Archive for November 13th, 2012
2012 Poland’s Independence Celebrated and Veterans Day Honored by the Wisconsin Polish American Congress
On Sunday November 11, 2012 the Wisconsin State Division of the Polish American Congress hosted its 15th annual Polish Independence Day/Veterans Day banquet at the beautiful Polish Center of Wisconsin.
An over capacity attendance of 250 guests were in attendance, some from Appleton, Madison and Green Bay, Wisconsin, Chicago, and as far away as Los Angeles, California, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh. (Some 30-40 well-wishers had to be turned away when they were late with their reservation requests.) All who were present enjoyed a wonderful luncheon of traditional Polish favorites highlighted by Milwaukee’s Crocus Restaurant’s signature Polish mushroom soup.
During the reception prior to the banquet, pianist Thomas Gapinski and Violinist John Pienkos serenaded everyone with their medleys of favorite Polish folk and patriotic music.
U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore graced the event by her presence. Cong. Moore represents the Fourth U.S. Congressional District, and is the successor to both Congressman Clement J. Zablocki and Congressman Gerald Kleczka in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. In her remarks, Cong. Moore spoke of the importance of recalling the many contributions the Poles have made to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and nationally and the services to the freedom and well-being of the United States and Poland rendered by our veterans.
Mr. Frank J. Spula, President of the Polish American Congress and the Polish National Alliance fraternal and Vice Consul Konrad Zielinski of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago each spoke at the event, which honors the 94th anniversary of Poland’s independence and coincides with Veterans Day in the United States.
Among those attending this year’s event were President Dolly Honeycutt and Vice President Sharon Zago of the Polish Women’s Alliance of America based in Chicago, National Director Paul Sadowski of the Polish Falcons of America, Past National Secretary/Treasurer Joyce Szarowicz of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America fraternal in Chicago, along with representatives of all of Wisconsin’s Polish American organizations.
Several outstanding activists in Milwaukee’s Polish American community were honored at this year’s gathering. Each received the Congressman Clement J. Zablocki Civic Achoievement Award from the Wisconsin PAC. All were also honored by the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County Government, the national Polish American Congress, and the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland. This year’s honorees are:
Ewa Barczyk-Pease, President of Polanki, the Polish Women’s Cultural Club of Wisconsin and Director of the Golda Meir Libraries of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee;
Ann Pienkos, long time activist in Wisconsin Polonia and civic life;
Hedy Rabiega, past national Director of the Polish National Alliance and active in many local Polonia organizations.*
The Polish Museum of America of Chicago;
and
The ‘Gwiazda Polarna’ Polish American newspaper based in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
In addition, Nest 725 of the Polish Falcons of America was recognized for its 95 years of dedicated commitment to the Falcons causes of physical fitness, fraternalism and patriotic service. This year, 2012, also marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of the national Polish Falcons of America fraternal headquartered in Pittsburgh.
Major Leonard Jedrzejczak and Mrs. Ada Dziewanowska were each awarded the Paderewski Medal issued by the Polish Army Veterans Association of America for their many years of dedicated service to the causes of Poland’s freedom and cultural heritage. Major Jedrzejczak fought for the cause of Poland’s freedom in World War II. For more than six decades, Mrs. Dziewanowska has been nationally recognized as a leader in the authentic performing of Polish dance in America.
Master of Ceremonies for the event was Ernest J. Litynski, who was one of the recipients of the Cong. Zablocki Civic Achievement award in 2011.
At the close of the banquet, Atty. Claude Krawczyk gave a progress report on the fund drive to restore Milwaukee’s beautiful and historic Kosciuszko monument. At present, more than $120,000 has been committed to this project. Just $50,000 more is needed to achieve the goal of preserving this great symbol of Polish and American solidarity and patriotism for the benefit of future generations. The Wisconsin PAC strongly supports this project and has, along with its members and member organizations, contributed substantially to the cause.
Special recognition goes to the outstanding work provided by the planning committee of this year’s event: Sharon Haberski (coordinator), Judith Free, Jeanette Holmquist, Luanne Landgraf, Ernest Litynski, Nina Nowakowski, Angela Pienkos, Diane Reeve, and Anne Wal. All worked closely and expertly with Wisconsin PAC State President Mark Pienkos to make this a very special event for all who attended.
Don Pienkos
_____________
*Since 1995 and counting this year’s Cong. Zablocki Civic Achievement Awards recipients, a total of 73 outstanding community activists have been honored at our event in recognition oif their services to our city, state and nation.
