In celebration of International Doughnut Day, The Salvation Army teamed up with Krispy Kreme to host a doughnut decorating challenge in Rundle Mall. Armed with five boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and more toppings than we could hope for, we quickly got to work.

Although our rather crude rendition of a ‘cuppa of hope’ did not earn a gold medal, it was exciting to see what the other teams had come up with. A well-deserved first place was awarded to the group which constructed an impressive sculpture of Bramwell House, with other thoughtful creations including a Salvation Army donation bucket, and an anchor representing the Salvos’ role in providing support and stability to the community.

This is the eleventh year in a row that The Salvation Army has hosted such an event, and there is a rich history behind its genesis; during World War I, a group of 11 Salvation Army officers, after experiencing 36 days of continuous rain, wanted to serve a hearty home-cooked meal to the troops in France. Equipped with flour, sugar, baking powder, lard, nutmeg, and canned milk (the only ingredients they could get their hands on), the officers cooked up numerous batches of handmade donuts to feed the overseas soldiers. “It was not the delicious home cooking, but the spirit in which it was served that captivated the men” said Herbert Wisbey in Soldiers Without Swords.

If you would like to support The Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal (and enjoy a treat in the process), just head to a Krispy Kreme store at OTR before June 7th and buy a few HOPE doughnuts, because $1 from each purchase will be donated to The Salvation Army. Now that’s a pretty sweet deal!

Words by Xueying Sun