THE POLISH MUSEUM OF AMERICA THE 40TH ANNUAL GALA 1 Founded in 1935, and open to the public since 1937, the PMA remains the nation’s only institution of its kind, dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Polish and Polish American identity through a wide variety of educational programs and exhibitions. Front cover: Henryk Grunwald (1904-1958), Polish American Coat of Arms, before 1939, iron. 1939 New York World’s Fair Polish Pavilion Collection, Inv. no. PMA 01315. ÏǣHenryk Grunwald (1904-1958), Herb polsko-Ñǡ przed 1939, ĂǤ ϸ ͷͿ͹ͿǡǤǤPMA 01315. Gala ǡ ǯ Ǥ 2 The Polish Museum of America Presents its VIRTUAL 40TH GALA NOVEMBER 7TH, 2020 @ 6PM Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic we will stream our Gala virtually This year’s program will include: Music by the ANTHONY KAWALKOWSKI TRIO Spirit Award recipients for 2020 are: HOLY TRINITY POLISH MISSION accepted by PASTOR ANDRZEJ TOTZKE, SChr IZABELA J. ROMAN, M.D., PH.D. Our Mistress of Ceremony, Magda Walczak, will guide you through videos of the Polish Museum of America, ballroom dance performance by the Interclub Academy of Dance, plus more. Your support during this unprecedented time is greatly appreciated! Please log on to our website to make a donation. Log into polishmuseumofamerica.org – Nov 7th at 6 PM 3 40th Gala Committee Chair Sharon Orlowski Appeals & Advertisements Richard Owsiany Ma gorzata Kot Program Book Victoriał Granacki Technical Support Dariusz Lachowski Treasurer Dean Umi ski Beatrix Czerkawski Misia Gielniewski Krystynań Grell Barbara Paul Odrobina Katarzyna Ogórek Andrzej Pawlowski Julita Siegel Kożuchowska TeresaJan M. Sromek Loryś Special Thank You Polish Roman Catholic Union of America ArtPol Printing Magda Walczak Eugeniusz Jarz bek Kevin Ryba Carlos Escobarą aw Zbigniew Habina AnthonyCzesł KawaMogilińskikowski Interclub Academy of Dance ł -Sulima MichałMarek KlempkaRowicki WawrzyniecRobert Muszyński Kowalski Katarzyna Rychcik 4 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Welcome to the 40th Polish Museum of America Gala streaming live from the Sabina Logisz Great Hall. Welcome2020 has tobeen the a 40th year Polish like no Museum other. Normally, of America we Gala would streaming have celebrated live from thethe SabinaSummer Logisz Gala Greatin June Hall. but 2020due to has the been pandemic a year we like were no other.forced Normally, to cancel the we inwould-person have event celebrated and change the Summerthe Gala toGala a virtual in June event. but dueThis to year, the pandemicas many cultural we were institutions forced to cancel throughout the in- personthe United event Stated and change and the the world, Gala towe a were virtual forced event. to Thisclose year, our doors as many to thecultural public. institutions Cancelation throughout of museum the to Unitedurs, events, Stated and and activities the world, was we a weredifficult forced step to in closedealing our with doors the to pandemic. the public. The Cancelation effect on our of museumfinances hastours, been events, difficult. and Even activities though was the a difficultPMA was step closed in dealingto the public, with the the pandemic. staff continued The effect to workon our from finances home has on been many difficult. projects. Even We though are grateful the PMA to was the closed Polish toMinistry the public, of Culture the staff and continued National Heritageto work fromfor awarding home on a many grant projects. to fund ourWe operations,are grateful programs, to the Polis andh Ministrypromotion of ofCulture the PMA and thisNational past summer.Heritage forWe awarding are also gratefula grant toto fundour Life our Heritageoperations, Members programs, and and Life promotionMembers for of theheeding PMA thethis callpast to summer. action andWe aresupporting also grateful the Life to our Member Life Heritage Appeal Memberswhich raised and Lifeover Members$110,000.00. for heeding the call to action and supporting the Life Member Appeal which raised over $110,000.00. Tonight, as we stream live from the Museum, I hope that you feel a part of the Gala even though we are Tonight,not together as we in stream person. live This from year the we Museum, not only I hope celebrate that you the feel40th a partGala ofbut the we Gala also even celebrate though the we 85areth notanniversary together ofin theperson. founding This ofyear the we PMA not by only the celebratePolish Roman the 40th Catholic Gala Unionbut we of also America. celebrate I also the want 85th to anniversarycongratulate of the the 2020 founding Polish of Spirit the PMAAward by recipients: the Polish HolyRoman Trinity Catholic Polish Union Mission of America. and Dr. IzabelaI also want Roman to congratulatefor their support the 2020 of the Polish PMA Spiritand their Award work recipients: in Polonia. Holy Trinity Polish Mission and Dr. Izabela Roman for their support of the PMA and their work in Polonia. Since the last Summer Gala, the officers, Board of Directors, and