Polish American Congress-MI

Meets with Michigan National Guard Soldiers

On September 8, 2020 a 15-member team from PAC-MI presented an orientation program to 69 Michigan National Guard soldiers, whose unit is being deployed to serve 10 months with NATO security forces in Poland. Upon receiving the invitation this summer from the unit’s commander, Captain Robert McNamara, our Division went to work to prepare a day of informational presentations about Poland- tourist, cultural, historical, language, music, social, and political- to help better prepare them for this experience abroad. Most of the soldiers had not travelled beyond Michigan before.  Each one received an informational folder covering many of the topics presented, as well as a bag of interesting reading about Poland and all things Polish, with pamphlets, brochures, and colorful reference materials.

The wide-ranging program included expert speakers with power point presentations, videos, audience participation, music, and sharing of personal experiences.  Among some of our presenters were: WSU Polish Studies professor, Dr. Alina Klin, who travels regularly to Poland with her students; the Honorary Consul for Poland, Richard Walawender; Stella Szczesny, from PNA and our Division’s National Director, who gave an interesting comparison from her visits to Poland of life under Communist times to changes and vast improvements in Poland today; Teresa Wiacek, of the Polish Scouting Organization, who prepared an interesting array of representative Polish music; and  (Retired) Col. Chester Szczotka who shared his life journey from a pre-war childhood in Poland, to surviving the Gulag in Soviet Russia, followed by growing up in Uganda, England, immigrating to Texas and Michigan, completing university studies and serving in the US Army Reserves, achieving the rank of colonel. We even had a member of the Polish Winged Hussars Re-Enactment Group visit in impressive full gear, sharing the strategies and significant contributions of these bold warriors to Polish history.

The soldiers were able to view interesting and informative displays about Polish culture and history prepared by our Executive VP, Barbara Lemecha. Together with the presentations, they were able to learn, probably for the first time, about Poland’s past and present, and what has influenced and shaped the country and the nation’s character.

The day was highlighted with a delicious luncheon featuring Polish style cuisine from Polish Village Café in Hamtramck and freshly baked pączki for dessert donated by Bożek Market. The afternoon’s program featured a motivational speech by (Ret.) Colonel Andrew Raczkowski, who impressed on the soldiers the importance of the mission for which they were being sent.

Our Division is especially grateful to all who participated, presented, donated, and lent helping hands to realize this unique project and opportunity. PAC-MI received a commemorative recognition plaque from the Michigan National Guard in appreciation of our efforts.

Did you know?   

Every Saturday morning, between (9:15 and 9:30 am) you can listen to our weekly PAC-MI broadcast to Polonia on Polish Varieties Radio Program- in Polish- on WNZK  690 AM in the greater Detroit area, or listen live on the Internet- search under Birach Broadcasting   (WNZK 690 AM)         Zapraszamy!

 

The Honorable Robert Menendez
The Honorable James E. Risch
The Honorable Richard Durbin
United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations,
c/o Mr. Damian Murphy, Senior Professional Staff Member Washington, D.C. 20510

Re: Presidents of State Divisions of the Polish American Congress call for amendment of S. Res. 566

We, Presidents of State Divisions of the Polish American Congress, welcome and applaud the idea of a resolution commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Katyn Massacre, introduced to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by Senators Menendez, Risch, and Durbin on May 7th, 2020, now known as S. Res. 566. We appreciate the effort in bringing attention to the crimes that were committed. This communication is intended to improve and enhance the resolution by an amendment which would also reflect the moral outrage that the Polish American community ascribes to this massacre. It should, furthermore, do justice to victims of the massacre by calling it a genocide.

First, we would like to bring to your attention the wording in the proposed Resolution. It minimizes the gravity and implies a change in the character of the Katyn crime, which we believe needs correction:

“Whereas the Katyn Massacre fits into a larger pattern of Communist governments around the world persecuting their citizens and denying their people freedom, which has resulted in the deaths of up to 100,000,000 people since the Russian Revolution of 1917.” See: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116thcongress/senate-resolution/566/text .

The Polish officers held as Prisoners-of-War by the Soviet Union were not murdered because “the Communist governments […] persecuted their citizens.” The Katyn victims, as citizens of the Polish nation, were brutally murdered because they valiantly defended their homeland, as Poles, against the Soviet aggression of September 17, 1939. They were not Soviet citizens and the Soviet Union was not their government. They were Soviet Prisoners-of-War, soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces that constituted a part of the Allied Coalition during WWII. They were murdered because they defended their homeland against the Soviet aggression, and remained loyal to Poland to the end.

