City Comptroller Scott Stringer led a bevy of local elected officials on Tuesday to the heart of Greenpoint’s Little Poland to celebrate the culture as part of the Polish Heritage Breakfast.
Residents packed the Polish & Slavic Center, 177 Kent Street, to enjoy the traditional American breakfast of bacon and eggs, along with tasty small Polish breakfast sausages while enjoying great Polish music and cultural events.
Bozena Kaminski, President and CEO of the Polish & Slavic Center introduced Stringer to the audience of more than 100 people.
The Polish & Slavic Center (PSC), it’s non-profit social and cultural services organization founded in 1972 with the headquarters in New York City primarily serving the Polish-American community. With about 40,000 members the PSC is the largest Polish-American organization on the East Coast. Without engaging itself politically, the PSC serves the entire Polish and Slavic community.
The idea to establish the Polish & Slavic Center originated in the middle of the 1970s in minds of Reverend Longin Tolczyk, who was working at that time among Polish-American immigrants in New York City and a small group of people around him. These ideas and dreams became a reality when in 1972 the Polish & Slavic Center was formed and in 1977 through the Polish & Slavic Center Rev. Longin Tolczyk formed the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union.
During the next few years, managed by board of directors, the Center grew and developed. Presently the organization has two buildings in Greenpoint, at 177 Kent Street and at 176 Java Street. Currently, the Center receives (annually) sponsorship funds from the City towards programs that provide thousands of services to its members free of charge each year. Additionally, each year, the Center receives new programs that ultimately benefit its members and are provided to them free of charge.
In his remarks, Stringer noted the tremendous contributions of Polish New Yorkers in business, culture, education, military and science. He also praised the events honorees – Artur Dybanowski, from the Pulaski Association of Business & Professional Men, Inc., and Polonians Organized to Minister to Our Community (POMOC)
These amazing honorees are prominent and caring leaders who help people from every community, said Stringer.
Among the elected officials that joined Stringer included Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Williamsburg, Greenpoint), City Councilman Stephen Levin (D-Willaimsburg, Greenpoint, Dowtown Brooklyn) and Mary Odomirok, District Representative for Congreswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-Greenpoint, Queens).
Also in attendance was Sabina Klimek from Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York.
Stringer presented Comptroller’s Commendations to Marzena Wojczulanis, Board Chair of charitable group – Polonians Organized to Minister to Our Community, and to Artur Dybanowski, President, Pulaski Association of Business & Professional Men.
