Cassville goes nuts for donuts and local schools benefit
Hundreds of people lined up last Wednesday to get a taste of Hurts Donuts’ delivery. Their emergency donut vehicle sold out in a little over an hour.
August 17, 2016
Charlea Estes
A huge crowd gathered in the Tractor Supply parking lot on Old Exeter Road in Cassville last week, creating a lot of confusion for people driving by. The mob wasn’t there for a mega sale or any of the other countless guesses for their presence at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. No, they were there for donuts from Hurts Donut in Springfield brought via a converted ambulance, known as their emergency donut vehicle.
In answer to the question, “You wanna Hurts Donut?” The answer is, yes, they did, and the donut delivery truck sold out a little over an hour after they arrived. While it’s been awhile since Cassville had a dedicated donut shop, the hundreds of people in line in the sun Wednesday seemed a little excessive for donuts. However, these aren’t your grandmother’s donuts, either.
Hurts Donut opened its doors in downtown Springfield just shy of three years ago. The shop boasts premium, specialty donuts with wild toppings. Donuts include the Cereal Killer (topped with cereal), Maple Bacon Me Crazy (topped with maple frosting and real bacon), the E.T. (topped with Reese’s Pieces) and many others. Toppings and themes vary with dozens of different kinds to choose from.
While the joke is funny, and the donuts are tasty, even one of the owners admitted she was a little surprised at the turnout. Kas Clegg said, “We don’t normally take our deliveries to cities with populations of less than 10,000, but Cassville had the most votes, so we decided to go to Monett first and then Cassville.” Between the two cities, Hurts sold out of the 650 dozen they had loaded up with.
So why make a big deal about people standing in line for donuts? Because it isn’t just about the confectionary creations. Thanks to the droves of people who showed up at both the Monett and Cassville donut deliveries, both Cassville and Monett Schools are getting donations to their backpack programs.
Clegg explained that Hurts Donut gives back 10 percent of their sales to a local charity. They ask for citizens to vote for their charity of choice, and then they cut a check. The donut company boasts a charitable donation 365 days a year, with special events impacting different causes. For example, for the special Cassville and Monett delivery day, the proceeds go to a local charity voted on by locals. However, the company also donates to the National MS Society every day of the year.
The company is very careful with the local charity they choose. While the community members vote for their choice, there are parameters that have to be met. Clegg said, “We do research to make sure we’re choosing what will touch the most people. When we said we are supporting the community there, we mean it.” So for some of charities suggested by community members, such as Haven of the Ozarks, they couldn’t be considered because they were outside of the Cassville city limits. Charities also have to be able to prove their legitimacy through websites, news articles and other means to ensure the company is donating to a worthy cause. Between votes and research, the backpack programs, which provide food and other necessary items for local students with struggling families, were chosen to receive the funds raised at the local deliveries.
However, this isn’t the first time that Hurts Donut has helped to support a Barry County Charitable Donation. For the past two years, Kids of Our Heroes Adventure Camp, a summer camp for kids of wounded and fallen soldiers and first responders, has received a check from the donut makers to help support their services.
Clegg said that every National Donut Day, they donate funds to two different military-based charities. The local camp was nominated in 2015, and since then, the owners, Kas, her husband, Tim Clegg, and their other partner Scott Bussard, have decided to give to the camp every year.
The first year, Hurts gave them a check for $601. This year, they donated $2,254.64. Clegg said it was how grateful they were that led them to deciding to donate to Kids of Our Heroes every year. “We always ask the community to vote for charities that are close to their hearts. That first year, they had a lot of votes, and they were so excited and honored to accept our donation.
“We really enjoyed working with them. And if it means that much to them to get that donation, then it means that much to us,” Clegg concluded.
So, for a couple of Barry County charities, the donut delivery was doubly sweet. As far as a repeat delivery? Clegg said it’s possible.
“We’re open to the idea of coming back,” she said.
