Coming Home: Vietnam Donut Dolly Laurie Pearl & Stories of Returning from War
When: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 | 8:00am – 12:00pm
Where: Rivers Casino (777 Casino Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15212)
Who: Open to the Public | Veterans, Families & Friends Welcome MUST BE OVER 21 YEARS OF AGE
How much: $15 per person advance / $20 at the door
Join us for a morning of good food and storytelling. Our program will begin with Red Cross “Donut Dolly” Laurie Pearl who served in Vietnam in 1970–1971. After Laurie’s talk, we’ll invite veterans and family members to share their stories of coming home, the trips back, awkward reunions, quiet moments, and hard truths. We’ll hear from five generations of Service Members telling stories of homecoming from World War II through Iraq and Afghanistan.
Registration and $15 payment is required for this event. Register here.
Donut Dolly Laurie Pearl
Laurie Pearl served in Vietnam in 1970–71 as one of the American Red Cross “Donut Dollies,” young women who volunteered to bring comfort and connection to troops far from home. Civilian women in blue dresses traveling by helicopter and jeep from firebases to hospitals to rest areas, the Donut Dollies carried not weapons or supplies but smiles, games, and reminders of normal life. Their mission: boost morale, ease loneliness, and offer a touch of home amid the chaos of combat.
Laurie, a Pennsylvania native who joined the Red Cross soon after college, entered Vietnam at a time of controversy and strain, determined to make a difference where laughter and kindness were in short supply. She will share vivid stories of the Donut Dollies’ daily routines, their close bonds with soldiers, and the challenges of serving in a war zone as a young American woman. Her talk captures the heart of a generation who served not in combat but in compassion—witnesses to war whose legacy reminds us of the healing power of empathy.
Laurie in Vietnam (2:24)
A brief clip from our 2020 Vietnam Tour captures Laurie’s perspective in-country.
Why “Coming Home”?
Our Fall 2025 issue of VBC Magazine explores homecomings. Read it in advance and come ready to add your voice:
Read the Fall 2025 VBC Magazine
Share Your Homecoming Story!
Would you like to speak during the open-mic segment? Add a few lines about your story when you register, or email us directly. We’ll fit in as many as we can.
Tell Us Your Story: todd@veteransbreakfastclub.org or call 412-623-9029
FREE PARKING at the Rivers Casino Parking Garage
Schedule
8:00 am – Doors open, coffee & mingling
9:00 am – Breakfast served
9:30 am – 11:00 am – Program: Veteran recognitions, raffles & auctions, Laurie Pearl keynote, open-mic stories on Coming Home
11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Veterans Information Fair
Here is the Google Map location:
Questions? betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org or call 412-623-9029.
Thank you to our Premier Event Sponsor, Legend Senior Living!
