.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
