THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 36, Number 39 Thursday, October 1, 2020 Elevating by PolishKim Nowatzke Pride This photo, taken by The Beacher’s Paul Kemiel in 2019, illustrates how the Polish Heritage Festival celebrates “all things Polish.” Perhaps its most well-know endeavor is the an- nual Polish Heritage Festival. Held in September All. since 2012 in Friendship Botanic Gardens, the Things. event drew 1,000 people its fi rst year and today ap- Polish. peals to residents of all ethnic backgrounds from That’s the mission behind the Polish Heritage As- across Northwest Indiana. sociation of Michigan City. Desiring to inform the public about Poles, Polish The non-profi t organization aims to “preserve, Americans and the culture and history of Poland, cultivate and provide education about Polish heri- volunteers such as Janusz Duzinkiewicz man edu- tage in Northwest Indiana,” said President-Chair- cational booths at the event. Duzinkiewicz is a Pol- man Mark Kolasa who, with the late George Neagu ish Heritage Association member and an associate and Dr. Richard Houck, started the group in 2011. Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 October 1, 2020 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 Beacher Company Directory e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] Don and Tom Montgomery Owners email: Classifieds - [email protected] Andrew Tallackson Editor http://www.thebeacher.com/ Drew White Print Salesman PRINTE ITH Published and Printed by Janet Baines Inside Sales/Customer Service T Becky Wirebaugh Typesetter/Designer T A S A THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Randy Kayser Pressman Dora Kayser Bindery Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is Hope Costello, Jacquie Quinlan Production also delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. John Baines, Karen Gehr, Dennis Mayberry Delivery Inn and Baker’s Dozen Bake Shop in South Bend al- Elevating Polish Pride Continued from Page 1 ways are favorites. So are Polish folk-dance perfor- professor of history and philosophy at Purdue Uni- mances and music by Polish-American polka bands. versity Northwest. Attendees can purchase crafts and other items, such “The Association’s mission is to promote a knowl- as popular T-shirts with phrases like “Proud To Be edge and an appreciation of all things Polish and Polish,” “Does This Shirt Make Me Look Polish?” Polish-American to the local communities,” Duz- and “Not Only Am I Perfect, I’m Polish Too.” inkiewicz said. “This should raise an awareness One year, Paulina Kapus´cin´ska, the sitting con- among people of Polish descent of their often-forgot- sul general for the Republic of Poland in Chicago, ten heritage, inform others of the richness of Pol- attended the Polish Heritage Festival. ish culture and ultimately to promote the grounded “She checks for Polish pride in the area,” Kolasa energies of rich diversity in our society.” explained. “We try to elevate Polish pride in North- Kolasa, who west Indiana.” owns The Polish He and Pol- Peasant restau- ish Heritage rant, 624 Wa- Association bash St., with members were his wife, Aman- honored by her da, agreed. and her hus- “Some of our band’s pres- generations ence. haven’t been “That is al- exposed to their most like a culture,” he president com- said, “and they ing out,” Kolasa are able to see it continued. “It for the fi rst time almost gives at this event.” you chills to And, plenty have someone of visitors who of that author- attend aren’t of ity coming out. Polish heritage, They wanted but still come to walk around out for all the and see ev- festival has to The Polish Heritage Festival engages those who attend with everything from music and other erything. She offer. forms of entertainment to food, as pictured here with a staff member of Cavalier Inn. spoke to the “The commu- Beacher fi le photo by Paul Kemiel. crowd.” nity embraces the association,” Kolasa said. “Our This year’s festival, sadly, was canceled due to festival makes for a nice afternoon of family fun COVID-19; however, a 2021 date is set for Sept. 12. learning about Polish heritage, whether you are At his Heritage Booth, Duzinkiewicz said he Polish or not.” hopes to display Polish items collected by Father Duzinkiewicz elaborated on that point, saying, Walter Rakoczy in addition to the usual displays. “The Association is not focused only on people with “Maps are extremely popular with people want- Polish roots. The mission is to inform both people ing to see where the places relatives spoke about with a Polish background and the wider community are or view the street map of Krakow where they of Polish heritage understood as culture, customs, visited,” he said. “The maps on display include for- history, language, food, music, art, etc.” mer eastern Poland where many have their roots. Traditional