Historic Doughnut Girls Honored

Over 90 years ago a group of women from The Salvation Army went to care for American soldiers in France during World War I. These inventive women used the little resources they had to bring some hope to the frontlines. Sugar, flour, eggs, baking soda and powdered sugar were in their limited supply of goods. Not the right ingredients needed to create a feast, but rather a treat and gesture of kindness. They made doughnuts with these ingredients and passed them out with coffee among the soldiers, who started calling them the Doughnut Girls. The name stuck.

The service of these women was remembered at the Indiana War Memorial Tuesday, May 11 – not for serving doughnuts or hot coffee – but for their goodwill. The Doughnut Girls were honored by an exhibit and guest speakers, as part of National Salvation Army Week. 

Among the guest speakers were Divisional Commander of the Indiana Salvation Army Major Richard Amick, Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorial Brigadier General J. Stewart Goodwin and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. The exhibit included the tools used to create the doughnuts in the rough war conditions. Also in the exhibit is a manikin dressed in the traditional gear of the Doughnut Girls that illustrated a look of long ago that symbolized compassion and home for many soldiers.

General Goodwin spoke to attendees at the dedication explaining that the story of the Doughnut Girls was one that Hoosiers needed to know, saying “I give you my pledge that we will help you tell that story.”

The legacy of the Doughnut Girls can be traced to Indiana. Helen Purviance was an Ensign of The Salvation Army and a Hoosier among the first to be sent to France. As the well-known quote from Ensign Purviance goes, “I was literally on my knees when those first doughnuts were fried. There was also a prayer in my heart that somehow this would do more for those who ate the doughnuts than satisfying a physical hunger.”

Another Hoosier Doughnut Girl was Isabella Blomgren. After returning home from war, Isabella married Nils Bonger and decided to continue serving with The Salvation Army as an officer.

Major Lynneta Poff, officer of the Fort Wayne, Indiana Corps, knew Isabella well. Major Poff vaguely remembers the stories Isabella told her as a child of making doughnuts for soldiers in France. What Major Poff does remember are the stories of how the Bonger officers helped her dad when his own father passed away in the 1940s. Because of the Bonger officers’ influence in her father’s life, “he went down the right path,” says Major Poff. It’s because of the Bonger officers that Major Poff accredits the reason she became a Salvation Army officer herself.

Major Poff’s father, retired Salvation Army service extension employee Glenwood Davis, calls the Bonger officers his “family unrelated.” Davis is an only child and was very close to the Bonger’s son growing up – also an only child. They were like brothers.

Two of Isabella’s grandchildren attended the dedication – Ron Bonger and sister Connie Stunkel. “It certainly brought back memories of grandma,” Ron Bonger said. Isabella’s grandchildren never knew how much of an impact she had on so many soldiers. As a child Stunkel says she “never really realized what they (the Doughnut Girls) went through.”

General Goodwin has decided to make the Doughnut Girls Exhibit permanent saying “it’s a tremendous opportunity to tell the story of both sides.” The story of a Hoosier and the story of The Salvation Army.

Check out this video about the Indiana Doughnut Girls

Check out photos of the exhibit dedication

BD’s Mongolian Grill, Guest Grillers help us ‘Bite Back’

Indy took a big ole ‘bite out of homelessness’ last night at BD’s Mongolian Grill as about 60 diners showed up to watch our Guest Grillers serve up some stir-fry and entertainment. Thanks to all our Guest Grillers: the fabulous folks from WISH TV-8…Andi Hauser (Indy Style), Steve Bray (Chief Meteorologist) and Ashley Adamson (Sports Reporter) as well as our Homelessness Bites spokesperson and i94′s Marco Show co-host, Mel McMahon and our good friend Dave “the King” Wilson who donned aprons and learned how to ‘go mongo’. We even got our Salvation Army Indiana Divisional Commander, Major Richard Amick behind the grill with WISH TV-8′s Chief Meteorologist, Steve Bray to take a turn at the grill! All busy, busy people who heard about those 1,500 kids who spend their nights on the streets of Indy and stepped up to do something about it.

And we just can’t say enough about the amazing, fabulous team at BD’s Mongolian Grill in Castleton. The place has really hoppin’ and the servers and grillers kept up with the crowd. It was a fun, relaxed atmosphere and the food is fantastic! We appreciate how easytheir team made it to kick off National Salvation Army Week.

But the fun’s not over yet! Today, we’ll be down at the Indiana War Memorial Museum for the dedication of the WWI Salvation Army Doughnut Girls exhibit at 1:30. Thursday is our Dine to Donate event at the Castleton Max & Erma’s (go here to print the flyer you’ll need to present so 20% of your bill will support our mission). And then the big finale, ‘Eat Outside the Box’ picnic to end homelessness on Friday at Veteran’s Memorial Plaza from 10am-2pm. 

Speaking of Friday’s event, booth space is still available if your business or non-profit would like to join us. Just $50 will put you in front of about 500 prospects and behind a great cause. To learn more, go here or give Kristen a call at 224-1019.

Dunkin’ Opens on Pendleton Pike

On Wednesday morning, we had the pleasure of joining Dennis Gramm and crew to celebrate another Dunkin’ Donuts grand opening. This time we braved the ice-covered roads to head up to Pendleton Pike and Sunnyside.

Our very own Salvation Army Doughnut Girls greeted customers and posed for a few photos. Along with sampling new hot chocolate flavors, we met a few new friends as well. The fine folks from WFMS were there with their music and giveaways to boot! Read more

Doughnut Girls Receive Dunkin’ Donation

We had the priviledge of spending the morning in Kokomo celebrating the grand opening of another of Dennis Gramm’s Dunkin’ Donuts locations. The air was chilly, but the welcome was warm! The line was out the door and the parking lot was overflowing as old and young alike waited to sample the wares.

And in keeping with his promise, in the presence of local dignitaries and media, Gramm presented the grand opening money ribbon to The Salvation Army’s Kokomo corps. That donation will be put to good work providing resources and services for those in need right there in Kokomo.

And we had an extra bit of fun as our very own Doughnut Girls mingled with the crowd and shared their story of how the original Doughnut Girls served soldiers starting in 1917 and throughout the war by offering home-cooked doughnuts to boost morale. Many of the veterans tell stories even today of how those “lassies” took limited supplies and used their own metal helmets to fry doughnuts right there in the trenches, offering homesick and worn soldiers a bit of America so far away.

Thanks again to Dunkin’ Donuts for inviting us to share in their expansion here in Indiana and for their continued partnership.