Get caught up with trends in current Polish writing with over 40 stories contained in Warsaw Tales: A Collection of Contemporary Writing from Poland.
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R.J. Rolak reporting.
From the Wausau Daily Herald: Our Savior National Catholic Church celebrates Polish heritage
Even if your heritage is French and Indian, you become a little bit Polish when you’re at Our Savior’s Polish Fest.
The annual festival of Our Savior National Catholic Church in Mosinee just has that way about it, at least according to Bucky Bucknell, 69, of Mosinee. Bucknell, who has the French and Indian heritage, has been volunteering at the event since he started attending the church 22 years ago. Both the festival and the church tend to draw people in, Bucknell said.
July 7 and 8 marked the 37th year the church has played host to Polish Fest, held in the Mosinee Rec Center and featuring Polish food such as sausage and kraut, golabki (a cabbage, rice and meat dish) and pierogies. The celebration of all things Polish also features plenty of Polish polka music, Polish beer and some activities such as raffles and a rummage sale.
The food is the big draw, Bucknell said.
“It ain’t run to the store and buy the stuff,” he said. “Everybody puts a lot of pride into it.”
On Saturday, people stood in line to fill up on the food — the pierogies were so good they tempted non-Poles to add a c, z, y and k to their last name.
The festival drew Russ and Theresa Napiwocki, both 45, north from Stevens Point.
The couple love attending church picnics, especially if they feature polka music. “I’ve been dancing since I was 6,” Russ said.
The Polish food was icing on the cake. “You just can’t get food like this in a restaurant,” Theresa said.
Vacen Osowski, 92, of Mosinee founded Polish Fest in 1975. He knew he had a hit on his hand when “we went through 110 half-barrels of beer, and we had 5,000 pierogies and we ran out.”
He ran the festival for about 15 years, but now he just helps out as he can.
Osowski said the food has always been a draw, for those of Polish heritage or not.
“The people like Polish food. That’s all there is to it,” he said.
Andrew Golebiowski, Chair of the Polish Legacy Project of Buffalo shared the news of the passing of ś.p. Daniel Kij on Tuesday, August 2nd. I had known ś.p. Daniel for years. He was a mainstay in the life of the Western New York and National Polonian community. Andrew writes:
Daniel made a big impact on everyone he came in contact with. You may have known Daniel as a friend, taken a trip to Poland with him, been helped with a search for your family roots or taught how to pronounce your name, or you may have taken part in a Polish-Jewish conversation with him, or even sang with him. You may have merely known him from television, back when he was a frequent advisor to local media during the Solidarity era in Poland.
Those of us who considered him our friend are greatly inspired by his involvement in genealogy and the creation of a Polish Museum of W.N.Y. We hope to match his passion for the community and for knowledge about our heritage and the world we live in.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
Wieczne odpoczynek racz im dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj im świeci.
Niech odpoczywają w pokoju, Amen.
New York Mills Bell Festival began when Sacred Heart of Jesus/Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church donated a bell from one of the former mills to the village. The bell is now part of a monument in the park, inscribed: “To the mill workers, with gratitude.”
View the history of New York Mills bell from the New York Mills Public Library and the work of Sacred Heart of Jesus/Holy Cross Parish in making the bell a treasure for the entire community.
From the Utica Observer Dispatch: NY Mills Bell Festival connects community, families
NEW YORK MILLS — Sisters Reneta Benenati, 84, and Josephine Krawczyk, 75, don’t live in the New York Mills area anymore.
The sisters left the area to attend college and become teachers, however each year they return for the village’s annual Bell Festival.
“It’s become sort of sentimental for us,” Benenati said, adding they visit “old haunts” and where they used to live.
Having grown up in Yorkville — a neighboring village — the sisters said their parents were Polish immigrants who used to work in the mills.
The annual event pays homage to those very mill workers who lived rigid lives dictated by the ring of a bell — 6 a.m. wakeup call and a 9 p.m. curfew call.
The two-day event, which began Friday, features rides, games, a parade, garage sales, fireworks and food. The festivities attract hundreds of people, young and old, to Pulaski Park on Main Street where the historic bell is on display.
“It’s nice to remember where things came from and how things used to be,” said Paul Dudajek, president of the village historical society. “I think (the event) is good because it brings the community together.”
Village resident Julie Brych said she’s been coming to the festival with her sons for about three years.
“We like to support New York Mills. It’s a good cause,” she said. “The kids like the rides, and I like the food.”
For the last 12 years the Sacred Heart of Jesus Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church hosts a fish fry on Friday and polish food on Saturday strictly for the festival.
Debbie Vivacqua, church member and co-chair of the Bell Festival Committee, said it was unbelievable people came out despite the heat.
“It’s a nice family oriented (event) we’ve had in the village,” she said. “The people love it.”
Benenati and Krawczyk chatted over their fish fry, having the chance to connect during their time-honored visit for the festival.
“It means a lot to us,” Benenati said.
“And we’re together,” Krawczyk added.
From WTAM and also at Newsnet5: Celebrating the Polish Constitution: Big parade held in Parma.
The annual Polish Heritage Parade was held in Parma Sunday afternoon [May 6th].
