Randy's Make a Donut Whole in Downey, Cal.

A familiar beacon to donuts arose recently in Downey.  Photojournalist Gary Leonard was there to capture a special moment of the crowning glory.

Randy's Donuts in Downey
(Image courtesy of Gary Leonard)

The former empty lot:

Photo courtesy of The Downey Patriot, taken by Alex Dominguez

This posting today on November 5 is considered by some optimists as National Donut Day.

But Donut Day on the first Friday of each June has been officially recognized since started by the Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the Donut Lassies of World War I.

Donut popularity was sparked during the war overseas by female volunteers, the Donut Lassies, who served them to American soldiers.  Sally Levitt Steinberg shared in The Donut Book (Storey Publishing, 2004) about a bakery in Harlem, New York, that her Russian grandfather Adolph Levitt set up.  A demand from customers who were former soldiers led him to patent a donut-making machine and eventually open up a chain of Mayflower coffee/donut shops.

Last year I recognized National Doughnut Day in June and profiled a Mayflower shop in downtown L.A.

As for this day in November, I theorize it could have been a marketing move connected with the 1938 designation of the national holiday.  Armistice Day on November 11th (later renamed Veteran's Day) was established to honor those who fought in the First World War.  A little donut reminder leading up to Veteran's Day is okay with me.