Quest for the gold spawns Olympic fever
 | | Jennifer Stuczynski signs autographs for fans in Fredonia |
Mary Ann Herrington An electrifying atmosphere has taken the village of Fredonia by storm and is gaining more and more momentum each day. Olympian pole-vaulter Jennifer Stuczynski’s quest for the gold has fueled the flames of an unparalleled Olympic frenzy as the community cheers on its hometown heroine.
With the pole-vaulting qualifying trials and finals only a few days away (Aug. 16 and 18), the 26-year-old Fredonia native and 2000 alumna of Fredonia High School will enter the competition knowing she has the love, support and encouragement of the entire community.
When Jenn drove from Rochester to attend Fredonia’s National Night Out last week, she was awe struck by what she saw upon exiting the Thruway. “Jenn Stuczynski” lawn signs were everywhere. A hot commodity, the first shipment of 1,000 sold out in less than a week. A couple hundred t-shirts were gone in less than 30 minutes. It became more and more difficult for supply to keep up with demand.
[more] |
Proudly on display
Ted Kniazuk and Ronald Suchocki, St. Adalbert Basilica Parish trustees, carry a framed proclamation that St. Adalbert Church, Buffalo, NY was given “Brief as Basilica” by Pope Pius X on 11th of August, 1907.” The congregation that is appealing the decision by the Diocese of Buffalo to merge the parish with St. John Kanty celebrated the 100th anniversary of the designation. The diocese contends the church is not a basilica.
A relief pitcher
The Buffalo Bisons celebrated Polish-American Night on Aug. 9 and honored Jackie Schmid, a polka promoter, Polonia volunteer, political activist and Am-Pol Eagle columnist. Schmid said she froze when it came time to throw the first pitch but a young member of the Krakowiacy dance group walked right up and made the play. With the dancers, from left to right, are Schmid, Judge Michael Pietruszka and Bisons General Manager Michael Buczkowski. Poland is ready for 2008 Olympics
 | |
The 28-year-old canoer Marek Twardowski will be the national flag bearer for the Polish Olympic team in the 2008 games that begin this week. The Polish Olympic Committee (PKOL) has presented a list of 258 sportsmen drafted to represent Poland at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
The number of Olympians may increase by 10, as the committee has given a number of athletes a final chance to qualify, including Lidia Chojecka and Malgorzata Trybanska. There are 101 women and 157 men on the team.
As for the selection of the national flag bearer, Kajetan Broniewski, the chief of the Polish Olympic Mission, said "There was, of course, a discussion. We rejected the candidacy of Otylia Jedrzejczak, because she starts her Olympics on Aug. 9, the same situation was with Leszek Blanik. We needed a titled sportsman for whom the function of flag bearer will not interrupt preparations. Marek starts on Aug. 19, he won 20 World Championships and European Championship medals and he's a cool guy."
[more] |
Getting Polish citizenship through a grandparent?
Robert Strybel Ever since Poland dumped communism and became a free country in 1989, and even more so after it joined the European Union in 2004, more and more Americans of Polish descent have taken an interest in Polish citizenship. Apart from the symbolic, nostalgic or cultural benefits of having a passport displaying the Polish Eagle and the words “Rzeczpospolita Polska “ (Republic of Poland), such a move offers concrete, practical advantages.
Unlike Pol-Am tourists who require a Polish visa for an extended stay, a Polish American with Polish citizenship may enter and leave Poland at will, find employment, set up a company and buy or sell real estate. And since Poland is now in the EU, he or she can do all those things in any of the bloc’s 27 member-states. A Pol-Am businessman therefore has a great advantage over American competitors without such status who are required by many EU countries for apply for special permission.
A popular notion circulating amongst our Polonia is that you can get Polish citizenship if you had Polish grandparents. Basically that is true. However if you think you can simply phone your nearest Polish Consulate, tell them your grandparents were Polish and expect to hear “Congratulations, welcome abroad!”, you’ve got another thing coming! Life in general is far more complicated, and this is no exception.
[more] Ychtis performs at Corpus Christi
“Ychtis” from Katowice, Poland performed July 24 and 25 at Corpus Christi Church in Buffalo. The girls, who ranged in age from 8 through 13 years old, sang religious and folk songs in harmony. One spectator called them “awe inspiring” (see article on p. 3).
photos by Peter Sloane
To see and buy more photos, click the 'click here' button to the right. Dedication set for Drabik Collection
Michelle Fritz The Polish Genealogical Soci-ety of New York State (PG-
SNYS) will be holding a dedication and celebration in honor of the society’s 20th anniversary and the opening of the Michael Drabik Memorial Library Collection on Sat., Aug. 9 at 3 p.m. at Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo.
Michael Drabik founded the Polish Genealogical Society of New York State in 1988. His vision for the society was driven by the notion that there was a strong desire by many individuals to research their Polish roots in Buffalo and throughout New York State. The memorial library collection will be on-loan to the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, central branch.
The collection consists of books, monographs, and other reference materials involving Polish Americans and their genealogical history. The materials for the collection have been catalogued by U.B. School of Information and Library Science intern Agnieszka Kurzeja-Chen.
[more] Buffalo Bisons to honor Schmid
 | |
Michelle Fritz During the Buffalo Bisons’ Polish Festival Night on Tues., Aug. 5 at Dunn Tire Park, the Bisons’ Polish American of the Year award will be presented to Jackie Schmid for her years of service to the Polish community.
“She is definitely one of the unsung heroes of Polonia,” said Judge Michael Pietruszka, a friend of Schmid’s since childhood. “She works on all of these projects behind the scenes and just does wonderful things for the community.”
Schmid is a director of the General Pulaski Association and helps pull together the Pulaski Parade and for the Cheektowaga Patriotic Commission the 4th of July parade both in Cheektowaga. Also, she is an active part of the local government, working as one of Congressman Brian Higgins’ aides and as the secretary for the Cheektowaga Democratic Committee.
Brian Rusk, president of the General Pulaski Association, describes Schmid as a dedicated and conscientious worker for the Polish community. He said, “Between her column for the Am-Pol Eagle on polka, to helping run the parade, to getting 500 people out for our spaghetti dinner to help pay for the parade, Jackie always has her eye on the ball. She is politically astute and has a good pulse on the Polish community.”
[more] |
A tribute to Pulaski
Revolutary War hero and father of the American cavalry Casimir Pulaski was honored by marching bands, costumed impersonators and numerous dignitaries at the annual Pulaski Parade on July 20 on Harlem Road in Cheektowaga. The rain held off long enough to put plenty of smiles on parade participants and spectators. photos by Peter Sloane
For more photos, click the Blue "click here" button to the right.
Poles who hid Jews from Nazis honored in Warsaw
Former foreign minister, Geremek dies
Polish Girls' Choir comes to Buffalo
New bookmarks feature Poles at Jamestown
US Missile Shield plan continues to rankle
A midsummer celebration Polish style
Sheriff Howard to be honorary grand marshal of Pulaski Parade
Cheektowaga readies for Pol-Am fest
Bialkowskis bring Kittinger and quality to the showroom
All sides seek change at the Market
Exhibit sheds light on President Hoover's compassion for Poland
Exhibit sheds light on President Hoover's compassion for Poland
Protection for the Curie Medallion
Arts Club revisits UB’s Polish Room & its treasures
Monument to Lt. Col. Urban dedicated
Polish guitarists give world-class performance
|
