May 2016 – Page 102 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

Preparations underway for 32nd annual Polski Day May 7 in KCK

Cathy Kolenda Smith and her sister, Molly Kolenda Blomberg, were making golambki (cabbage rolls) for Polski Day on Saturday, May 7. (Photo by Kathy Hanis)

by Kathy Hanis

Preparations are underway for the 32nd annual Polski Day celebration, to be Saturday, May 7, at All Saints Church, 8th and Vermont, Kansas City, Kan.

Ladies of the church have been working in advance to prepare 2,000 Polish tea cookies, and prepare other Polish food for the event.

The event kicks off with a parade at 11 am. May 7 at 14th and Central Avenue. The Polski Day festival is from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at All Saints parish, 8th and Vermont. A Mass will be held in conjunction with the festival at 4 p.m. May 7 at All Saints Church.

Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerry Gorman will lead the traditional parade. The parade route will travel east on Central Avenue to 8th Street, then go the wrong way on a one-way street to Vermont, ending at the church.

Music and entertainment will start at the festival around noon, and Polish food such as golambki, pierogi, Polish sausage, and powitica, will be available.

“Polski Day festivities include activities for babies to seniors, and 100 percent of the funds raised benefit All Saints Church, formerly known as St. Joseph-St. Benedict Church,” said Cathy Kolenda-Smith, Polski Day Committee member. “Polski Day has always been a day to celebrate our Polish heritage and support the Church.”

Polski Day, is held annually on the first week in May to commemorate the signing of the Polish Constitution of Freedom on May 3, 1791. Polish-Americans settled on Polish Hill, located north of Interstate 70 and west of 7th Street Trafficway, in Kansas City, Kan., where generations have carried on the proud heritage of their forefathers’ homeland, in Wyandotte County.

Famous Polish leaders have included Pope John Paul II, considered by many as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century, who was canonized on April 27, 2014, and through his endeavors strengthened Christianity throughout the world. Other Polish leaders include Casimir the Great, Copernicus, Chopin, Kosciuzsko, Madam Sklodowska-Curie, Marshal Jozef Pilsudski and Lech Walesa, and KCK baseball player, Ray Sadecki, who was inducted into the Polish-American Hall of Fame.

Saturday’s event will include Polish artifacts on display in the Parish Hall, and Polski Day T-shirts and items for sale. There will be a handmade Polish quilt crafted by a parishioner.

Inside:
11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Sheely Town
3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Jim Baric – accordionist
Outside:
11:30 – 7 p.m. – Ed Grisnik Polka band
3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Sheely Town

4 p.m. – Polka Mass – All Saints Parish, at 8th and Vermont, Kansas City, Kan.

Working in the kitchen recently to prepare golambki (cabbage rolls) for Polski day were, left to right, Becky Hartman, Donna Strick and Betty Kolenda. (Photo by Kathy Hanis)

Twenty volunteers gathered together to make 1,250 golambki on a recent weekend for the upcoming 32nd Annual Polski Day festivities, set for Saturday, May 7. Three hundred eighty pounds of ground beef and 200 pounds of cabbage go into making 2,700 cabbage rolls, or golambki, for Polski Day on Saturday, May 7. (Photos by Kathy Hanis)

Three hundred eighty pounds of ground beef and 200 pounds of cabbage go into making 2,700 cabbage rolls, or golambki, for Polski Day on Saturday, May 7. (Photos by Kathy Hanis)

Three hundred seventy-five pounds of Polish sausage, or kielbasa, are being prepared for Polski Day on Saturday, May 7. (Photo by Kathy Hanis)

Ethel Golubski prepared table decorations for the 32nd Annual Polski Day Celebration set for Saturday, May 7. (Photo by Kathy Hanis).