Hurts Donut will be mailing checks to Cassville and Monett Schools this week. Clegg said the 10 percent of the sales would be split evenly between the two schools.
Charlea Estes
A huge crowd gathered in the Tractor Supply parking lot on Old Exeter Road in Cassville last week, creating a lot of confusion for people driving by. The mob wasn’t there for a mega sale or any of the other countless guesses for their presence at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. No, they were there for donuts from Hurts Donut in Springfield brought via a converted ambulance, known as their emergency donut vehicle.
In answer to the question, “You wanna Hurts Donut?” The answer is, yes, they did, and the donut delivery truck sold out a little over an hour after they arrived. While it’s been awhile since Cassville had a dedicated donut shop, the hundreds of people in line in the sun Wednesday seemed a little excessive for donuts. However, these aren’t your grandmother’s donuts, either.
Hurts Donut opened its doors in downtown Springfield just shy of three years ago. The shop boasts premium, specialty donuts with wild toppings. Donuts include the Cereal Killer (topped with cereal), Maple Bacon Me Crazy (topped with maple frosting and real bacon), the E.T. (topped with Reese’s Pieces) and many others. Toppings and themes vary with dozens of different kinds to choose from.
While the joke is funny, and the donuts are tasty, even one of the owners admitted she was a little surprised at the turnout. Kas Clegg said, “We don’t normally take our deliveries to cities with populations of less than 10,000, but Cassville had the most votes, so we decided to go to Monett first and then Cassville.” Between the two cities, Hurts sold out of the 650 dozen they had loaded up with.
So why make a big deal about people standing in line for donuts? Because it isn’t just about the confectionary creations. Thanks to the droves of people who showed up at both the Monett and Cassville donut deliveries, both Cassville and Monett Schools are getting donations to their backpack programs.
Clegg explained that Hurts Donut gives back 10 percent of their sales to a local charity. They ask for citizens to vote for their charity of choice, and then they cut a check. The donut company boasts a charitable donation 365 days a year, with special events impacting different causes. For example, for the special Cassville and Monett delivery day, the proceeds go to a local charity voted on by locals. However, the company also donates to the National MS Society every day of the year.
The company is very careful with the local charity they choose. While the community members vote for their choice, there are parameters that have to be met. Clegg said, “We do research to make sure we’re choosing what will touch the most people. When we said we are supporting the community there, we mean it.” So for some of charities suggested by community members, such as Haven of the Ozarks, they couldn’t be considered because they were outside of the Cassville city limits. Charities also have to be able to prove their legitimacy through websites, news articles and other means to ensure the company is donating to a worthy cause. Between votes and research, the backpack programs, which provide food and other necessary items for local students with struggling families, were chosen to receive the funds raised at the local deliveries.
However, this isn’t the first time that Hurts Donut has helped to support a Barry County Charitable Donation. For the past two years, Kids of Our Heroes Adventure Camp, a summer camp for kids of wounded and fallen soldiers and first responders, has received a check from the donut makers to help support their services.
Clegg said that every National Donut Day, they donate funds to two different military-based charities. The local camp was nominated in 2015, and since then, the owners, Kas, her husband, Tim Clegg, and their other partner Scott Bussard, have decided to give to the camp every year.
The first year, Hurts gave them a check for $601. This year, they donated $2,254.64. Clegg said it was how grateful they were that led them to deciding to donate to Kids of Our Heroes every year. “We always ask the community to vote for charities that are close to their hearts. That first year, they had a lot of votes, and they were so excited and honored to accept our donation.
“We really enjoyed working with them. And if it means that much to them to get that donation, then it means that much to us,” Clegg concluded.
So, for a couple of Barry County charities, the donut delivery was doubly sweet. As far as a repeat delivery? Clegg said it’s possible.
“We’re open to the idea of coming back,” she said.
Hurts Donut will be mailing checks to Cassville and Monett Schools this week. Clegg said the 10 percent of the sales would be split evenly between the two schools.