Category: Communities

Preparations under way for Polski Day celebration

Betty Kolenda and Cathy Kolenda Smith are preparing for the 30th annual Polski Day celebration May 3 in Kansas City, Kan. (File photo from Kathy Hanis)

by Kathy Hanis

Residents were busy preparing food today for the annual Polski Day celebration.

The 30th Annual Polski Day celebration will be held Saturday, May 3,  at All Saints Parish, at 8th and Vermont, in Kansas City, Kan.

An estimated 2,400 cabbage rolls were being prepared today for the annual event. The ingredient list included 200 pounds of cabbage, 360 pounds of ground beef, and 350 pounds of Polish sausage. The list of foods for the festival also includes 150 loaves of powitica, and 129 dozen Polish cookies.

The traditional Polski Day Parade begins at 11 a.m., at 12th and Central, and heads east on Central Avenue to 8th Street going up the wrong way on a one way street to Vermont and ends at the church. Enjoy Polish food, music, and entertainment beginning at 11 a.m. A special Polka mass will be held at 4 p.m. at All Saints Parish.

“Polski Day festivities include activities for babies to seniors, and 100 percent of the funds raised benefit All Saint’s Parish, formerly known as St. Joseph-St. Benedict’s 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 heritage of their forefathers’ homeland, in Wyandotte County.

Pope John Paul II, of Polish ancestry, considered by many world leaders as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century, will be canonized on April 27,  2014. He was beatified on May 1, 2011, 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 Wales, and KCK baseball player, Ray Sadecki, who was inducted into the Polish-American Hall of Fame.

Polski Day Festivities – 2014

11 a.m. – Polski Day Parade – Begins at 12th and Central, east to Vermont and south to church.

11 a.m. – 7 p.m.  Family festivities begin at St. Joseph’s Church Hall

11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – A Polish Dinner will be served in the Church Hall and will include: Golambki, (Cabbage Rolls), Pierogi, (Filled Dumplings), Kapusta, (Sauerkraut), Powitica, Kolacki, and everyone’s favorite, Kielbasa, (Polish Sausage and refreshments including Piwo). Polish artifacts will be on display in the Parish Hall and 30th Anniversary T-Shirts and Polish items for sale. Enjoy a strolling accordion serenade by Don Lipovac.

11 a.m. –7 p.m. – Entertainment

Children’s activities and food served on the Parish Grounds.

1 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Strolling with Don Lipovac in the Church Hall.

11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Ed Grisnik Polka Band (outside).

3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Sheelytown, from Omaha, Neb.

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

Kiwanis members plan to help Harvesters food bank

Kiwanis Club members from Kansas City, Kan., will join with other Kiwanis clubs to work together Saturday, April 5, at Harvesters Community Food Network, Kansas City, Mo.

In the annual One Day project, more than 40 Kiwanis volunteers will help sort and pack nonperishable food items to be provided to young people across the metropolitan area that are in need of food. Members also will bring food items to donate to Harvesters.

Besides the Kansas City, Kan., and the Kansas City West Kiwanis clubs, the clubs in Division 9 participating in this project include Gardner, Johnson County, Leawood, Lenexa, Olathe Sunrise, Old Mission, Ottawa, Overland Park, Shawnee and Wellsville.

Kimberley Holm, member of the Kiwanis Club of Kansas City, Kan., West, is the project coordinator for One Day in Division 9.

Project Safe Celebrate aims to keep youth safe during prom and graduation season

This graphic illustration will be used on social media and posted in schools as part of Project Safe Celebrate announced today by Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman. The project encourages youth to celebrate prom and graduation safely. The project received some design funding assistance for several promotional illustrations from the Kansas Department of Transportation, and the project is a joint effort of several agencies.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office is partnering with various organizations in Project Safe Celebrate.

This project is a joint effort to encourage high school students to celebrate safely during the prom and graduation season. Proms start this weekend at some Wyandotte County high schools.

Unfortunately, risky behavior has become an integral part of some teenagers’ prom and graduation celebrations, according to local officials.

Each spring District Attorney Jerome A. Gorman prosecutes teens who commit crimes such as: minor in possession of alcohol, driving under the influence, open container violations, and criminal damage to property.

“Even worse, we know that the use of alcohol heightens the chance of sexual assault.  In fact, approximately half of all sexual assaults involve alcohol consumption by the perpetrator, victim or both,” Gorman said.

“This is such an important season for our youth and we want them to know that we value them and we take these matters seriously,” Gorman said.  Gorman believes that educating and protecting the youth of Wyandotte County is a community effort. Here are just a few of the ways his office is uniting with other groups to reach as many people as they can, in as many different ways as they can:

– The District Attorney’s Office is increasing its presence on Facebook and Twitter and will link all high schools and partnering organizations together through #safecelebrate.

– The Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department will perform “saturation patrols” on the prom nights of all Wyandotte County high schools.  Representatives from the District Attorney’s Office will ride with officers to assist law enforcement with any needs that may arise, and to hold “tweet-alongs” under the Twitter handle @WYCODAoffice.

– The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools Police Department and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department are teaming up to identify and seek out parties where drugs and alcohol may be present.

– Liquor and cereal malt beverage retailers across Wyandotte County will be especially mindful of attempts to purchase alcohol by teens or by others on their behalf and will refuse to sell to these people.

– Hotel managers have been informed of the prom dates for Wyandotte County high schools and will report all unsupervised prom activities to the police.

– The Kansas Department of Transportation has funded the creation of several posters to be displayed in Wyandotte County high schools.

Gorman has designated Candace Golubski as project manager for Project Safe Celebrate, as this is a large undertaking.

“We have a number of organizations involved in the project.  A lot of work has gone into coordinating all of the events and activities associated with Project Safe Celebrate,” Golubski said. “Our hope is that next year and the years to come, the project will continue to expand, possibly even into the surrounding counties.  We’ve got big ideas, and the more support we have, the more we can do for the students.”

For more information regarding Project Safe Celebrate, visit: www.facebook.com/projectsafecelebrate.