Archived Posts
- 2024 Independence Day and Veteran Day invitation
- 80th Anniversary of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising
- 2024 Wianki Festival
- 2024 Polish Constitution Day in Wisconsin
- 2023 Merry Christmas
- 2023 Lighting the Light of Freedom on Dec 13 at 7:30pm
- Independence Day and Veteran Day invitation
- 2023 Wianki Festival
- 2023 May 3rd Constitution Day Celebration
- 2023 Lecture on Polish Borders by Prof. Don Pienkos
- 2023 REMEMBER THIS: Jan Karski movie premieres on PBS Wisconsin
- 2023 Upcoming lectures in the Polish Center of Wisconsin
- 2022 Polish National Independence Day
- 2022 Independence and Veteran Day Luncheon (invitation)
- 2022 Wianki, Polish Celebration of Noc Świętojańska (St. John’s Night)
- Celebrating Constitution of May 3, 1791 in Polish Center of Wisconsin
- 2022 Polish Constitution Day, Polish Flag Day and the Day of Polonia
- 2022 March Bulletin
- 2022 Polonia For Ukraine Donations
- 2022 Polish American Congress Condemns Russian Invasion of Ukraine
- 2022 PAC-WI State Division Letters to WI Senators and Representatives
- 2021 Polish Christmas Carols
- 2021 Panel Discussion: Martial Law in Poland 1981-1983 (REPORT)
- 2021 Panel Discussion: Martial Law. Poland 1981-1983 (invitation)
- 2021 Solidarity: Underground Publishing and Martial Law 1981-1983
- 2021 Polish Independence Day and Veterans Day
- 2021 Polish Independence Day and Veterans Day Luncheon
- 2021 Prof. Pienkos lecture: Polish Vote in US Presidential Elections
- 2021 POLISH HERITAGE MONTH EVENTS
- 2021 “Freedom” Monument Unveiled in Stevens Point, Wisconsin
- 2021 PCW Picnic and Fair
- 2021 Remembering Września Children Strikes (1901-1903)
- 2021 May 3 Constitution Day
- 2021 DYKP Contest Winners and Answers
- 2021 DYKP CONTEST EXTENDED and CASIMIR PULASKI DAY
- 2021 February announcements
- 2021 Polish Ministry of Education and Science oficials visit Wisconsin
- 2021 DYKP Contest, KF Gallery and Dr. Pease lectures
- 2020 Help Enact Resolution commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Katyn Massacre
- 2020 Independence And Veterans Day
- 2020 Remembering Paderewski
- 2020 POLISH HERITAGE MONTH
- 2020 Solidarity born 40 years ago
- 2020 Battle of Warsaw Centenary
- 2020 The Warsaw Rising Remembrance
- 2020 June/July News: Polish Elections, Polish Films Online and more
- 2020 Poland: Virtual Tours
- Centennial of John Paul II’s Birth
- 2020 Celebrating Polish Flag, Polonia and Constitution of May 3rd
- 2020 Polish Easter Traditions
- 2020 Census and Annual Election
- Flavor of Poland (Update 3)
- 2020 Copernicus, Banach & Enigma talk
- 2020 Do You Know Poland and other announcements
- 2020 Flavor of Poland (Update 2)
- 2020 People and Events of the Year
- 2019 Holidays
- 2019 December Medley
- 2019 Independence Celebration
- 2019 Independence Invitation
- 2019 WI Study in Poland Reports
- Lecture: Poland’s Entry Into the NATO
- August 2019 anniversaries
- 2019 Polish Fest
- Celebrating Polish Constitution and Ignacy Paderewski
- WSIP 2018 Reports (Wisconsin Study in Poland)
- 2018 Christmas Carols
- 2018 Polish Independence and Veterans Day
- November 2018 events
- October 2018 Events
- 2018 Kashube Lecture Notes
- September 2018 events
- 2018 Polish Fest Report
- Upcoming 2018 Polish Fest
- Celebrating Polish Constitution Day
- Poland 1979-1989 (panel discussion)
- Protest the Passage of S.447 in the U.S. House of Representatives
- STOP H.R.1226
- 2018 People and Events
- 2017 Polish Christmas Carols
- 2017 The Christmas Tradition of “Kraków Szopka”
- 2017 Dr. Mazurkiewicz lecture notes
- 2017 Polish Independence and Veterans Day
- 2017 Dr. Mazurkiewicz lecture
- 2017 KOŚCIUSZKO MEDIA GALLERY
- Mark Pienkos Named Polish American of the Year
- A DAY WITH GENERAL KOŚCIUSZKO
- 2017 KOŚCIUSZKO EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER
- 2017 POLISH DECLARATIONS of 1926
- 2017 Polish Fest
- 100 Years of White Sox Baseball
- 2017 Kosciuszko Bicentenary
- 2017 Annual and Election Meeting
- 2017 March/April events
- 2017 Kościuszko Lecture
- Reports of WSIP-2016 recipients
- 2017 Wisconsin Study in Poland
- 2016 Merry Christmas
- 2016 Independence Day Luncheon
- 2016 Polonia Forum
- December 12, 2015 Agenda
- CHRISTMAS GET-TOGETHER & GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Saturday, December 12, 2015 Agenda
- Dr. Mark Pienkos received Cavalier’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
- October is Polish American Heritage Month
- Congressman Clement Zablocki” Civic Achievement Award”
- Please Attend the General Membership Meeting – September 26, 2015
- Activity Report – August 2015
- 2015 Elected Officers and Directors
- 2014 Congressman Clement Zablocki Civic Achievement Award Recipients
- Polish American Congress Meets in Washington D.C. – July 2015
- Issues Statement Condemning FBI Directory James Comey’s Comments
- 2015 Congressman Clement Zablocki” Civic Achievement Award”
- Civic Achievement Award
- PAC-WI Special Recognition
- Medal of Paderewski
- Pro Patria Medal
- Thank you to Chicago….
- OCTOBER PROCLAIMED POLISH-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN WISCONSIN
- 2012 Poland’s Independence Celebrated and Veterans Day Honored by the Wisconsin Polish American Congress
- How will Polish Americans vote in the 2012 Presidential Election and how influential might they be?
- City of Milwaukee POLISH VISA WAIVER PROGRAM resolution
- Dear Wisconsin Polish American Congress members,
- Message from the Executive Committee of the Polish American Congress To Presidents of PAC National Member Organizations and State Divisions Concerning PAC Position on TV Trwam
- Happy Easter
- Laureaci Nagrody Dziedzictwa im. Kongresmena Klemensa Zabłockiego na rok 2012