Thousands watched as marchers stepped off at Parma Circle, and made their way on Ridge Road to Essen Avenue in honor of Polish Constitution Day.
After the parade there was a party at the Little Polish Diner on Ridge Road.
Festivities actually began on Friday with a celebration at the Donna Smallwood Activities Center, and continued Saturday at Polonia Hall.
Polish Constitution Day is celebrated around the nation. The constitution was ratified on May 3, 1791, with Poland being the second nation in the world to do so, following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788.
A friend in Cleveland advises that there were two Polish Constitution Day parades in the Cleveland area. One held a week ago in Little Warsaw or Slavic Village in the city, and the one noted above in the suburb of Parma. He rightly points out that it is amazing because the bulk of Polish immigration arrived in the United States over a hundred years ago. And yet, we the descendants still remember our Polish ancestry and our cultural and democratic heritage.
St. Mary’s PNCC Parish in Parma took part in Sunday’s parade. You can view photos at their website.
President Obama will award a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski, a former officer in the Polish Underground during World War II who was among the first to provide eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust to the world. The medal will be presented this summer on a date yet to be determined.
Karski was a long time member of The Kosciuszko Foundation and The American Center of Polish Culture (ACPC), which became heirs of Karski’s last will and testament.
On April 7, 2011, Kosciuszko Foundation President Alex Storozynski and Kaya Ploss, former Director of the ACPC, which is now part of the Kosciuszko Foundation, wrote to President Obama asking him to honor Jan Karski “a man of courage and great distinction who was a citizen of Poland, the United States and Israel. As representatives of the two Polish organizations in America that were beneficiaries of Jan Karski’s will, and having merged last year, we hope that you would consider awarding Jan Karski the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
The foundation was later joined in the quest by The Jan Karski Centennial Campaign, an initiative of the Polish History Museum in Warsaw. Members of the steering committee that have been pushing the campaign include: Alex Storozynski, President and Executive Director of The Kosciuszko Foundation; Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter; Robert L. Billingsley, Co-Chair, Georgetown University Jan Karski Centennial Campaign; David Harris, Executive Director, American Jewish Committee; Andrzej Rojek, Kosciuszko Foundation Trustee; and campaign director Wanda Urbanska.
The Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
President Obama said, “We must tell our children about how this evil was allowed to happen-because so many people succumbed to their darkest instincts; because so many others stood silent. But let us also tell our children about the Righteous Among the Nations. Among them was Jan Karski-a young Polish Catholic-who witnessed Jews being put on cattle cars, who saw the killings, and who told the truth, all the way to President Roosevelt himself. Jan Karski passed away more than a decade ago. But today, I’m proud to announce that I will honor him with America’s highest civilian honor-the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Karski served as an officer in the Polish Underground during World War II and carried among the first eye-witness accounts of the Holocaust to the world. He worked as a courier, entering the Warsaw ghetto and the Nazi Izbica transit camp, where he saw first-hand the atrocities occurring under Nazi occupation. Karski later traveled to London to meet with the Polish government-in-exile and with British government officials. He subsequently traveled to the United States and met with President Roosevelt. Karski published Story of a Secret State, earned a Ph.D at Georgetown University, and became a professor at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. Born in 1914, Karski became a U.S. citizen in 1954 and died in 2000.
Polish Curriculum Added at EMU
Yankees versus Tigers at Polish-American Baseball in Detroit on June 1st
by Jacek Adamski
YPSILANTI– The campus of Eastern Michigan University was abuzz with action as the school’s intercollegiate basketball teams hosted Polish-American Heritage Day at the Convocation Center. Besides the variety of attractions there were some special Polish-American news announcements that highlighted the event. There was history, music trivia and prizes to draw in the students. The biggest draw was the Polish food presentations.
Polish Rock-pop singing sensation, Magda Kaminski, performed at breaks during the games. She was a big hit doing routines and songs from her new CD at both halftimes. She handled the many photo requests with grace and mingled freely with the post concert crowd. The Wawel Folk Ensemble and the PNA Centennial Dancers performed during the TV timeouts. The Wawel troupe wowed the audience with their colorful costume changes.
The event provided a platform for dialogue and creative connections. Groups and people affiliated with Polish culture and those in attendance had an opportunity to make connections and build relationships. Also, awareness was generated throughout the community and beyond.
EMU’s marketing and graduate studies program used the event as a skills development assignment and blitzed awareness with the addition of social media for the occasion. Other EMU activities were highlighted such as the faculty art exhibition and the upcoming graduate student art exhibition through March 8, at the Ford Gallery on campus.
A variety of historic and art displays were showcased in the atrium lobby along with an academic presentation by the EMU World Language Department. Considering the global economy shifts, the EMU World Language Department showed how communication has become essential in more than one language. The handouts introduced why it is so important to have a good understanding of other cultures. Dr. Rosemary Weston-Gil was on hand for questions. Additionally, resource materials were provided for study abroad.
It was also announced that EMU would be starting a Polish curriculum next September.
The EMU E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2012 was introduced and a presentation about the Polish-American Football League, Polska Liga Futbolu Amerykańskiego, with EMU assistant football coach Mike Hart and sports broadcaster Raymond Rolak was popular.
