Lucky Dog Donuts Raises Proceeds for Lucky Dogs (And Other Rescue Pets)
by James Coulter
What better way to start your morning than with a donut? And what could be better than a pastry hot from the cooker and freshly dusted with sugar? If you want a warm, soft donut that melts in your mouth, then check out Lucky Dog Donuts whenever they are in town.
Lucky Dog Donuts appears randomly throughout Lake Wales at different places and times. And yet whenever they arrive, people line up for their freshly-made donuts. Their menu remainssimple with choices of donuts dusted with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Sometimes, they make the occasional red velvet or devil’s food cake flavor.
What Lucky Dog lacks in variety, they more than make up in consistency. Customers can expect the same freshly-made donuts made in front of their eyes and ready for their consumption immediately after they order. Unlike, most other shops, their donuts do not sit on the shelf for extended periods to get cold.
“The fact that they are hot and they are fresh [is what our customers love],” said owner Jessica Jarvis. “Nothing ever sits. [At other places], they may sit on the shelf for an hour or two before you get [them], every bag is hot and fresh when they come out and the other cool factor is you get to see them being made right in front of you.”
Jessica purchased the food truck for Lucky Dog Donuts on a total whim. She bought it from its previous owner, who had been attending Florida Flywheelers for the past 12 years. Whenever Jessica would visit, she would always stop by the truck and order a fresh batch of donuts every time. When she learned that the original owner was selling, she decided to buy it for herself, even though she admittedly did not have any prior experience making donuts.
“I got tired of working for everybody else, and I had an opportunity to purchase a donut truck,” she said. “I have no experience making donuts. I have been a waitress and bartender for many years, I also worked at auto parts. I am pretty lucky because the machine makes the donuts.”
To make her donuts, Jessica simply needs to load the machine with her dough, turn it on, and watch as it does the rest of the work stretching the dough, poking holes into each donut, and flipping them over when they cook.
“It is like watching a taffy machine at the beach that stretches it all,” she said. “You get to see the donuts made in front of you. So they are nice and hot and fresh. Never sit for more than 30 seconds to cool for the sugars. Otherwise, it is a novelty being able to see the donuts in the process of being made.”
Aside from making good donuts, Lucky Dog Donuts, true to its name, also gives back to a good cause with proceeds going to rescue pets at Hardee County Medical Clinic. The money raised helps cover the medical costs of adopting a rescue pet, including vaccination, spaying and neutering, and other expenses. As such, adoptees will be able to adopt their new pet for free, Jessica said.
As the owner of three rescue pets herself, she knows the burden of paying the costs of the adoption process. So she hopes that her support will allow people to more freely and easily adopt their own pets with overall less hassle.
“It is near and dear to my heart that not everybody can afford the whole adoption process to spay and neuter and shots and medical care. It gets expensive,” she said. “All of our shelters are overflowing right now, both public and private, so if we can get one dog into a good home and make a family happen and a good companion or emotional support, we are all for it.”
Lucky Dog Donuts appears through Lake Wales at various locations. They often post their schedule at the beginning of the week on Facebook. Previously, they appeared at Camp Mack for a free donut day, and they will be appearing at other locations soon.
“For the future, we are going to make sure that Lake Wales is taken care of and have good snacks in the morning time, but also give back to the community and do good community events,” Jessica said. “Everybody is welcome to come down grab a bottle of water or cup of coffee, have some donuts, socialize, meet the neighbors, meet the community, and give back while they are supporting them.”
For more information, visit their website at: https://www.facebook.com/LuckyDogDonuts
