A special appeal to Polonia – “Invest in the Future” Make a Difference Scholarship Appeal – was recently made by the PAC-MI Scholarship Fund. A letter asking for monetary support of the Scholarship Fund was recently sent out to all PAC-MI members and friends.
“The Polish American Congress of Michigan Scholarship Fund, Inc. has limited income to use for this year’s Scholarship Recipients. Since our major fundraiser to be held in August, at the Krakus Restaurant will not be sufficient to award each recipient at least $1,000.00 in scholarships, we now need additional funds,” reads the letter.
“The Scholarship Fund has initiated an ‘Invest in the Future’ Make a Difference Scholarship Appeal. We are requesting contributions from you or your organization or from your family estates. Donations of amount will be greatly appreciated. Those who give $100 or more will have their name placed on a Donor Board that will be on display at the PAC office in Hamtramck and at the Scholarship Dinner.”
PLEASE, SUPPORT THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND!
Tax deductible donations can be sent to:
PAC MICHIGAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND
11333 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck, MI 48212

Checks are to be made payable to: PAC of Michigan Scholarship Fund, Inc.
Deadline for this appeal is July 15

The Polish American Congress Michigan Division was present at the 9th annual Polish Folk Dance Festival on Saturday, February 6, organized by the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, MI.
As one of the sponsors of the event, we prepared a table with information about our activities. Guests of the festival had a chance to visit our stand and pick up a membership application, scholarship application and other brochures produced especially for this occasion.
“1050 Years of Poland’s Christianity” was one of them. This pamphlet informs about the important anniversary of the founding of the Polish state. On April 14, 966, after his marriage to the Christian Dobrawa of Bohemia, pagan ruler of the Poland Mieszko I was baptized and converted to Christianity. The event is considered to be the founding of the Polish state and the entry of Poland into the community of western European Latin rite Christian states.
Other interesting pamphlets available for guests of the festival included a list with names and short descriptions of some of the well-known public figures that have Polish roots, including Jon Bon Jovi, Mike Krzyzewski, Keith Urban and Pat Sajak.
PAC-MI officers were present to welcome guests at our booth, including Ann Bankowski, Barbara Lemecha and Barbara Gronet. Also, thank you to volunteers who helped throughout the afternoon.

  In the cynical age in which we live, accounts of altruistic behavior by individuals who risked their lives for others during World War II should be especially welcome to readers. In wartime Poland, unlike in other German-occupied countries, gentiles who extended any form of assistance to Jews risked execution by Nazis. Despite cultural, religious, and linguistic differences between Polish Jews and Polish Christians, most Poles were sympathetic to the plight of the Jewish people.  Hundreds of thousands of Poles sheltered, fed, clothed, provided forged documents, and looked after the medical needs of Jews on a regular basis.  There were additionally hundreds of thousands of Poles whose assistance, though occasional and indirect, was no less dangerous. Poles who risked their lives by aiding Jews acted on values they had learned from their parents.  Often these virtues – compensation, empathy and generosity – were rooted in religious faith.  Moreover, many Poles, including those who had prewar anti-Semitic views, responded positively to the Jews as an expression of resistance against the hated Germans, who terrorized and killed Polish citizens longer than any other people in Europe. “Those Who Risked Their Lives” compiled, edited and annotated by Anna Poray, offers us a glimpse of some of the thousands of Poles who rescued Jews.  Several years ago, Rabbi Harold Schulweis observed that we needed to know the heroes and heroines, those exemplars of good, who helped Jews during the Holocaust.  “Those Who Risked Their Lives” records the name and experiences of many of these remarkable individuals. This important book is available for purchase at the Polish American Congress Michigan Division office.  Consider buying the book for your local library and school.

Polish American Congress Michigan Division Scholarship Committee presented the 2015 Scholarship Recipients during the Luncheon/Fundraiser on Wednesday, August 5, at Krakus Restaurant in Detroit. The PAC-MI 2015 Scholarship Recipients are: Filip Buniewicz (attending University of Michigan; majoring in Civil Engineering), Beata Sas (attending Wayne State University; majoring in Psychology), Andrew Pietrzak (attending University of Michigan; majoring in Accounting), Ewa Bieciuk (attending Wayne State University; majoring in Early Childhood Development), David Cooper (attending Schoolcraft College; majoring in Culinary Arts), Michael Chrusciel (attending Wayne State University, majoring in medical field). The Scholarship Committee conducted a new fundraising campaign this year. Named “Invest in the Future,” the mailing campaign met with a good response from the community. Almost 50 people responded with monetary contributions. The most generous contribution came, as in previous years, from Mr. Ray Okonski, who is instrumental in promoting and sponsoring many scholarship programs of local Polish-American organizations. His contribution allowed the PAC-MI Scholarship Committee to award this year’s recipients with $2,000 scholarship each.

Pictured (l. to r.): David Cooper, Andrew Pietrzak, Beata Sas and Filip Buniewicz.