FEBRUARY 2007
*President’s Corner*
Dear Members and Friends,
We have a very busy February scheduled for you folks. It starts February 4th with Super Bowl Sunday and every Sunday thereafter, to our last event ending on February 25th.
One thing that’s going to be different though – there will be no Membership Meeting this month. We are experimenting with having Membership Meetings every two months, but the Elected Officers will meet monthly as usual.
You will continue to receive the Pulaski Club Newsletter each month, and your officers will submit their reports, as they have done in the past.
The transition of several new officers on the Executive Board went rather smoothly in January. Halina Kosinski, the new 2nd VP, is getting her food handling license and her food manager’s credentials in order, as I write this.
Chez Falkowski, the 1st VP, has some new ideas for recruitment of new members. Cindy Lofgreen, our new Recording Secretary, is getting to know the names of all the board members so that she can keep an accurate record of all the meetings.
Paul Chojnacki is taking the reigns as the new Sergeant- at-Arms. Stella Wojski is learning the difficult job of Financial Secretary. She will be keeping an accurate account of all the memberships as well as our newsletter advertising records and also the very important job of keeping track of all our income and bank deposits.
Mary Kiselus remains as our Treasurer and is doing a great job of keeping our finances in order.
Frank Kanios and Frank Tomaszkowicz have joined David Bonczkiewicz, Bruno Klus, and Tom O’Loughlin on the Board of Directors.
Shane Prosser and Bob Keith are joining Henrietta Nemecek on the Board of Trustees.
The Membership has approved an annual budget of $1,000.00 for promoting our club and our events in various media. We have gotten started with a banner ad on the www.AZPolonia.com website and will place various ads in local and neighborhood publications throughout the year.
Carol Ann and Norm Fritchie agreed to continue with editing and publishing our newsletter, for which we are all grateful to them.
Paul Chojnacki will continue with the Publicity Committee, and Shirley Sztuk will continue with the Sunshine Committee. THANK YOU BOTH!
We are looking forward to a good year and please, remember one thing folks; we are doing all of this for you – our members and our friends.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of work to keep our club going. Your elected officers and committee volunteers are trying to do the best that we can. So once in a while, just show your appreciation to those who work so hard on your behalf. I know that they will all appreciate it.
Please come out and enjoy the fruits of our labor – our beautiful clubhouse, our dances, and our functions. Thank You.
Your President, Casimir Kosinski
Messages from the Board Members
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT - Chez Falkowski:
During the New Year’s Party at the Pulaski Club, I had a very interesting conversation with a Gentleman who visited Poland 15 years ago. He was interested in how things are in Poland today. Well, they are changing rather quickly. For example, in a few years Poland will accept the Euro dollars as its currency. So if you happen to have Polish coins, keep them - soon they will be antiques. Of course, as a potential numismatist you need to know a little about the Polish monetary system.
The Polish money is called zloty (in translation golden) and grosz (pronounced grosh), derived from Latin word grossus meaning thick or large). One zloty equals 100 groszes. Presently one U.S. dollar equals about three zlotys.
Polish zloty came about around the year of 1496. It was established as an equivalent of 30 groszes (originally for accounting purposes). In those days one grosz had a value of 3.7 grams (0.13 oz) of silver. The ratio in value of one gram of gold to one gram of silver was about 7:1 (now this ratio is about 52:1).
A farmer paid 40 groszes for a cow or 10 sheep in those years. What is interesting is that they did not count coins but weighed them since it was easier to establish the amount in such way. Kings issued silver and gold coins, but some municipalities and districts had privileges to do as well. There were turbulences due to the wars and other events like the depreciation of a nominal grosz - down to 1.3 gram (0.046 oz) of silver - but the system survived until the third partition of Polish Commonwealth in 1795.
It is worthy to mention that the first paper zloty was issued during the Kosciuszko Insurrection in 1794. After Poland regained independence in 1918, authorities revived z oty and grosz. Of course, it was a modern system with paper money and coins. It is still in use today, but with a different note and coin designs.
Let’s return to the present days and the Pulaski Club. During the last membership meeting, Mr. & Mrs. John Filipczak were sworn in as new Club members. Myrna and John, welcome! Also, Happy Valentines Day to everyone.
ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR - Halina Kosinski:
While our kitchen crew is getting organized, and we are still preoccupied with taking the Christmas decorations down and storing them for next year. It’s time to think about Valentine’s Day. We plan on serving a snack at our February 11th Sweetheart’s Dance. I would like to invite everyone to try our home style cooking on this and other future occasions. We will try to serve good, healthy meals, with a traditional Polish flair.
