Community Spotlight: Volunteers At The Center Dish Out The Donuts

After most people head to bed, Karen Grunewald and her volunteer crew are up and headed to work at the center in Brainerd, to whip up more than just a midnight snack. Lakeland News stopped by the kitchen to see why they work overnight to bake thousands of doughnuts.

It’s just after midnight – and it’s the perfect time to start making these delicious doughnuts.

Every Thursday morning, volunteers work quickly – always moving to fill the online and over-the-phone orders.

You’ve got the loyal standing orders and the loyal, but varying, walk-ins.

Determining how much to make is one of the hardest parts on nights like these. But if they do make too much or too little, someone is sure to eat them.

So what is it exactly that makes these doughnuts so special?

It’s really about the people behind the counter. It’s why they’ve been pulling the all-nighters for years.

The most gratifying part has to be seeing them all finished. But of course, eating them too. And people certainly love to eat them.

Even customers like Andrew Doucette, who started getting these from his grandma when he was a kid, still enjoys them once a week.

Even if it takes all night, being able to create memories that last a lifetime is time well spent to these volunteers.

The Center says that it is always accepting additional volunteers to help out on the overnight.