The Polski Day festival on May 7 is a benefit for All Saints Church at 8th and Vermont, Kansas City, Kan. (Photo by Kathy Hanis)

All Saints Church at 8th and Vermont in Kansas City, Kan., is the product of the mergers of St. Joseph, St. Benedict, Sts. Cyril and Methodiius, St. Thomas, St. Casimir, and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel churches in Kansas City, Kan. (Photo by Kathy Hanis)

Piper results

Piper High School – forensics at Washburn (state)
– State championship results:
o Emmett Lockridge placed 3rd in Poetry Interpretation
o Kara Evans placed 5th in Serious Solo Acting
o Corey Mann placed 8th in Original Oration
o Jalen Zwart placed 10th in Poetry Interpretation
o David Win placed 12th in Poetry Interpretation
– State festival results:
o Receiving a I Ranking:
 Audrey Wenzl in Poetry and Serious Solo Acting
 Alexander Falk in Informative Speaking
 Jana Zeeb in Poetry
 Maggie Wolf in Humorous Solo Acting
 Mary Winzer in Poetry
 Keelon Vann in Prose
 Anne Schneider in Humorous Solo Acting
o Receiving a II Ranking:
 Keelon Vann in Poetry
 Kristen Warner in Prose
 Jessica Baumli in Poetry and Prose
 Tyler Ratterman in Humorous Solo Acting

Piper High School – soccer at Hayden
– Varsity lost 0-4
Piper High School – baseball vs. Turner
– Varsity split: lost game 1, 1-11 and won game 2, 6-4
– JV swept: 12-1 & 8-3
Piper High School – softball vs. Turner
– Varsity swept: 8-0 and 18-0
o Henry winning pitcher game 1 and Stack winning pitcher game 2
– JV swept: 20-3 and 17-2
Piper High School – track at DeSoto
– 1st Place
o Emmett Lockridge – Triple Jump
o Micaiah Noel – Shot Put
o Antanique Thomas – Discus
o Jessica Wayne – 800m run – new school record
o Christine Ibeagi – 100 M Hurdles
o 4×100 Relay – Malori Price, Alex Moran, Talia Simmons, Jessica Wayne
– 2nd Place
o Dalton White – 110 M Hurdles
o Malori Price – Triple Jump
o Alex Moran – 200 M Dash
– 3rd Place
o JJ Letcher – 200 M Dash
o 4×400 Relay – Josh Brown, Verlin Judie, Dalton White, Brendan Smith
o Alex Moran – 100 M Dash
o 4×400 Relay – Alex Moran, Talia Simmons, Ma’Rai McCallop, Jessica Wayne

– From Doug Key, Piper High School activities director

NASCAR night racing planned this weekend in KCK

Eddie Money scheduled to perform in May 7 concert

Night races will take place Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.

Singer and songwriter Eddie Money will give the pre-race concert about 5 p.m. May 7, before the Go Bowling 400 event.

Money is famous for the 1970s hits, “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets to Paradise.” In the 1980s, his hits included “Think I’m in Love” and “Shakin’.” In the mid-1980s, his hits, “Take Me Home Tonight” and “I Wanna Go Back” reached the top 10. Another hit was “Walk on Water” in 1988. In 1992, his song, “I’ll Get By,” was in the top 40.

Schedule of events:

May 6 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (Toyota Tundra 250 – 7:30 p.m., FOX Sports 1 and MRN)
• 9 a.m. – Parking lots open
• 10 a.m. – Grandstand gates open
• 10:30 a.m. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice
• 12:30 p.m. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice
• 3:30 p.m. – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying
• 5:45 p.m. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying
• 7 p.m. – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver introductions
o National Anthem: Samantha Dawn
o Invocation: R.D. Fowler, Kansas City Raceway Ministries
o Color Guard: Lee’s Summit, Mo. High School
• Green flag scheduled for 7:49 p.m.

May 7 – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (Go Bowling 400 – 6:30 p.m., FOX Sports 1 and MRN)
• Noon – Parking lots open
• 3 p.m. – Grandstand gates open/Gates open for Pre-Race Pass access
• 5 p.m. (approx.) – Eddie Money pre-race concert
• 6 p.m. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver introductions
o National Anthem: Mary Ann Hotaling
o Invocation: Mike Thompson, Ret. Army Chaplain
o Color Guard: Lee’s Summit, Mo. High School
• Green flag scheduled for 6:47 p.m.

For ticket information, call 866-460-RACE or visit www.kansasspeedway.com. The Kansas Speedway Ticket Office is at 400 Speedway Blvd and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and also is open on the day of the race at 9 a.m. May 6 and at noon May 7.