Rich Umfleet, a Marine Corps veteran, prays with Salvation Army Lt. Carl Esquivel after getting a free donut at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to veterans to celebrate National Donut Day. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day itself dates back to WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using the soldier’s metal hats to heat the oil.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)
The Salvation Army started National Donut Day in 1938 in honor of the so-called “Donut Lassies” who cooked donuts for soldiers in WWI, often making as man as 9,000 donuts a day even on the front lines, where they used soldier’s hats to heat the oil. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Salvation Army Aurora Corps delivering donuts to veterans at the VA Hospital in Aurora. “A donut always brings joy.” Said Salvation Army Lt. Carl Esquivel.
Rich Umfleet, a Marine Corps veteran, prays with Salvation Army Lt. Carl Esquivel after getting a free donut at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to veterans to celebrate National Donut Day. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day itself dates back to WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using the soldier’s metal hats to heat the oil.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Julian Gresham licks sugar off his thumb as he eats a donut in his hospital room at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to veterans to celebrate National Donut Day. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day itself dates back to WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using the soldier’s metal hats to heat the oil.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Salvation Army Lt. Carl Esquivel, left, and Jeane Turner, dressed as a WWI Donut Lassie, talk with Bob (with one O) Cushatt, a Navy veteran, at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to veterans to celebrate National Donut Day. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day itself dates back to WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using the soldier’s metal hats to heat the oil.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Jeane Turner, dressed as a WWI Donut Lassie, hands out donuts to veterans outside the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to the VA hospital in honor of National Donut Day on Friday, June 5, 2026. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day began in WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using their hats.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Oscar Butler, an Air Force veteran, gets a free donut outside the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to the VA hospital in honor of National Donut Day on Friday, June 5, 2026. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day began in WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using their hats.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Jeane Turner, dressed as a WWI Donut Lassie, gives a donut to Julian Gresham in his hospital room at the VA Medical Center on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to the VA hospital in honor of National Donut Day on Friday, June 5, 2026. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day began in WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using their hats.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Rich Umfleet, a Marine Corps veteran, prays with Salvation Army Lt. Carl Esquivel after getting a free donut at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to veterans to celebrate National Donut Day. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day itself dates back to WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using the soldier’s metal hats to heat the oil.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Salvation Army Lt. Carl Esquivel, left, prays with Julian Gresham and his wife Mary Paris-Gresham in their hospitall room at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to the VA hospital in honor of National Donut Day on Friday, June 5, 2026. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day began in WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using their hats.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Jeane Turner, dressed as a WWI Donut Lassie, laughs as she delivers donuts to veterans at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to the VA hospital in honor of National Donut Day on Friday, June 5, 2026. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day began in WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using their hats.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Rich Umfleet, a Marine Corps veteran, prays with Salvation Army Lt. Carl Equable after getting a free donut at the VA Medical Center in Aurora on Friday, June 5, 2026. The Salvation Army and Lamar’s donuts donated 405 dozen donuts to veterans to celebrate National Donut Day. This was the 20th year of the Salvation Army’s donut donations, though Donut Day itself dates back to WWI when “Donut Lassies” would cook donuts for the soldiers, often using the soldier’s metal hats to heat the oil.
