Media contact: Sarah Martin
Regional Communications Manager
sarah.martin5@redcross.org | 951-432-9625
SALT LAKE CITY (March 15, 2024) – The American Red Cross of Utah is honored to support Diane Thornal, a retired Red Cross ‘Donut Dollie’ who deployed to Vietnam in 1969. She will be honored tonight at an event hosted by the Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs at the Utah State Capitol. Media are welcome to attend.
Tonight’s event is entitled “Sisters in Service,” in celebration of Women's History Month. The evening will be dedicated to honoring the bravery, achievements, and examples of Utah’s women veterans.
“My work as a ‘Dollie’ was scary at times, we were stationed close to the front lines and saw enemy attacks regularly, but it was also full of fun and laughter. It was such a rewarding experience to bring a little light to the soldier’s faces. Even now, I occasionally meet a veteran who remembers the ‘Dollies’ in his area and will thank me for my service,” said Diane Thornal. “I’m so honored to be recognized in this way and I hope it sheds a little more light on who the ‘Dollies’ really were.”
Event Details
Date: Friday, March 15, 2024
Time: 6:00 – 7:30pm
Address: Utah State Capitol Rotunda, 350 State St., Salt Lake City, UT 84103
“Diane’s service to our country was exemplary and groundbreaking for her time; as a young woman she spent a year in an active combat zone working to uplift and support active duty military members. She represents a special time for the Red Cross, and we are so pleased she is being honored in this way by the Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs,” said Dee Dodwell, Regional Service to the Armed Forces Director for the American Red Cross.
Who were the Donut Dollies
During the Vietnam War, hundreds of female American Red Cross workers deployed overseas to provide support and a sympathetic ear to millions of U.S. service members. Nicknamed ‘Donut Dollies’ as an homage to the Red Cross women who handed out donuts to troops in previous wars, these Red Cross workers were part of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program.
These women had to be at least 25 years old, college-educated, able to provide recommendation letters and pass physical exams, as well as have an “outstanding personality.” Diane Thornal never made a donut in Vietnam, but she spent countless hours supporting military members through recreational programing and simple conversations.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.