(La Porte, IN) - La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, along with the city's first lady, rang the bell at a Salvation Army kettle over the weekend.

He and his wife, Jackie, were outside Wal Mart.  Dermody also urged people to volunteer at one of the kettles with less than two weeks left until Christmas.

The goal for the kettle drive in La Porte this year is $70,000.  La Porte Salvation Army Capt. Chris Karlin said over $35,000 was collected in the kettles prior to the start of the weekend.  He said the pace of giving at the kettles in La Porte was slightly higher than 2019 but monetary giving online and with checks was behind from this time last year.

The overall goal for money collected by the La Porte Salvation Army this year is $275,000.  Karlin said the money is used to help meet the needs of people year round.