No matter how you spell it, today is one of my favorite days of the year. Started by Chicago's Salvation Army, National Doughnut (or Donut) Day started way back in 1938 as a way to raise funds to help the needy during the Great Depression. It also paid homage to the "Doughnut Dollies" of World War I who became the 'true heroines' of troops serving on the front lines by mending the soldiers' clothes, giving them writing supplies and stamps for letters home, and of course, serving donuts.

Why donuts? It was nearly impossible to provide most fresh baked goods to soldiers from the abandoned buildings where they'd established 'huts' for soldiers. So Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance, volunteers for the Salvation Army, had a bright idea: donuts. They were easy to make, they stayed fresh and they were easy to store and deliver. Plus, the soldiers loved them and soon the Salvation Army huts were packed to the rafters. Margaret Sheldon once wrote, "Today I made 22 pies, 300 doughnuts, 700 cups of coffee."

Celebrated on the first Friday in June each year, now just about anyone can get a free donut on National Donut Day. Here are a few places you can go to gobble up some free doughy goodness today:

• Dunkin' Donuts: One free donut when you buy a coffee (or other drink). 
• Krispy Kreme: One free donut, no purchase necessary. But they do ask you to make a small donation to the Salvation Army. (Not available in CT.)
• Shipley Do-Nuts: one free glazed donut at participating locations throughout the south.
• Duck Donuts: one free sugar donut (via their Facebook offer).
• Entenmann’s: one free doughnut at select locations across the U.S., plus a chance to win a year of free donuts in their contest.