Free Donuts? Yes Because It's National Donut Day

For those of us in the know, this TGIF (Thank God it’s Friday) comes with a sweet treat.

Today is National Donut Day. And that means donut shops around the area will be giving away donuts to the masses in celebration.

It appears that Krispy Kreme will be the sweet savior for the west end of the Inland Empire. They are the only two we’ve found who are participating.

Here are their locations:

• Industry, 1548 Azusa Ave. (626) 964-5044
• Ontario, 4485 Mills Circle (909) 476-8421

Before you roll your eyes at the idea of National Donut Day, you should know that it goes back to the first World War.

According to Parade Magazine, the day was first observed in 1938 by The Salvation Army in Chicago.

Salvation Army blogger Megan wrote: 

Started as a fundraiser by The Salvation Army in Chicago during the Great Depression, National Donut Day honors our military veterans and commemorates the work of Salvation Army volunteers who used the tasty confection to comfort American soldiers in France and Germany during World War I.

These female volunteers, earning the nickname “Doughnut Lassies” and “Doughtnut Girls,” fried the donuts in solders’ helmets, and served countless treats to grateful troops.

There is a charity component to the day as well. According to the Salvation Army's web page, Entenmann’s Bakery, is donating $1 to The Salvation Army for every person who “likes” the Entenmann’s Facebook page.

The bakery will donate up to $30,000 through June 15, officials said.

If any of you know of other shops offering free donuts today, let us know in the comments.