Celebrate National Donut Day
TODAY!
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[June 02, 2017]
LINCOLN
- Friday, June 2 is National Donut Day! The Salvation Army
here in Lincoln, IL is partnering up with Mel-O-Cream Donut to
commemorate the day by distributing fresh free donuts to our area
First Responders.
Did you know that The Salvation Army in Chicago celebrated the first
National Donut Day in 1938 to raise funds to help the needy during
the Great Depression and to commemorate the work of the “donut
lassies” who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. Today,
the first Friday in June marks an important date in American food
history and raises awareness for the critical services that The
Salvation Army provides to those in need each day.
Who were the donut lassies?
In 1917, The Salvation Army began a mission to provide spiritual and
emotional support for U.S. soldiers fighting in France during World
War I. About 250 volunteers traveled overseas and set up small huts
located near the front lines where they could give soldiers clothes,
supplies and, of course, baked goods.
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After discovering that serving baked goods would be difficult
considering the conditions of the huts and the limited rations, two volunteers –
Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance – began frying donuts in
soldiers’ helmets. These tasty treats boosted morale and won the hearts of many
soldiers. Nicknamed “donut lassies,” the women who served donuts to troops are
often credited with popularizing the donut in the United States when the troops
(nicknamed “doughboys”) returned home from war.
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The donut now serves as a symbol of all the social services The Salvation Army
provides to those in need. The Salvation Army still serves donuts, in addition
to warm meals and hydration, to those in need during times of disaster.
[Tony Shuff, Salvation Army,
Lincoln/Logan County] |