Sunday, October 14, 2012 9:58 PM EDT
NEW BRITAIN ? It didn?t matter to a group of city residents Sunday morning how long ago their families migrated here from Poland. Their march from the Pulaski Club on Grove Street to the monument at the end of Broad Street was in the tune of keeping their Polish heritage alive.
In honor of Pulaski Day, which is officially Oct. 10 ? much of the local Polish community gathered to celebrate the life of a Polish and American icon. After a march to Pulaski Park, where a memorial service was held in the namesake?s honor, the group met for Mass at Sacred Heart Church, and then headed back to the Pulaski Club to enjoy a traditional kielbasa and egg breakfast.
One of the most widely-recognized Polish Revolutionary War heroes, Casimir Pulaski?s name can be found on countless buildings, schools and parks around the country. In fact, there is a U.S. submarine at the Groton,base named after him. Congress even made him an honorary U.S. Citizen back in 2009.
But Pulaski is better known to New Britain?s Polish community as a hero in their ancestors? fight for freedom.
?I wanted my kids to know about Pulaski,? explained New Britain resident Miroslawa Farrell, who along with her husband Gary, used the event as an opportunity to educate their two young daughters.
?It?s important they know the culture,? she said.
The Farrells stood among many other Polish families young and old at Sunday?s memorial ceremony.
Elizabeth Wiktorek?s children marched with the other Polish Scouts towards the front of the procession.
?We want to pass this down to them so they won?t forget where they came from,? Wiktorek said of her kids, who weren?t walking far from Mayor Timothy O?Brien, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz and local Polish leaders like Lucian Pawlak, a former New Britain Mayor.
?When we celebrate Pulaski Day we hope to educate our Polish youth that going all the way back to the founding of the United States, we had Polish heroes that fought side by side. They were not only fighting for freedom here but they were fighting for freedom back in their homeland,? explained Pawlak, who was pleased to host an overflowing crowd in the Pulaski Club after Sunday?s mass.
?It was one of our better commemorative occasions that I can remember,? he added. ?What always makes it special is the number of kids that are there.?
Also in the crowd were drill sergeants from the New Britain High School Marching Band. A performance from the three young musicians served as an accompaniment to a ceremonial volley fired by the Marine Corps League Hardware City members in attendance.?
The Pulaski Democratic Club is located at 89 Grove Street. For more information about upcoming events, call 860-224-4011.
Erica Schmitt can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 210, or eschmitt@newbritainherald.com.
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Source: http://www.newbritainherald.com/articles/2012/10/15/news/doc507b5fe7bb6c9569714605.txt
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