Essay by Casey Sobota

It’s a blessing and a comfort to know where your family comes from and I’m fortunate to have been enveloped in my mother’s Polish background while growing up.  I’ve called my grandpa Dziadzia, ate Polish food at family gatherings and heard stories from my mom about “Busia”, my great-grandmother.  As I grew, I realized that not all of my friends celebrated their roots as much as my family did, and I became more interested in learning about our Polish background from relatives and through my own research.  At Ohio State,…

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Essay by Jessica Pietrasz

Having a Polish-American Heritage means that I have had the unique opportunity to be able to experience many wonderful and remarkable traditions in my life.  I have been able to witness weddings with polka bands, grand marches, the oczepiny and the poprawiny.  My holidays have been filled with my Great Grandmother’s kapusta, which my aunt creates from our secret family recipe, our traditional trip to Stanley’s Market for kielbasa, my Great Uncle presenting the Oplatek at Christmas and of course, having homemade pierogi on Good Friday.  Everyone who shares this…

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2015 PACT/TPA Scholarship Winners Announced

The Polish American Community of Toledo and the Toledo Poznan Alliance are pleased to announce the 2015 scholarship winners: Zachary Pylypuik, age 15, will be a sophomore at St. Francis de Sales High School this coming fall.  In addition to playing travel hockey, Zack volunteers as a lector at Holy Trinity in Assumption, Ohio and is an announcer for St. Francis KSN Radio. Ethan Collins, age 17, a senior this coming year at Central Catholic High School.  Ethan participates in cross country, track and soccer.  He volunteers at Hospice of…

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2015 Kielbasa Klassic – Sign Up Now!

Sign Up is now open for the 2015 Kielbasa Klassic 4-Man Golf Scramble! Click Here to Register for the 2016 Kielbasa Klassic Here Sunday, August 7th at Whiteford Valley (Blue Course) 7980 Beck Road, Ottawa Lake MI, 10 am start time $75 per man/ $300 per team Includes golf, cart, food, beer, pop, team skins, door prizes, challenge holes, and the famous “Kielbasa Klassic” t-shirt. **Proceeds used to fund PACT scholarships and Child Help, an organization dedicated to helping abused children** Deadline to enter is July 28, 2015 Click Here…

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Polish Night at the Mud Hens.

  Witamy! It’s time to wear something red and white, put on your polka dancing shoes and bring an empty stomach to Fifth Third Field, as the Toledo Mud Hens will be hosting Polish Heritage Night at Fifth Third Field on Friday, August 7, presented by Stanley’s Market! Join us for our Polish Heritage Night pre-game polka party from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Home Run Terrace, with live music and an all-you-can-eat buffet by Stanley’s Market, smacznego! The buffet will feature: Stanley’s Market world famous kielbasa Sweet and sour cabbage…

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Nicolaus Copernicus

Here in the United States, schools are quick to teach students about famous Americans and western Europeans. Countries like Poland are often forgotten about, even though they had individuals who made significant impacts on the world. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) Today, every third grader knows that the earth revolves around the sun—you can thank Nicolaus Copernicus for that. Born in Torun, Poland in 1473, Copernicus was the first person to provide a detailed explanation of why the solar system is heliocentric (meaning the planets revolve around the sun). Prior to that, people had…

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“Agora” sculpture in Grant Park in Chicago

Located along the southwest side of Grant Park, Agora is one of Chicago’s most recent and important sculptural installations. Comprised of 106 nine-foot tall headless torsos made of cast iron, the artwork derives it name from the Greek word for meeting place. The figures are posed walking in groups in various directions or standing still. Internationally renowned artist Magdalena Abakanowicz donated the sculptural group along with the Polish Ministry of Culture, a Polish cultural foundation, and other private donors. Born into an aristocratic family just outside of Warsaw, Abakanowicz (b. 1930)…

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