Local Salvation Army celebrates sweetest holiday

Red kettle drums, a ringing hand-bell and smiling face at Brookshire Brothers can mean only one thing, the Salvation Army. But they do a lot more. Yes, their big fundraiser is at Christmas time. But they do so much more.

For instance, on June 5 their local representatives, Jon Lyons and Oda Lisa, delivered donuts to the local EMS. “It’s because they’re First Responders,” Oda said. And who doesn’t like a surprise visit with donuts?

But the story goes much deeper than that. In fact, it’s very patriotic. Back in WWI, the first war “To end all wars” in 1917, women wanted to help with the war effort, but they were limited in what they could do. Two hundred and fifty Salvation Army women volunteers went to the front lines in France to assist American soldiers in the trenches.

Two of them, Margaret Sheldon and Helen Purviance, thought it would be great if the soldiers could have some home cooked food. Donuts and the limited ingredients could be cooked in a doughboy’s helmet easily. Donuts at the time were unknown to most Americans.

Coffee and donuts, a hot treat, could now be served at the front lines. The terms the ‘Donut Girls’ named by the ‘Doughboys,’ brought those terms into American slang. The war also brought home the new tasty treat served on the front lines, donuts.

The Salvation Army celebrated the first Donut Day in Chicago to honor the brave women and to raise funds for their social services, greatly needed during the Depression.

The church was founded in 1852 by William Booth in England to help, “Thieves, prostitutes, gamblers, and drunkards were among their first converts to Christianity. And soon, those converts were also preaching and singing in the streets as living testimonies to the power of God,” according to their website. In 1878 the name of Booth’s mission was called Salvation Army.

Fast forward to 2021. Their social services have evolved to help those in poverty, homeless shelters, food pantries, and alcohol and drug addiction and others. Helping those in hopeless situations. Yes it’s only June but please don’t forget to drop something into the red kettle at Christmas time, their big fundraiser.

For more information on the Salvation Army and ways you can help see their website at salvationarmyusa.org.