LaMar's Donuts Celebrates National Donut Day With Free Donut

Online, May 20, 2010 (Newswire.com) - LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, May 20, 2010 - On June 4, LaMar's Donuts will celebrate an American tradition by giving visitors to its stores a free Ray's Original Glazed donut.

The complimentary treats are in celebration of National Donut Day, an observance the Chicago Salvation Army started in 1938 to honor the "lassies" of World War I - women volunteers who served donuts to soldiers behind the front lines in France.

Donuts were chosen as a treat for the soldiers due to the difficulty of providing freshly-baked goods near the front lines. According to popular legend, the donuts were made with leftover ingredients and a wine bottle for a rolling pin. They were cooked in oil inside a soldier's helmet. The donuts were such a hit that the lassies produced thousands of donuts around the clock.

While National Donut Day began during the Great Depression, LaMar's origins actually predate the first holiday by five years. Company founder Ray Lamar first began making his now-famous treats as a teenager in Kansas City in 1933.

"Given LaMar's own long tradition, we find it an appropriate patriotic salute to give away our Ray's Glazed Donut, the product that established the LaMar's legend decades ago and is our best-selling product today," said Jami Blair, LaMar's marketing director.

The Ray's Original Glazed donut is handmade fresh every morning with no preservatives. Every LaMar's product is hand produced from start to finish, beginning with hand-kneading of the dough to the glazing of each donut. They take great care in making each and every donut a masterpiece.