By Brandi Makuski

Three local officials have engaged in a challenge to raise money for the 2015 Red Kettle Campaign.

Portage Co. Executive Patty Dreier, Plover Administrator Dan Mahoney and Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza are joining up to help raise money for the main fundraiser of the Salvation Army. The trio agreed to the challenge at last week’s kickoff for the annual bell-ringing.

“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing at the Kettle kickoff,” said Dreier. “We just want to help increase awareness of the cause, that reaching out to help others is a great thing.”

The three will be stationed at different venues on Dec. 3 from 6 PM to 8 PM. Dreier can be found at Copps in Park Ridge, 1500 Pinecrest Ave.; Wiza will be at Trigs, 1600 Academy Ave.; and Mahoney will be ringing a bell at Copps in Plover, 1850 Plover Road.

“I’m out to avenge my loss at Empty Bowls,” Mahoney said jokingly, referring to the friendly challenge between the three in October, when each showcased their best soup recipes to raise money for the less fortunate. “But it’s about helping the community, so it doesn’t really matter who wins.”

“It’s just a fun thing we decided to do to help spread awareness of how important this cause is,” Wiza said. “If we can use our positions as community leaders to help bring in a few extra dollars, then it’s a win-win.”

All three have said they have no set goals regarding how much money is raised during the two-hour period.

“We’d love everybody to come out and throw a few pennies in and help us,” Dreier said. “We’ll take all millionaires who wish to drop a million dollar check in there, but we’ll take all pennies, too.”