National Doughnut Day
About National Doughnut Day
When is National Doughnut Day? This holiday is celebrated the first Friday in June
National Doughnut Day honors the Salvation Army “Lassies” of WWI. It is also used as a fundraiser for needy causes of the Salvation Army.
The original Salvation Army Doughnut was first served by Salvation Army in 1917. During WWI, Salvation Army “lassies” were sent to the front lines of Europe. These brave volunteers made home-cooked foods and provided a morale boost to the troops. Soldiers cooked doughnuts in oil inside the metal helmet of an American soldier. The American infantrymen were commonly called doughboys. Salvation Army lassies were the only women outside of military personnel allowed to visit the front lines. The Salvation Army’s “first doughnut girl” was Lt. Colonel Helen Purviance.
On National Doughnut Day, look to see if your local doughnut shop, or other organizations, are offering free donuts to solicit donations for the Salvation Army or another needy cause. If you find them, please be generous.
Did You Know? The official dictionary spelling of the term is “Doughnut” and is most often seen in print. The word “Doughnut” is often shortened to “Donut”. Both spellings have been around for a long time. While “Doughnut” arrived first, “donut” has been around since the 1800s. If you see the term National Donut Day, it’s the same day.
The Origin of the Term Doughboy
The term “Doughboy” was popular in referring to U.S. Army infantrymen during World War I. American foot soldiers were occasionally called doughboys during the Civil War. The earliest references to the term, comes from the U.S-Mexican war.
How to Celebrate National Doughnut Day
Here are some ways you can celebrate National Doughnut Day:
- Learn more about WWI Salvation Army Lassies.
- Contribute to the Salvation Army.
- Buy and eat donuts.
- Bring some donuts to work to share with your co-workers. Encourage them to support the Salvation Army.
Thought for Today
Age 60 is the new 40, and 9:00 is the new midnight.
History and Origin of National Doughnut Day
The Chicago Salvation Army started National Doughnut Day in 1938 to raise much-needed funds during the Great Depression, and to honor the work of World War I Salvation Army volunteers who prepared doughnuts and other foods for thousands of soldiers.
We did not find any documentation confirming this to be a “National” day. We found no congressional records or presidential proclamation. However, given the importance of this day, we believe it warrants the “National” title.
Definition of “National” Days – and why it is important to distinguish true National days.
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