The Katyn victims do not fit “a larger pattern of Communist government persecuting their citizens and denying their people freedom.” Instead, they fit a larger pattern of similar conduct by Stalinist Russia aimed at destroying the Polish people because of their nationality. This is evidenced by the “Polish Operation” of 1937, Katyn Operation of 1940, and innumerable mass executions and deportations to Siberia with intent of extermination. All those operations were aimed at annihilating the Polish national group as such. The Katyn victims were murdered not because they wanted to overthrow the Soviet government or demanded more freedoms in the Soviet Union, but because they belonged to the Polish national group that the Soviet Union intended to annihilate.

May 18th, 2020

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The current wording in the Resolution implies that the Katyn atrocity was perpetrated for political reasons. Hence, the Katyn crime would not meet the standard of genocide because it was not aimed at any protected national group but merely at political opposition. Such language, contrary to facts, is reminiscent of Russian anti-Katyn policy. The Katyn Execution Order of March 5th, 1940 of the Soviet Politburo states that the officers held as prisoners of war selected for execution are “Polish by nationality.” Accordingly, the Katyn Execution Order itself reveals that it is aimed at the Polish national group. According to the UN Genocide Convention, even if the motives for the atrocity are mixed, the coexistence of motives is no defense if the genocidal motive is present.

It is particularly unfortunate that S.R. 566 is submitted now, at exactly the time when in Tver, Russia – the place where thousands more Polish POWs were executed pursuant to the “Katyn Execution Order” — commemorative plaques for this genocidal act were recently removed.

We certainly do not want, or can agree, to any wording that may imply Soviet historical revisionism, or Putin’s continued attempts at denying, concealing, and distorting the truth about Katyn and the Soviet genocide of the Polish people. The Congress of the United States, the leader of the Free World, must not contribute to such efforts.

In considering this amendment, we urge you, our US Senators, to reflect on the following statement made by Hon. Dennis Kucinich in 2011 (“Kucinich Clause”):

Whereas, Katyn was aimed at eliminating the very idea of Poland, to exterminate the people and the memory of the people. Katyn presents a moral crisis to this day because the moral calculus with respect to Katyn has not been worked out. Katyn represents a marker in human history that has not yet been fully inscribed;

Based on the information noted and the above reasoning, we strongly urge you to consider and include the following statement within the Senate Resolution:

We recognize that the systematic mass murders of the Polish people, conducted pursuant to the order of March 5th, 1940 issued by the Soviet Politburo, raises to the level of the crime of genocide.

The essence of this amendment is to better reflect, on the one hand, the tremendous outrage of the Polish people, including those in the Polish-American community, and at the same time a moral indignation that the Senate itself may express about the Katyn Massacre, by exacting a price on the part of the country which committed these crimes, and to fore-stall Russia’s efforts at historical revisionism. Therefore, we encourage adoption of the amendment.

Respectfully yours,

Ann Bankowski, President
Polish American Congress- Michigan, Inc.

Jerzy Bogdziewicz, President PAC Florida Division, Inc.

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Richard Brzozowski, President
Polish American Congress Long Island Division New York, Inc.

Andrzej Burghardt, President PAC New Jersey Division, Inc.

Wiesław Gołębiewski, President PAC Florida Western Division, Inc.

Edward Jeśman, President
Polish American Congress of Southern California, Inc.

James L. Ławicki II, President
Polish American Congress Western New York Division Inc

Andrzej Prokopczuk, President
Polish American Congress, Northern California Division, Inc.

Bozena Urbankowska, President
PAC New Jersey Northern Division, Inc.

Marek Waniołka, President PAC Missouri Division, Inc.

Wiesław Wierzbowski, President
PAC Massachusetts Eastern Division, Inc.

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SENATE RESOLUTION 566_pdf

Dear Friends of Polonia!

I hope this message finds you and your family in good health. I am writing to update Michigan’s Polonia of some useful information in these challenging times.

As promised, I am providing some information for our Polish and Polish-American businesses, in order to spread the word how they should take advantage of the huge amounts of money that our federal government and state and local governments have made available to businesses and to pay their employees during this time.