staff have continued in making the PMA Sincean institution the last Summer that evolves Gala, and the officers,continues Board to attract. of Directors, We have and a staffnew havepermanent continued exhibit in making featuring the Polish PMA anmodern institution art through that evolves the generosity and continues of Dr. Annato attract. Paré . WeThe have Deborah a new Greenlee permanent Room exhibit containing featuring panel Polish walls modernand fixtures art through from the the Polish generosity Pavilion of wasDr. Anna refurbished Paré. The with Deborah funding Greenlee from the Room Polish containing Consulate panel in Chicago. walls andThe fixturesTransportation from the ExhibitPolish Pavilion Room was was updatedrefurbished with with new funding cabinetry from and the Polishartifacts. Consulate 29 painting in Chicago.s were Theconserved Transportation and repaired Exhibit with Room funding was updated provided with by new Institut cabinetry Polonika. and artifacts. Along with29 painting many ssmaller were conservedimprovements, and therepaired PMA continueswith funding everything provided it canby Institutdo to make Polonika. a visit Along to the with Museum many pleasant,smaller improvements,memorable, and the educational. PMA continues We want everything the Museum it can to bedo a todestinatio make an visit for all to those the Museumwho are interestedpleasant, memorable,in our Polish and heritage. educational. We want the Museum to be a destination for all those who are interested in our Polish heritage. On behalf of the officers, Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers, I want to thank all our donors to the On40th behalf Gala. ofI especially the officers, want Board to thank of Directors, our anonymous staff, and donor volunteers, who challenged I want to thankus with all a our match donorsing $25 to ,the000 40thdonation. Gala. TheI especially funds raised want towill thank allow our us anonymous to continue donor our mission who challenged of “Preserving us with the a matchPast toing Benefit $25,000 the donation.Future” into The 2021. funds I also raised want will to allow recognize us to the continue Polish ourRoman mission Catholic of “Preserving Union of America the Past for to their Benefit support the Future”of the PMA into for 2021. 85 years. I also wantTo all to our recognize donors theand Polish sponsors Roman throughout Catholic theUnion year, of Americathank you for for their your support faith in ofand the commitment PMA for 85 toyears. the PolishTo all our Museum donors of and America. sponsors BÓG throughout ZAPŁAĆ! the year, thank you for your faith in and commitment to the Polish Museum of America. BÓG ZAPŁAĆ! All of us at the Polish Museum of America hope that we will see you soon at the Museum. All of us at the Polish Museum of America hope that we will see you soon at the Museum. Richard Owsiany RichardPresident Owsiany President 5 “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Anonymous 2020 has proven to be a difficult, stressful, but special year for all of us. Amid the ongoing pandemic, the PMA team realized its strengths and rediscovered its professional passions. As the PMA celebrates 85 years of being part of this strong and generous community, and staying true to our mission of preserving the history of Poles and Polonia, we look back to our past to understand where we are today. Widać lepiej w oddaleniu – Everything looks clearer from a distance. Many items from the PMA archives, library, and museum collections were catalogued and many histories became clearer and well-rounded from a historical point of view. The PMA team worked tirelessly. During these hard times, we were able to help one another on a professional and personal level. An additional 22 paintings were conserved thanks to continued cooperation with Polonica – The National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad. Refreshed, they have returned to the PMA and await the safe return of guests to be viewed once again. Many of our volunteers and friends supported us with good words and cheer. Although apart, we stayed connected online. Past events, shared again on their anniversaries via social media platforms, gave a deeper understanding and proved to be very popular – some reaching thousands of views. Many appreciate art and culture even more when they are not able to engage with it in person. Thanks to a grant from Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the PMA was able to survive during summer. Among many other projects, a series of short films was created, focusing on the black pearls within the collections. I was proud of each presenter and the production crew, and appreciate that these films will now be a part of PMA history. It makes one realize that a virtual museum is a unique experience in its own right. As we all continue to adjust to the day to day changes of living during a pandemic, it is significant that there have been two constants for the PMA.