Norwich — City Historian Dale Plummer has connected the dots meticulously to make a solid connection between National Doughnut Day on Friday and the effort to resume fundraising to restore the city’s World War I howitzer and create a lasting memorial to local soldiers of that war.

Plummer, chairman of the WWI Memorial Committee, recalled seeing a restored WWI field stove in operation at a reenactment event and thought it might be interesting to bring that to Norwich. He learned that National Doughnut Day is June 4 and that its origins are rooted in the work by organizations to boost morale of U.S. troops fighting in France from 1917-18.

Salvation Army “Doughnut Girls” — young women — worked at or close to the front during the war, cooking and serving millions of doughnuts to troops trying to catch a breather between battles, Plummer said.

“It was pretty much plain or with sugar and cinnamon,” he said. “They weren’t making Boston crème or anything more elaborate. Simple stuff, and coffee. It was a big morale booster, kind of like someone from home serving you something fresh and hot. They got pretty close to the front lines, too, so they had to be pretty brave.”

On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., World War I reenactors will set up a field camp on the Norwichtown Green, with Norwich native Allen Crane's restored field stove. Reenactors portraying Salvation Army Doughnut Girls will cook and serve doughnuts to the public for a requested donation to the WWI memorial.

The committee also will purchase modern Dixie Donuts to supplement the period creations.

From noon to 1 p.m., former Connecticut State Troubadour Tom Callinan will perform his program “Over Here & Over There: Songs from and About the First World War.” He will present popular songs of the era and original songs.

The event also will raise awareness of the many nonfighting groups that played a role in the Great War, Plummer said. The Knights of Columbus, American Red Cross, YMCA and other groups would set up stations to send letters home, provide games and recreation and food to troops.

“All these organizations helped anyone who needed help,” Plummer said. “If you were in the service, they were there to support you. Nobody asked, ‘Where are you from or what’s your religion?’ They had a spirit of ‘We’re all in it together.’ The Knights of Columbus had a slogan: ‘Everyone welcome, everything free.’”

Ellen Larson, secretary of the WWI Memorial Committee, said it’s important to honor the service of brave volunteers and service organizations who worked so close to the action to support the troops.

The event, sponsored by the Norwich city historian, the Norwich World War I Memorial Committee and the Sikh Art Gallery, is free and open to the public. Donations will be requested for the doughnuts.

For more information, contact the Norwich city historian at norwichcityhistorian@gmail.com.

c.bessette@theday.com