The reward for helping find an elderly man who went missing Dec. 26 has been increased from $12,000 to $25,000.

Kenneth Himes, 70, lived at Passavant Memorial Home near Pittsburgh and was visiting his family on Cadogan Slate Lick Road, Armstrong County, when he went missing. The facility serves people who have mental disabilities and handicaps.

Passavant has contributed the majority of the reward fund and the company's board of directors recently decided to increase the dollar amount as a means of keeping the case in the public spotlight, according to Tom King, a lawyer representing Passavant.

“We all still hold out hope he will be found safe,” King said. “We're in pretty constant contact with (State Trooper Curtis) Guntrum at the Kittanning barracks and they've done a pretty fantastic job.”

Guntrum led the initial search of the area in South Buffalo Township where Himes went missing but couldn't be reached in time for comment.

“The trail is fairly cold and so we're trying to do our part at Passavant to raise public awareness and hopefully find Kenney alive and well,” King said.