July 13-16, 2017

Cheektowaga

39th Annual CheektowagaPOLISH AMERICAN ARTS FESTIVAL

sponsored byThe Town of Cheektowaga and

the Cheektowaga Chamber of CommercePolish Americans have been part of the history of Cheektowaga for about a century. We know

that because 93 years ago the Town Board decided to publish legal notices in Polish and Englishand designated Dziennik dla Wszystkich, the Polish Everybody’s Daily, as the official Polish languagepublication of the town. A 1924 snippet in the Cheektowaga Sesquicentennial book states: “Thedecision recognizes the fact that a large majority of the town is of the Polish nationality, and representsa true service to the people of the town.”

Today, in recognition of the Polish-American population in Cheektowaga and surroundingcommunities, the Town of Cheektowaga and the Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce are sponsoringthe 39th annual Cheektowaga Polish American Arts Festival from July 13 to 16. For nearly fourdecades, the event has been a summertime “must-do” for many Western New Yorkers regardless ofnationality. This year is no different as great music, food, drink and cultural activities are plannedfor the four-day festival. The Polish-American Festival kicks off with the Cheektowaga Symphony Orchestra underguest conductor Dr. Daniel Bassin and including a pre-concert and intermission performance by theHarmony Polish Folk Ensemble on Thursday, July 13 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the CheektowagaTown Park Amphitheater. The musical entertainment for the four days includes these local and national polka favorites:New Direction, Special Delivery, The Buffalo Touch, Rare Vintage, Lenny Gomulka & ChicagoPush Orchestra, The Boys, and The Beat. And, if you’re in the mood for Polish folk dancing, onSunday, the Polish Heritage Dancers of WNY, will perform from 4 to 5 p.m. Of special note are plans for an official opening of the Trail of Hope Exhibit – a tribute toGeneral Wladyslaw Anders' army. His daughter, the Secretary of State of the Republic of PolandAnna Maria Anders will be on hand for the event on Saturday, July 15 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.according to organizer Joseph Rej. Anna Maria Anders will also be a Special Honorary Grand Marshal for the PULASKI PARADEon Sunday on Harlem Road from Walden Ave. to Town Park beginning at 1:30 p.m.. The ConsulGeneral of the Republic of Poland in New York, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Polandin Las Vegas, and President of the Kosciuszko Foundation are also expected to be in attendancewas well as a return visit from actress Loretta Swit, a star of the TV series M*A*S*H. For youngsters, new to the festival this year, will be a Kidz Zone located just outside the fencenear the Amphitheatre by Shelters 1 & 2 in the park (Saturday, 2 - 4 p.m. and Sunday , 2 - 5 p.m ).Kristina Groff, executive director of the Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce says there will be abounce house, an inflatable slide, Pierogi Pond with prizes, photo booth/selfie station, yard gameslike Kan-Jam and ladder golf, and more. Want to investigate the family tree? A festival favorite, the Polish Genealogical Society of NYState will be present Friday, Saturday and Sunday. At its table society members will offer genealogyresearch assistance, surname origin and derivation, Dziennik dla Wszystkich newspaper death noticesearch, and opportunity to view the society’s local combined databases. When you’ve worked up an appetite be sure to stop by food vendors Polish Villa II and PottsDeli and Grille. The Cheektowaga YES Program will again be selling concessions including itsPolish Pierogi Pizza. Thirsty? Goff reports a Polish Beer Tasting will take place Thursday from 5 - 7 p.m. The beertent will be open for those two hours and a tasting stand will be set up under the tent. People will beable to pay $10 for a tasting of 5-6 different Polish beers – some of which will also be available forpurchase in the beer tent throughout the festival weekend. That will be followed up on Friday by the fast growing Pol-Am social event Polish HappyHour Buffalo. It will run from 5 to 11 p.m. Looking for a Polish gift? Amber Gems and More will be one of the vendors, returning thisyear with a new stock of amber jewelry, pierogi earrings, t-shirts and sweatshirts, glassware andmore. For Festival updates the Town website is at www.tocny.org .

www.tocny.org

Thursday, July 13, 20175:00-7:00 PM New Direction Band and Polish Beer Tasting7:00 PM Cheektowaga Community Symphony Orchestra

