Croquer: National Donut Day!

Donuts and The Salvation Army go all the way back to the battlefields of France in World War I when Salvation Army “lassies” made donuts for US soldiers. National Donut Day began in 1938 in Chicago by The Salvation Army as a means to raise funds for people struggling in the depression era economy.
In August, 1917, fighting raged near Montiers, France, as soldiers huddled in camp - hungry, weary and drenched by 36 consecutive days of rain. In a tent near the front lines, Salvation Army lassies made donuts by filling a refuge pail with oil. 100 donuts made that first day were an immediate success. Soon, as many as 500 soldiers stood in muck outside the resurrected tent waiting for the sweet taste of donuts and, before long, 9,000 donuts were being made around the clock. That tent, operated by The Salvation Army, became the first 24-hour donut shop!
The Salvation Army is commemorating National Donut Day this Friday, June 5 at the iconic Randy’s Donuts located at 805 W. Manchester Blvd in Inglewood. Beginning at 7:00 a.m. Salvation Army “lassies” in vintage uniforms as well as Salvation Army officers and the perennial red kettle will be on hand to celebrate the donut and the continuing work of The Salvation Army which provide some of the most comprehensive social services to those in need in Southern California.
BakeMark, an international supplier of baking supplies to independent donut shops across the nation, especially Southern California, is spearheading a fundraising campaign in conjunction with National Donut Day. BakeMark will make a donation to The Salvation Army for each donut sold on June 5th, 2009, by all donut shops displaying the National Donut Day poster (above).

Here is a partial list of participating donut shops in the LA area:

MISS DONUTS & BAKERY - 1871 PACIFIC COAST HWY, LOMITA
ALEX'S DONUTS - 6211 FRANKLIN AVE, LA
CORNER DONUT SHOP - 10948 WEYBURN AVE, LA
DONUT HOUSE - 3500 OVERLAND AVE STE 150, LA
DONUTS U.S.A. - 11624 VENICE BLVD, LA
MAGGIE'S DONUT - 4377 W. PICO, LA
SUPER DONUT HOUSE - 7307 SUNSET BLVD, LA
WESTDALE DONUT SHOP - 2918 SAWTELLE BLVD, LA
WENDY'S DONUT - 4000 LINCOLN, MARINA DEL REY
D.K.'S DONUTS - 1614 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SANTA MONICA
DONUT KING - 1912 LINCOLN BLVD, SANTA MONICA
SANTA MONICA DONUT - 2822 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SANTA MONICA
JON'S DONUTS - 3127 ARTESIA BLVD, TORRANCE
MISS DONUTS & BAKERY - 1842 W. 182ND ST, TORRANCE
DONUT DEN - 4257 PACIFIC COAST HWY, TORRANCE
WESTSIDE DONUTS & CROISSANT - 11277 SANTA MONICA BLVD, WEST LA

If you crave something a little more.. upscale, check out Grace's National Donut Day tasting menu - A flight of Salted Caramel, Pistachio, and Buttermilk Brown Butter Glazed donuts paired with dessert wines (be still my heart!)..
(Thanks for that tip carolineoncrack and daily dish!)
Drawing by Greg