San Francisco Salvation Army Bell Ringers Break World Record (VIDEO)

50 HOURS AND STILL STANDING: Local Salvation Army Bell Ringer Breaks World Record

On Friday night, a San Francisco man broke the world record for bell ringing when he spent more than 36 hours ringing a Salvation Army bell in Union Square for charity.

Twenty-four Salvation Army bell ringers across the nation competed to break the previous record, and at the end of 36 hours at midnight on Saturday, 15 of them -- including Marcelino "Butch" Soriano in Union Square -- were still standing.

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"It's going well. My feet are starting to be tired," Soriano told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Soriano continued to compete for the new world record, braving hunger, exhaustion and the chilly December weather for a total of 51 hours. Though he did not set the world record overall (that title went to Darrell Tureskis of Springfield, Illinois), Soriano did set the new record for Salvation Army Officers, and placed sixth overall, according to the Salvation Army.

In Texas, Saundra Shearon set the new record for female bell ringers with a time of 57 hours.

Under the contest rules, competitors must stand the entire time. They receive ten-minute bathroom breaks every four hours, but are not allowed to eat.

The competition aims to bring awareness to the Salvation Army and its charitable goals.

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