Don’t worry: There will be donuts

A West Concord tradition will continue next Tuesday as homemade donuts will be available at the West Concord American Legion Hall.

For years it was a given that the donuts would be served several times a year, including on the day before Ash Wednesday. Often referred to as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, it was the traditional feast day before Ash Wednesday, the start of the Christian penitential season of Lent. The West Concord Methodist Church began the tradition of making donuts for the community on that day, as well as several other times during the year including Survival Days Saturday and the Saturday of the city Christmas celebration. The announcement last year that the church would be disbanding at the end of 2022 initially left residents wondering about the future of the “Donut Days.”

The task of making the donuts has been taken on by the West Concord American Legion and Auxiliary and several Legion members were trained in the art of donut making during the Christmas in West Concord celebration in December.

Legion members will be serving their first batches of donuts next Tuesday, February 21, from 7 to 11 a.m. at the West Concord Legion Hall on East Main Street. Donuts will be available for $8 a dozen.

Legion members say the tradition continues with the same delicious church donuts, just at a new location.