An entire day dedicated to round, cake-like pastries of goodness you might ask? Yes please!  June 1st marks the beginning of National Donut Day, and the origins of such a day may surprise you – in that sugary rush kind of way.

You may have assumed that donuts were created by some gregarious bakers with chef hats and aprons, but in fact, the people responsible for bringing these delicious cakes to us are the Salvation Army. Now, before you go choking on your donut hole, here is a little history to indulge in that’ll make you appreciate your next bite.

National Donut Day was founded to honor the Salvation Army “Lassies,” going back to 1917, at the height of the Great War, or World War I as we know it today. Lassies were the young ladies who went to cook food for soldiers out to the front lines in Europe to provide care and aide during WWI.

A young ensign in particular by the name of Helen Purvience utilized her skills from home and began making donuts for homesick troops in France. Along with fellow officers from the Salvation Army, they began to produce donuts from scratch to hundreds of troops.

Often times they would use the metal helmets of soldiers to cook the donuts in the necessary oil. With no special donut cutters, the lassies would have to use knives to cut the dough into strips, and then hand-twist them into crullers. Through rain and mud, they would eventually go on to prepare thousands of donuts for hungry Soldiers. As popularity grew, these Soldiers would eventually be nicknamed, “doughboys.” In turn, the troops would affectionately refer to the lassies as “doughnut girls.” The words donut and doughnut are the same in meaning. “Donut,” has become the more popular usage of the treat in modern society.

The Salvation Army donut would go on to symbolize the unwavering love, support, and concern for those serving in the armed forces. Today, the Salvation Army continues this fun tradition, and along with many other donut shops, offers free donuts in exchange for donations to go to needy causes. Be sure to check out your local donut shop and see if they participate in this wonderful cause.

 

http://salarmytulsa.blogspot.com/2010/04/little-army-history.html