Salvation Army celebrates Donut Day in Modesto

An old tradition has been given new life in Modesto.

National Donut Day, established by the Salvation Army in Chicago in 1938, was celebrated Thursday by the army’s Modesto Citadel, which offered the sweet treats at the Veterans Affairs clinic on Oakdale Road. Corps members also served coffee and ice-cold bottled water to veterans, their accompanying family members and clinic staff.

The Salvation Army’s doughnut connection dates to World War I. On the battlefields of France, Salvation Army “doughnut lassies” who were overseas to give spiritual aid and comfort to troops served coffee and doughnuts in the trenches.

“Rations were poor, so the doughnut idea was conceived as a means of bringing the soldiers cheer,” according to a Salvation Army online history of Donut Day.

“The pastries were virtually unknown in the States at the time and proved so popular that when the American soldiers ... returned home, their demand for the sweet treat created the culinary phenomenon of the doughnut,” according to a Salvation Army news release.

Over the decades, National Donut Day has been observed in various ways by Salvation Army workers across the nation. In Modesto, though, there’s been little sign of its connection to the army. A search of Modesto Bee archives turned up only one item, a 2002 Yesteryears brief about an event in 1952: “Salvation Army youngsters sold 120 dozen doughnuts at their annual Doughnut Day. Top seller, Carol Smith, 10, a Sunbeam patrol leader, sold 39 dozen boxes. Fifty-five dollars in net proceeds went toward missionary work.”

Capt. Deborah Breazeale said that when she and her husband, Capt. Dwaine Breazeale, came to Modesto in February to become the Modesto Citadel corps officers, she doesn’t believe there was much awareness of the tradition.

But Donut Day is something the Breazeales observed in similar fashion when they served the Salvation Army in Fresno and in Inyo County, she said. “This is just something we’re doing as a corps to recognize veterans and all the things they’ve done for us,” she said.

The Modesto Citadel received 18 dozen doughnuts from Salida Donuts, Breazeale said, including a few dozen donated by owner Tonya Lim, who also “donates all her day-old doughnuts to the Salvation Army every day.”

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Canteen truck was parked in the VA clinic lot Friday morning as staff called to arriving and departing veterans and their companions to come enjoy a snack and a drink.

“You guys made my day,” Maria Basulto told Salvation Army workers after talking with them for several minutes. She was at the clinic with her husband, Francisco, who served in the Air Force about 40 years ago, she said.

Marine veteran Tim Zollin stopped with grandson Jayden. “I think it’s awesome,” Tim sid. “It’s good that the veterans are getting this thanks and respect.”

In addition to offering doughnuts and coffee at the VA clinic, the Salvation Army partnered with the Riverbank Krispy Kreme doughnut shop to to give customers a way to help feed people in need.

Through Sunday, the shop will have on its counter a miniature Salvation Army Red Kettle to receive cash donations, or customers may add a donation to their bill at the register.

This story was originally published June 3, 2016 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Salvation Army celebrates Donut Day in Modesto."