History of the Museum / News Release Archive - November 2004

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NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM

Administrative Office: 314 Oliver Street

Mailing Address: 195 Goundry Street

North Tonawanda , New York 14120

(716) 692-2681

e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com

website: www.nthistorymuseum.org

For Immediate Release

John Lukasik to discuss NT Military Heritage; Sarah Walter to make presentation on the Polish Army in WWI for Tonawanda History Museum November Membership Meeting

The North Tonawanda History Museum 's Community Relations Committee invites community residents to join with them at their November membership meeting on Tuesday, November 16, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the DeGraff Community Center , 139 Division Street , North Tonawanda . Parking is available in the rear.

North Tonawanda community leader and veteran John Lukasik will be the featured speaker for the evening. Lukasik, born in North Tonawanda on November 11, 1922 , was drafted into the Army at the age of 20. Having worked at Bell Aircraft as a government procurement inspector, he requested transfer to the Air Corps. In the Air Corps, he served with the 39 Bomb Squadron, 6 Bomb Group during WWII in the Asiatic-Pacific theater.

Sarah Walter, the Museum's Education Curator, will make a presentation on Haller's Army or the Blue Army, which fought under French command in World War I, as well as in the Polish-Soviet War of 1918-1921. Many of the members of Haller's Army were Polish Americans who answered the call of prestigious recruiters, such as Jan Ignacy Paderewski, Polish statesman and renowned musician.

The meeting will be the first of an annual November meeting focusing on the military heritage of North Tonawanda and its residents. The Museum wishes to honor those North Tonawanda residents who have served our country in military service. Individuals wishing to share memories of their family's or their own military history are invited to attend. Photos, uniforms, and other memorabilia reflecting the military heritage of North Tonawandans may also be shared at the meeting. Donations for the Museum's collections will be accepted at the meeting.

John Borycki, Collections Curator, and Cynthia Fredricks, Community Relations Chair, are coordinating plans for the evening.

You do not need to be a current member of either Museum to attend. Memberships will be accepted from interested individuals and attendees will learn of current volunteer needs of the Museum.

Those collecting Tops register tapes for the Museum may bring them in that evening.

Ethnic recipes may be donated at the meeting for inclusion in the "North Tonawanda Ethnic Heritage Cookbook." A brief family history or story about the recipe may be included for publication as well. The cookbook will be available in late December or early January. Gift certificates will be available for Christmas giving, however. Cookbooks will be $6.69, including tax. Orders may be placed at the meeting.

You do not need to be a current member to attend. Memberships will be accepted from interested individuals at the meeting.

Members of the Museum's Oral History Committee will preserve the evening's events.

The Museum's December meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 14, beginning at 7 p.m. , also at the DeGraff Community Center , and will focus on Polish Christmas traditions. As part of the evening's events, the Polish Singers from Our Lady of Czestochowa Church will perform Christmas music in Polish. The 50 th anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas will also be celebrated during the evening.

NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM

Mailing Address: 195 Goundry Street - Administrative Office: 314 Oliver Street

North Tonawanda , New York 14120

(716) 692-2681 - e-mail: nthistorymuseum@aol.com - website: www.nthistorymuseum.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Submitted by:

Donna Zellner Neal

OLC POLISH SINGERS, JOAN BORYSZEWSKI MULLIN TO PRESENT PROGRAM ON POLISH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS FOR NT HISTORY MUSEUM MEETING DECEMBER 14th; MUSEUM ALSO WILL CELEBRATE THE 50 th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE TONAWANDAS 

The North Tonawanda History Museum membership meeting on Tuesday, December 14, beginning at 7 p.m. will focus on Polish Christmas traditions. The event will take place in the DeGraff Community Center at 139 Division Street , North Tonawanda . Ample parking is available in the rear of the building. You do not need to be a member to attend. Refreshments will be served.

The Polish Singers from Our Lady of Czestochowa Roman Catholic Church in North Tonawanda will perform "Polske Koledy," Christmas music in Polish. Jessie Stromeyer is coordinating this part of the program.

Joan Boryszewski Mullin, a St. Albert the Great parishioner, who was also a long-time parishioner of Ascension Church , both in North Tonawanda , will share Polish Christmas traditions.

Wigilia, or Christmas Eve, is the main event of Polish yuletide celebrations, followed by a 40-day post-Wigilia period. Polish Christmas celebrations, however, actually begin with the 3-1/2 week period of spiritual preparation of Advent. Most Polish customs and traditions survive today, both in Poland and in our country, as family customs which give the celebration of the birth of Christ a unique and special quality. Polish families await the appearance of "Gwiazdka," the first star of the night on Christmas Eve, exchanging greetings and good wishes when it appears. This is followed by the most carefully planned meal of the year, the Family Wigilia. Over the centuries, these traditions have been observed with little variation in Polish homes around the world.

The North Tonawanda History Museum is grateful to the Am-Pol Eagle for reference material on Polish customs.

A time of sharing of other ethnic Christmas or family traditions will follow for those wishing to participate.

The 50th anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas will also be celebrated during the event.

The Museum's Oral History Committee, coordinated by Jason Law, will record the evening's program.

Stephen Ash and Cynthia Fredricks are coordinating plans for the evening.

The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum sends its greeting to its North Tonawanda residents and former residents of Polish heritage—Wesolych Swiat!