Huddling beneath umbrellas and pulling hoodies tighter over their heads, hundreds thwarted drizzling rain and chilly temperatures Sunday afternoon to buy one of Hillsdale County Fair’s most popular treats: Donut Hut donuts.
Inside the hut, 10 volunteers swiftly mix, fry, frost, and package donuts, attempting to keep up with the demand.
“Walt has a way of persuading people to help,” volunteer Larry Payn said, smirking as he dipped one of several hundred donuts he frosted during his four-hour shift.
“Not long ago, I didn’t know any of these people,” Donut Hut Manager Walt Zinser retorted while gesturing to volunteers frantically searching for chocolate donuts to fill a big order. “Now, most of them probably wish they never knew me.”
After noticing the success other fairs had with donut huts, Zinser, a member of the Hillsdale County Fair Board of Directors, proposed that Hillsdale try opening its own.
The Hillsdale Donut Hut opened in 2010 and is run completely by volunteers, so all of its proceeds go to the Hillsdale Agricultural Society to invest in fair improvements.
To the surprise of many, simply selling six different flavors of donuts was a huge hit, seen in Donut Hut’s line stretching as long as 75 people at a time and seldom slowing down, regardless of weather.
“Walt has made these donuts a reason to come to the fair,” volunteer Dora Hartnagel said.
Even local radio station WCSR broadcaster and Donut Hut regular Bob Flynn often encourages his listeners to stop by for a freshly-made donut.
“One time, my sister called me just to ask for me to save her six dozen so she freeze them,” Zinser said. “They freeze real well, and she sits on a combine all day, so she pulls out two each day and eats them while she’s riding through the field.”
To ensure the hut runs smoothly, Zinser rarely leaves the white building with a giant donut sign located a short walk past the New Merchants building. Although he misses out on many of the fair events, he enjoys making new friends and contributing to the fair by running the store.
“It’s my way of giving back to the community,” Zinser said. “I love watching little kids having a ball and remembering my first time at the fair. I watched my family work at the fair since I was three, and my dad would give me money for one ride and a hot dog every day. It brings back a lot of memories, but it doesn’t happen if there’s no one to help.”
By dividing each day into four-hour shifts worked by 10 volunteers, Zinser enlists the help of friends, students, and community members to run the hut and promises a free dozen of donuts per shift worked.
By now, many of the volunteers are veterans who enjoy working in the sweet-smelling store and earning a dozen, freshly-made donuts, but Zinser constantly searches for younger help, too.
“The newbies are usually tricked into running the mixer,” Hartnagel said laughing.
“It gets really heavy and hard to keep moving, but we try and trade jobs. It’s a lot of fun here and the best part is all of the new people you’ll meet.”
Ranging in age from nine to 70, the volunteers enjoy meeting new friends and joking around. Amidst the busyness, they swap stories of 4-H competitions won by family members and concerns about how little the youth know about farming.
“They’re all here because they love the fair and what it gives to the community,” Zinser said. “Most of my volunteers are repeats because of all the fun we have. I don’t always remember all of their names, but I still know them, and I love all the new friends I’ve made.”
