National Doughnut Day 2010
Check out the sights and sounds from this year's National Doughnut Day! You can also read more about how the tradition started.
About National Doughnut Day:
National Doughnut Day is on the first Friday of June each year, succeeding the Donut Day event created by The Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. Many American doughnut stores offer free doughnuts on the holiday.
History:
National Doughnut Day started in 1938 as a fund raiser for the Chicago Salvation Army. Their goal was to help the needy during the Great Depression, and to honor the Salvation Army "Lassies" of World War I, who served doughnuts to soldiers.
Soon after the US entrance into World War I in 1917, The Salvation Army sent a fact-finding mission to France. The mission concluded that "huts" that could serve baked goods, provide writing supplies and stamps, and provide a clothes-mending service, would serve the needs of US enlisted men. Six staff members per hut should include four female volunteers who could "mother" the boys.
About 250 Salvation Army volunteers went to France. Because of the difficulties of providing freshly-baked goods from huts established in abandoned buildings near to the front lines, two Salvation Army volunteers came up with the idea of providing doughnuts. These are reported to have been an "instant hit", and "soon many soldiers were visiting Salvation Army huts". To this day it is still a fundraiser run by The Salvation Army.
National Doughnut Day is on the first Friday of June each year, succeeding the Donut Day event created by The Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. Many American doughnut stores offer free doughnuts on the holiday.