For every dollar donated on Saturday, December 17th, it will be matched by either a local individual or business. This year there are more than 20 individuals and businesses participating.
Match day started in Appleton, Wisconsin and is one of the Salvation Army's the biggest fundraising days of the season.
Major Paul Moore said they are hoping that match day in La Crosse will grow as well.
"We're really hoping that people understand that today this will really leverage their donations so if someone decides that they want to put a dollar in today, it becomes two or however that works and so we've already been getting calls from people saying you know what we're going to put our check in today or wanna know where your kettle is today, can we bring it down to you, sure,"said Major Moore.
The goal was to raise awareness about The Salvation Army's iconic red kettle drive and encourage donations, officials with the organization said.
By Saturday night, only five of the 24 -- including McNally and Stokes -- were still ringing.
Under the rules, volunteers had to stand, with only a ten-minute break every four hours, and could not sleep or eat. Liquids were allowed.
In his first year as a bell ringer, Stokes had mastered the art, even multi-tasking, said Mike Rowland, communications director for the Salvation Army Indiana.
"Caleb has gotten to the point where he can put the bell in his mouth and continue to ring, while he can tweet," Rowland said.
McNally and Stokes said they were inspired by all the people who stopped by to say that the Salvation Army had helped them in darker years.
One truck driver heard about their effort on the radio and drove 40 miles out of his way to give, Stokes said.
Friends stopped by to offer support. The darkest hours came in the early morning, when Monument Circle fell quiet and the two men had little stimulation to keep them awake, both agreed.
With 55 hours down, the end was in sight. At midnight, just five hours away, all bell ringing was to cease. The Salvation Army does not allow bell ringing on Sundays
The two men said they looked forward to ending their quest.
First, McNally said, he'd like to shower and then eat.
Or maybe eat in the shower, said Stokes, 33.
After that, they planned to retire -- for this year.
"We want to go out on top," McNally said.
After 60 hours of ringing, silence might be nice as well. So, McNally said he had no plans to let his children get hold of his record-breaking bell.
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