National Doughnut Day dates back to 1938 with a sweet history

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - For anyone who celebrated National Doughnut Day Friday morning, there's a sweet history behind the tradition.

The tradition began in 1938 when the Salvation Army named the first National Doughnut Day to celebrate a historical group: the Donut Lassies.

"Back during World War One, our national commander decided we needed to send the soldiers who were giving their lives [from] home something simple. And so several of the ladies, we called them Hallelujah. And then it became Donut Lassies," said Randy Summit with the Salvation Army of Decatur.

"But anyway, several ladies who say that they would go over and they would be a part of it, and it was a little bit of a battle because they didn't want women at the front line, and that's what they had to do. They literally were in the trenches. And then when they got there, of course, there were almost no resources. So they started using their helmets that they had, and they would put some oil in it and just a simple donut recipe to give them some kind of a comfort food or something to remind them of home," Summit continued.

Both Giggles on Merchant Street and Daylight Donuts in Decatur sold goodies late into the afternoon.