Carol Surma, president of Friends of Polish Art said, “I had nice discussions with folks who were interested in our upcoming 75th anniversary celebration and new audiences to network our scholarship programs.”
Chris Ozog said, ”This was a great opportunity for everyone to come together and highlight the activities of other organizations. Who knew so many Americans were playing professional basketball in Poland? This event also shows why an introduction to languages can be so relevant for global bussiness.” Ozog also presented information about the upcoming Polish-American Night at Comerica Park with the home town Detroit Tigers.
It was announced that Friday, June 1, 2012 will be the date and the New York Yankees are the added draw. Ted Klamerus, a board member of the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame helped ambassador the baseball announcement.
The 2012 NPASHF induction will be Thursday, June 21, at the American-Polish Cultural Center in Troy, Michigan. A lively question and answer period held the attrention of many. Rolak, a past chairman of the NPASHF was in demand with questions and trivia regarding Polish-American sports history.
Also a display on basketball, koszykowka, opportunities in Poland was a highlight. It explained the exchange of players between Europe and America. This year, there are 68 American men and 44 American women playing professional basketball in Poland, including Lauren Prochoska formerly of Bowling Green. She was the Mid-American Conference Women’s Tournament MVP last year in Cleveland. Anna Kowalska, a Polish National and also an assistant coach for the visiting Kent State women talked about her NCAA basketball experiences in America.
The Polish Times had a popular display about the Polish aviators of World War II and the Battle of Britain. A local art club presented awards to the most outstanding educational displays including those presented by the PRCUA, Michigan Polish American Congress, and the Polish National Alliance.
Malgosia Myc was available to extend information on how to access research archives of the Polish Detroit history collection at the Bentley Library at the University of Michigan along with information regarding the Polish Ann Arbor Film Festival.
Telewizja-Detroit a video service in the Detroit area and a continuous podcaster of Polish information had a display and TV message board available for those in attendance. Another popular attraction was the Polish food offerings presented from Srodek’s of Hamtramck, Michigan. There were video highlights of the Srodek television episode that aired on the popular Bizarre Foods TV show on the Travel Channel hosted by Andrew Zimmern.
Four year EMU basketball letter winner Kamil Janton, also a Polish National, had an outstanding role in the men’s 68-55 win over Ohio University. His ten minutes of defensive play at center contributed greatly to the win.
Another highlight was in the EMU women’s victory over Kent State, 83-47. EMU’s Tavelyn James lit up the scorboard with 40 points. She was mobbed after the game by the CYO girls youth teams in attendance. Her performance earned her MAC Player of the Week honors.
Stella Szczesny, a Michigan director for the Polish National Alliance said, “This is a great location for the Polish community of Wayne County and Washtenaw County to meet. I have met people here from Lucas County and Toledo, Ohio. We have a PNA Polanie Ball tonight or I would stay to the very end.”
PolVision of Chicago carried a feature from the game and there were broadcast highlights of the event telecast to Poland.
Editors Note: Jacek Adamski is a Polish sports writer at Polish American Sports.
Polish-american writer Linda C. Wisniewski interviews former New York State Lieutenant Governor Mary Anne Krupsak for her hometown newspaper, The Mohawk Valley Independent in The Pharmacist’s Daughter – An Interview With Former Amsterdamian & NYS Lt. Governor Mary Anne Krupsak
The interview is also included in Upstream 2 as part of Women’s History Month and part of the Independent’s Creative Mohawk Valley Women series.
She was a shy little girl, but when she sang in church, Mary Anne Krupsak’s coloratura voice came through loud and clear. She simply loved to sing, and her mother, an accomplished pianist and violinist, encouraged her. In the following interview, Amsterdam native and former Lieutenant Governor of New York Mary Anne Krupsak answers a few questions for Upstream…
From The Jersey Journal: Bayonne pastor Rev. Bernard Nowicki to lead the 75th Pulaski Day parade in Manhattan and the Am-Pol Eagle.
Rev. Bernard Nowicki, pastor of the Heart of Jesus Polish National Catholic Church in Bayonne, will lead the contingent for the 2012 tri-state Pulaski Day parade in Manhattan and for the activities in celebration of the 75th anniversary year.
His selection was announced by Richard Romelczyk, chairman of the Bayonne Pulaski Memorial Parade Committee.
Fr. Nowicki was honored at a Sashing Brunch on April 14 at the Chandelier Restaurant in Bayonne.
Fr. Nowicki is a native of western New York where he participated in the Polish dancing troupe founded by his mother, participated in a seven-week church youth excursion to Poland, was a presenter of Polish language declamations and poetry at celebratory occasions, and appeared in various stage presentations.
Fr. Nowicki served as the pastor of two parishes in the Pittsburgh area where he met and married Barbara Ann Liberasky. They have a daughter, Berit Elizabeth, who resides in Massachusetts.
Fr. Nowick is chaplain of the NY-NJ Seniorate United Choirs, a chapter of the PNC National United Choirs (NUC) that was organized to advance and preserve Polish musical culture.