Please excuse the fact that I am including certain information I authored from my law firm, but I am providing this to Polonia as a free of charge resource to make sure we take advantage of what is available to us. I am happy to answer any questions from any Polish or Polish-American business free of charge, to assist in applying for money (but don’t tell my other clients).

1. Federal Government Financial Assistance. The U.S. Congress passed, and the President signed, the “CARES Act”. This provides two, very substantial financial aid programs to small business (under 500 employees). One program provides money that does not even have to repaid under certain conditions for businesses to pay their workers, rent, mortgage, utilities and debt interest. The other program offers very low interest rate long-term loans for businesses to pay working capital. Again, this is almost like getting free money to pay 2 months’ worth of a company’s operating expenses. Importantly, it is also available to sole proprietors, independent contractors, startups and very small businesses.  Polonia needs to take advantage of this!  Attached is memo in Polish and English that explains the two programs and how to apply.  Applications can be done online and through participating lenders and banks.
2. State and Local Financial Assistance.  There are also smaller programs available through the State of Michigan (MEDC) and certain counties (e.g., Macomb and Oakland). The details of these programs are available on the website listed below.
3. Website of Polonia Angels for Further Information.  Several of us have been in the process of launching an investor group to support Polonia businesses by providing investment funds. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 outbreak has forced us to pause this initiative, but in the meantime, we are building up a financial resource center for Polonia to understand the financial help they can apply for and receive. Please refer to: https://www.poloniaangels.com/small-business-relief-program-resourcesThis website will be updated on a regular basis.

Finally, let me also remind you of the items I previously wrote to you about, and make another special request that you feel free to bring to my attention any Polish citizens who may need special attention or assistance in these times:

1. U.S. Census Update. While the deadline to complete the 2020 U.S. Census questionnaire has been extended somewhat, please encourage your friends to complete online now. Instructions are set forth below (in Polish and English). See below for more details.
2. Polish Citizens Returning to Poland.  Polish citizens in Michigan seeking to return to Poland, can find details about the Polish Government’s program through Polish LOT Airlines to take them back. Details and arrangements can be found and made online at this website: Link to LotDoDomu
3. Polish Citizens Wishing to Prolong their Stay in US. This website has details: link to website
4. Polish Citizens Needing Urgent Assistance. We will be working with our Polonian organizations and churches to coordinate assistance programs to our elderly and most vulnerable. In the meantime, if you are aware of any elderly Polish citizens who have nobody to care for them, or become hospitalized, please let me know.

Remain safe and know that our prayers are with you all,

____________________________________________________________

Richard A. Walawender

Honorary Consul

Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Detroit
150 West Jefferson, Suite 2500
Detroit, Michigan 48226 (USA)

T +1.313.496.7600

_____________________________________________________________

This electronic message and all of its contents and attachments contain information from the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Detroit. which may be privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure.  The information is intended to be for the addressee only.  If you are not the addressee, then any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this message, or its contents or any of its attachments, is prohibited.  If you have received this electronic message in error, please notify us immediately and destroy the original message and all copies.  To unsubsribe to emails, please reply with the message “unsubscribe”.

———————————————————

U.S. CENSUS INFORMATION

Not much time remaining to complete and submit U.S. 2020 Census Questionnaire Online. Each home should have received an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census and to complete the 2020 Census questionnaire online, at https://2020census.gov/ and in Polish at https://2020census.gov/pl.html  Assistance is available in Polish or English by calling 1-844-479-2020. In completing the Census 2020 Questionnaire, remember to include your Polish ethnic origin.

Weź udział w Spisie Ludności online! Nie zostało dużo czasu! Kwestionariusz w wersji online jest już dostępny na stronie internetowej https://2020census.gov/pl.html  W celu uzyskania pomocy dotyczącej Spisu Ludności 2020 lub wypełnienia go telefonicznie zadzwoń pod numer 844-479-2020. Połączenia odbierane są także w języku polskim! Wypełniając kwestionariusz Census 2020, pamiętaj, żeby w odpowiedzi na pytanie numer 9 wpisać: POLISH. 

PAC-MI Scholarships Application 2020-2021

POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS OF MICHIGAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND, INC.

11333 Jos. Campau                                  Hamtramck, Michigan 48212-3038                    (313) 365-9400

APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS

 

GRANTS AVAILABLE (2020-2021)

MICHAEL & HELEN BEDNARCZYK GRANT

Available for Business Administration, Finance or Accounting areas of study.

 

CZECHOWSKI GRANT

Available for any major area of study.

