CINCINNATI (June 2, 2015) — Bakeries throughout Greater Cincinnati, in partnership with The Salvation Army, will mark National Donut Day on Friday, June 5, with an event at Fountain Square to celebrate America’s favorite treat while benefitting The Salvation Army.
The family-friendly event at Fountain Square, starting at 12:00 Noon, features donut-themed games for the whole family, and a donut stacking contest among local celebrities. Participating bakeries will serve free donuts, while supplies last, and The Salvation Army provides free beverages. In Cincinnati, National Donut Day is presented by the Greater Cincinnati Retail Bakers Association (GCRBA). Sponsors of this year’s event include BakeMark, Dawn Food Products, Paper Products Co. and Unger Co. The Salvation Army in Greater Cincinnati is the beneficiary of the sponsorship funds, as well as any freewill donations made in the familiar red kettles during the event.
National Donut Day, which was established in 1938 by The Salvation Army as a depression-era outreach initiative, pays tribute to The Salvation Army volunteers who prepared donuts for thousands of soldiers during World War I. Since that time, National Donut Day events have been held in cities across the country by local Salvation Army units. This marks the sixth consecutive year that the local Salvation Army has partnered with the GCRBA for National Donut Day. The events have been a lot of fun, and successful raising funds for the mission of The Salvation Army.
“The Salvation Army is delighted to once-again have this opportunity to celebrate National Donut Day through the support and coordination of the GCRBA and key sponsors,” said Major Larry Ashcraft, Divisional Commander at The Salvation Army. “Donut Day reflects well upon the heritage of service that marks the mission of The Salvation Army, which has been serving the local community since 1885.”
Local bakeries, which are members of the GCRBA, will distribute more than 1,500 free donuts during the Donut Day event. Bakeries participating with the National Donut Day event in Cincinnati this year include: Bakery Hill at the Midwest Culinary Institute (Cincinnati State), Bonnie Lynn Bakery, Bonomini Bakery, Busken Bakery, Graeter’s Bakery, Harrison Home Bakery, Holtman’s Donut Shop, Jansen’s Sweet Sinsations, North College Hill Bakery, Regina Bakery, Schmidt’s Bakery, Servatii Pastry Shop, and Wyoming Pastry Shop.
The event emcee will once again be Marilyn Harris, local radio personality and food expert, whose radio show, “Cookin’ with Marilyn,” is presented each Saturday afternoon on WKRC-AM (550). She will be joined by Brian Busken, vice president at Busken Bakery and president of the GCRBA. Additional event support will be provided by staff and students from the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State, who have been consistent supporters of and contributors to the local Donut Day festivities.
Local ‘celebrity participants’ for National Donut Day include the following:
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