Friday, July 14, 20174:30-6:00 PM Special Delivery5:00-10:00 PM Polish Happy Hour under the Beer Tent6:00-7:30 PM The Buffalo Touch7:30-8:45 PM Special Delivery8:45-10:00 PM The Buffalo Touch

Saturday, July 15, 20172:00-4:00 PM My Little Pierogi Kidz Zone2:00-4:00 PM Rare Vintage4:45 PM Polish Mass

Reverend Louis S. Klein, Queen of Martyrs RC ChurchDeacon Robert Badaszewski, Roman Catholic Diocese of BuffaloVilla Maria Chorale Choir

5:30-7:00 PM Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push Orchestra7:00-8:30 PM The Boys8:30-9:45 PM Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push Orchestra9:45-11:00 PM The Boys

Sunday, July 16, 20171:30 PM 2:00-5:00 PM My Little Pierogi Kidz Zone3:00-4:00 PM Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push Orchestra4:00-5:00 PM Polish Heritage Dancers5:00-6:30 PM The Beat6:30-8:00 PM Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push Orchestra8:00-9:00 PM The Beat

Updates to all Town events can be found on the Town website at www.tocny.org,like the Town of Cheektowaga on Facebook or follow @CheektowagaInfo on Twitterfor Town news and announcements.

GETTING IT STARTED! The Cheektowaga Community Symphony Orchestrawill start the 39th annual Cheektowaga Polish American Arts Festival with aperformance on Thursday evening, July 13, 2017

The Jackie Schmid MemorialScholarship Selection

Committee presented six highschool seniors with scholarshipsat an awards ceremony on June14, 2017 at the Julia BoyerReinstein Library inCheektowaga. The studentswere joined by their familiesand members of the JackieSchmid Memorial ScholarshipCommittee.

The scholarship fund wasinstituted in the summer of 2013to celebrate the life and spirit ofCheektowaga community leaderJackie Schmid. She was the leadorganizer of some ofCheektowaga’s most importantcommunity events, includingthe General Pulaski Parade, theIndependence Day Parade andthe Polish American ArtsFestival. Her influence as a civicand political leader was widelyrecognized in the town andthroughout the region.

“These students willrepresent Cheektowaga proudlyand go on to do great things incollege and beyond. They arehard-working, driven andbright, which came through intheir applications,” saidscholarship committee presidentBarbara Falcone.

Six students who reside inCheektowaga were awardedscholarships of $1,500 each.

THE POLISH HERITAGEDANCERS OF WNY,"Ambassadors of WNY'sPolonia," performing Sunday,July 16 from 4 to 5 p.m. Thegroup recently received theBronislaw Durewicz Awardfrom the Polish AmericanCongress, WNY Division, andis preparing to mark its 20thanniversary with a gala plannedfor Saturday, Oct. 14. There willbe a 4 p.m. Mass at Holy Motherof the Rosary Cathedral inLancaster followed by a banquetat Kloc’s Banquet Facility inWest Seneca. For details visitwww.facebook.com/phdofwny

This is the 5th year the fundoffered $9000 in scholarships.It plans to continue awardingscholarships with the backingof the Polish community in theTown of Cheektowaga.

The 2017 winners are:• Eric Bartnik, Cheektowa-

ga Central, University of Buf-falo.

• Julie Karpinski, ClevelandHill, Daemen College.

• George Pollinger, Jr., De-pew, Mercyhurst University.

• Kelly Glowny, J.F. Ken-nedy, Buffalo State.

• Joelah George, Maryvale,Gannon University.

• Carl J. Luksch, St. Francis,Temple University.

Donations are welcome andmay be sent to: Jackie SchmidScholarship Fund, PO Box 143,Depew, NY. Contributions aretax deductible.

The scholarship next fund-raiser will take place at PottsBanquet Center on Sept. 30,2017, with music by Phocusand light food. For tickets, call668-2154.

More information about theevent and the Jackie SchmidMemorial Scholarship is avail-able at www.facebook.com/jackieschmidscholarship .

Scholarships continueSchmid legacy

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WNY Poloniaextends a warmWELCOME to

Secretary of State ofthe Republic of PolandAnna Maria Anders

Consul General ofthe Republic of Poland

in New YorkMaciej Golubiewski

Honorary Consul ofthe Republic of Poland

in Las VegasJohn Petkus

and

President of theKosciuszko FoundationMarek Skulimowski