"Krispy Kreme will do in a pinch," explains blogger Kerry Meacham, "but this is a donut so good that it is a tradition."She's talking about the Shelbyville Optimist Club World Famous Horse Show Donuts. Once a year, as the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is held in late August/early September, the Shelbyville Optimist Club rolls their donut makers out to the fairgrounds to create what sounds like a bite of pure heaven.
Part of the tradition of the horse show is the trade fair that takes place at the same time offering local merchants the opportunity to profit from the visitors at the event. According to the marketing director, out state vendors make their way there too, and filling up the booths is a combination of recruitment and luck, but the Optimist Club donuts are a favorite. They never miss.
Of course the Optimist Club donuts say more about the community than they have tasty treats. It also says that there are adults working together to make Shelbyville a great place to live. The fundraiser demonstrates that local initiatives are carried out by caring citizens to improve the quality of life for everyone in the community.Maybe the Shelbyville Optimist Club motto should be "with hope and tasty donuts, we bring out the best in kids and our community."
Photos courtesy of the Shelbyville Optimist Club. See the Shelbyville Optimist Club World Famous Horse Show Donuts slide show at the Times-Gazette.