(La Porte County, IN) - LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody and Michigan City Mayor Duane Parry are challenging each other again today to benefit the Salvation Army. Dermody and members of his team are ringing the bell at the kettle outside Kroger while Parry and his squad are manning the kettle at Al’s Supermarket on Franklin Street.

Dermody is hoping to remain undefeated after winning the two previous years. Last year, team Dermody finished with just over $6,000 in their kettle while slightly more than $3,100 came out of Parry’s kettle.  In 2020, Dermody outdistanced Parry by nearly $10,000.

Dermody is urging people to dig deeper at the kettles to help the Salvation Army in La Porte reach its $85,000 kettle drive goal, with less than $40,000 having been collected as of Monday.

 “They need your help,” he said.

Salvation Army groups nationwide are seeing reduced giving at the kettles this season with inflation cited as a major factor.