Polish offerings such as paczki, kisz- Other popular items are Polish ceramics, tradi- ka, golabki and pierogi from Hammond’s Cavalier tional weaving and needlepoint, woodcarvings, etc. THE October 1, 2020 Page 3 We have a full peasant outfi t, which has been mod- eled by a fi ne student, Zachary Zromkoski, who has helped over the past couple of years. bbeacheach bbumum jjewelsewels “All these items and more are tangible bits of Polish heritage,” he continued. “People can see and CCreatingreating handle traditional creativity. Many are inspired. AAuthenticuthentic Usually, there is also a display showing contempo- BBeacheach GGlasslass rary Poland...It is an eye-opener for many to see Po- JJewelryewelry fforor land’s modernity and prosperity.” 1155 YYearsears What Kolasa fi nds remarkable is that a handful of people make the festival succeed. 662222 FFranklinranklin St.St. 2219-743-959519-743-9595 Duzinkiewicz agreed. MMichiganichigan CCity,ity, IINN wwww.beachbumjewels.comww.beachbumjewels.com HHours:ours: TTues.-Sat.ues.-Sat. 1111 aa.m.-5.m.-5 pp.m..m. • BByy AAppointmentppointment GALLERY AND ART CLASS STUDIO t fused glass t mosaic art t mixed media workshops Mark Kolasa is photographed by The Beacher’s Kim Nowatzke 622 Franklin ArtAndScienceworks.com in front of his restaurant, The Polish Peasant. “The sheer amount of work and coordination is boggling, even after nine years,” he said. “The members of the Association, Ann Scamerhorn and her Polish network, other volunteers, performers, vendors and our wonderful hosts, the Friendship Botanic Gardens, all work hard together each year putting on an event that a thousand people enjoy.” Through the annual celebration, the Polish Heritage Association supports several community non-profi ts, including: the Sacred Heart Food Pan- try; Friendship Botanic Gardens; Keys To Hope Community Resource Center; Catholic Charities; Thanksgiving and Christmas projects. Continued on Page 4 622 Franklin Street • 219.552.2419 • Open 701 Washington St Mon - Sat 11-7 Michigan City, IN 46360 Sun 11-3 219-814-4127 Dine In or Outside on the Patio Drive Through & Carryout Available • Catering Mark Kolasa’s grandmother, the late Ruth Kolasa (on the far left), is Say you saw us in The Beacher! photographed with two of her friends and the original Paderewski bust in the Polish Garden. THE Page 4 October 1, 2020 ited 14 works, including Polish Democratic Thought Elevating Polish Pride Continued from Page 3 from the Renaissance to the Great Emigration and Another by-product of the festival is scholarships The Polish American Encyclopedia. awarded each year. Started in 2014, the competi- Proceeds from the Polish Heritage Festival also tion, according to the organization’s Facebook page, were used to commission a new monument of Ignacy Jan Paderewski in the Botanic Friendship Gardens seeks to raise awareness among high school and col- Polish Garden. Paderewski, the prime minister of lege students living in Northwest Indiana counties Poland in 1919, was a pianist, composer, statesman, of Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke and St. Joseph. humanitarian, businessman, fi lm actor, and art and The scholarship is a win-win project. High school architecture patron. seniors and college students in have an opportunity The original terra cotta bust, created by local to win $1000, $500 or $250. They are motivated to artist Robert Wilcox and presented to the former apply, making them better students and broadening International Friendship Gardens in 1950, was their horizons, Duzinkiewicz says destroyed. The Polish Heritage Association chose Like all the Association’s activities, the scholar- Dora Natella, an associate professor of sculpture ship has a three-fold aim: at Indiana University-South Bend, to recreate the • Inspire an appreciation of Polishness among peo- new bronzed bust, which was placed on the original ple of Polish descent. restored pedestal on May 20, 2018. Members of the • Inspire others to learn about Polish heritage. Polish Heritage Association, it must be noted, also • Build a culturally richer community. are responsible for maintaining the Polish Garden. The organization also added a white stork statue Many winners have not been of Polish descent. to the Polish Garden in 2018. Each year, around This year’s theme was “The Polish-Soviet War and 50,000 of these the ‘Miracle on the Vistula.’” Applicants were in- birds migrate structed to write about this series of battles in 1920 through Poland when Poland successfully beat back Soviet Russia’s each year and are Red Army, preventing a Communist invasion into considered a sign of the heart of Europe. good luck and the Scholarships this year for $1,000, $500 and $250 arrival of newborn went to Michael H. Banach of Munster, Antoinette babies, according to Yasko of LaPorte and Lauren Eggleston of Rolling folklore.