TREASURER - Mary Kiselus:
The last month of 2006 at the club proved to be quite profitable. We had a good turn out for our Christmas Dinner and along with other functions held at the club in month of December, we had income of $13,544.96. Our expenses totaled $8588.72 which gave us a nice profit of $4956.24 for December. We were also able to pay back some of our remodeling loans to our members which totaled $8000.00. Let s keep up the good work and as always thank you for your support. Happy Valentines Day.
FINANCIAL SECRETARY - Stella Wojski:
Thank you for all the renewals. Dues are $24.00 a year. Check your membership card, and send a check to the Pulaski Club. If you know of anyone with address changes, have them fill out the form in this newsletter or contact me with the changes.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
HALINA’S KITCHEN - Halina Kosinski:
We will be serving coffee and desserts at some of the dances for a nominal fee when there is not an open kitchen or a planned meal. Happy Valentine’s Day to all our members and friends.
SUNSHINE COMMITTEE - Shirley Sztuk:
No news is good news, no report of illnesses or deaths.
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Nickelcity Dave’s
NEWS & NOTES
Our Club is in full swing and getting ready for a full month of February events. We are looking for members interested in bartending for the club. I will be setting up a few short training sessions on the Do’s and Don’ts of the bar. Basic things from making and pouring drinks to how to set up the bar for an event. There will be lots of practice time for you in the months to come. Any one interested call me at (602) 741-8214, or e-mail me at: nickelcity_dave@yahoo.com. Let s have some fun on the inside of the bar.
We voted on staying with the plastic cups for drinks at the club. We just don’t have the waitresses or waiters yet to serve you drinks or pick up the glasses from the tables.
The 2007 Event Schedule for the club is now available with all of our dates pretty much final. We did make a few changes, so make sure you pick up an updated copy. Remember the events or times can change without notice. You can find the updated schedule on the web site and in our newsletter.
BAR STANDERS: TRIVIA TIME
From Ellye Slusarczyk:
1. It is pleasant to travel in Poland by autobus, which is:
A) an automobile, B) a bus, or C) a train.
2. If you visit the teatr you are at:
A) tearoom, B) restaurant, or C) theater.
3. Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz was a:
A) trial lawyer, B) chemical engineer, or C) poet and essayist.
4. The first Polish daily newspaper in America was founded in:
A) Buffalo, B) Baltimore, or C) Milwaukee.
5. A favorite hunting area of King Wladyslaus Jagiello was:
A) Wigry, B) Ruciane, or C) Pisz.
WAY OUT WEST DYNGUS DAY FEST: APRIL 9th, 2007.
HOW DID IT START? There are many stories that attempt to explain the origins of the day. Many Polish customs date back to pre-Christian practices of our Slavic ancestors.
The custom of pouring water is an ancient spring rite of cleansing, purification, and fertility. The same is true of the complimentary practice of switching with pussy willow branches.
Since 966 A.D., Dyngus Day has been associated with the baptism of Prince Mieszko I. Tradition states that Prince Mieszko I, along with his court, was baptized on Easter Monday. Thus, Dyngus Day and its rites of sprinkling with water have become a folk celebration in thanksgiving for the fact that the first King of Poland was baptized into Christianity, bringing Catholicism to Poland.
In more modern times, the tradition continued when farm boys in Poland wanted to attract notice from the girls of their choice. It was custom to throw water and hit the girls on their legs with twigs or pussy willows. Cologne was used instead of water by the more gallant lads. The ladies would reciprocate by throwing dishes & crockery on Tuesday as was their day of revenge, imitating the same tactics.
HUMOR: One winter morning a husband and wife in northern Colorado were listening to the radio during breakfast. They heard the announcer say, "We are going to have 8 to 10 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through." So the good wife went out and moved her car.
A week later while they are eating breakfast again, the radio announcer said, "We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through." The good wife went out and moved her car again.
The next week they are again having breakfast, when the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park..." Just then their electric power went out. The good wife was very upset, and with a worried look on her face she said, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the snowplows can get through?"
With the love and understanding in his voice that all men who are married to Blondes exhibit, the husband replied, "Why don't you just leave it in the garage this time?"
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Don’t be afraid to come to the Club; we provide security for all rental events and most evening member events.
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REMEMBER, We are a non-profit organization, and any donations are tax deductible. Let s support our club.
Answers:
1- b. bus;
2- c. theater;
3- c. poet and essayist;
4- c. Milwaukee;
5- a. Wilgry