 

FRANK & SOPHIA FILIPEK GRANT

No specific major area of study or criteria has been established with the donor.

 

JOZEF & REGINA MARCINIEC GRANT

Available for any major area of study, however, candidate must be proficient in the Polish language and actively participating in Polonia.

 

DANA WITKOWSKI GRANT

No specific major area of study or criteria has been established with the donor.

 

JOHN AND VICTORIA  KUSHEL GRANT

Available for a major study in the Nursing profession.

 

1. STANLEY A. OZOG GRANT

Available for a major study in Osteopathic Medicine, pre-Medicine or the Nursing profession.

 

EUGENE KRESKA GRANT

Available for a major study in the Engineering profession.

 

WALLACE AND JOANN OZOG GRANT

Available for a major study in the Religious Formation profession.

 

POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS OF MICHIGAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND ACCOUNT

Grants are established by the Board of Directors as funds are available.

 

CRITERIA USED IN EVALUATING CANDIDATES

1. Scholastic Average
2. Polonian Involvement-include the last two years
3. Community Service-include the last two years
4. Financial Need of Student
5. Thank you letter & Acceptance of Award

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• College freshman are not eligible for scholarship. Available for only full time students
• All applicants must be residents of Michigan.
• Application must be completed in its entirety.
• Verification of current grade point average must be attached.
• Verification of Polonian involvement must be included.
• Verification of community service must be included.
• Verification of financial need must be included.

SCHOLARSHIPS ARE FOR TUITION AND BOOKS ONLY

Checks will be made out to the College or University.

Completed applications become the property of the Polish American Congress of Michigan Scholarship Fund. All information submitted on the application is considered confidential and will not be duplicated and only be discussed by the Scholarship’s designated judges and officers.

Your completed application is due NO LATER THAN APRIL 1 OF EACH YEAR

 

Completed application must be mailed or delivered to:

Polish American Congress of Michigan Scholarship Fund, Inc.

11333 Jos.Campau

Hamtramck, Michigan 48212-3038

 

A 501(c)3 Organization under the Internal Revenue Service

 

 

 

POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS OF MICHIGAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND, INC.

11333 Jos. Campau                                  Hamtramck, Michigan 48212-3038                    (313) 365-9400

 

APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS

NAME: _______________________________________________________________________

 

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________________

 

CITY: ________________________  ZIP: ___________   PHONE: (_____)________________

 

COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY YOU WILL BE ATTENDING IN THE SCHOOL YEAR

 

____________________________________________    Location: ________________________

 

AREA OF STUDY: _____________________________________________________________

 

How will this scholarship grant help you in pursuit of your degree?

 

 

 

 

In the last two years, which Polonian organization(s) have benefited from your membership?      How?

 

 

 

 

In the last two years, which organized volunteer, community or other group(s) benefited from your service?  How?

 

 

 

 

Any additional information, which may be helpful in reviewing this application, may be added on the back on this sheet.  For example: Involvement with the Polish American of Michigan Scholarship Fund, Inc. or the Michigan Division of the Polish American Congress.

                                                                                                                                

Your “Application Check List” must be included with your application. Attach all necessary information needed to evaluate your request for a Scholarship Grant.

 

 

Applicant’s Signature: __________________________________________________________Date:_____________

 

A 501(c)3 Organization under the Internal Revenue Service

 

 

 

 

APPLICATION CHECK LIST:

 

In order to receive consideration for a PAC of Michigan Scholarship Grant, the following must be sent:

 

 

_____  1. Completed Application.

 

 

_____  2. Verification of acceptance or attending College / University (ex. letter of acceptance,

transcripts, etc.)

 

 

_____  3. Verification of scholastic average (ex. test scores, transcripts, report card, etc.)

 

 

______ 4. Verification of financial need (ex. completed financial aid form– FAFSA), federal income tax

return form(s), other scholarships, 1098-T Form, etc.)

 

 

______ 5. A letter of recommendation from an officer of at least one Polonian organization.

 

 

_____  6. A letter of recommendation from an officer of at least one volunteer or community

organization.

 

 

_____  7. If you are applying for the Jozef & Regina Marciniec Grant, verify your degree of

Polish proficiency.

 

 

______ 8. Acceptance & Appreciation of the award letter within six months of the notification

of the award and addressed to the Polish American Congress of Michigan Scholarship Fund,

Inc.