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FRATERNALISM IN ACTION!
Polish Roman Catholic Union
of America (PRCUA) has promoted fraternal activities since it was organized
in 1873. Some of the activities are still in existence, others have been
eliminated, and new ones have been introduced.
PRCUA Fraternal programs
are under the direction of the National Vice-President. They include Polish
Language Schools and Dance Schools, National Bowling, Softball, Golf and
Basketball Tournaments and PRCUA Seniors.
In recent years, the
National Vice-Presidents of Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, Polish
National Alliance, Polish Women’s Alliance and Polish Falcons have worked
together to introduce at the ball park Polish American Night in Illinois.
This program is also promoted in Detroit Michigan and Toledo Ohio and a few
other states on the local level.
For our younger members,
the National Vice-Presidents of the four Polish fraternals have recently
introduced Polish Day at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee Illinois and
Night With the Dinosaurs at the Field Museum in downtown Chicago. Local
groups also offer bowling to the Juvenile members in Chicago and Michigan
and a fishing derby in Chicago.
PRCUA 1st Lady, Joann Ozog
is a great believer in promoting Polish heritage. In 1999, she introduced
the first of many workshops depicting our heritage. For Easter, she
introduced Pisanki (the art of decorating eggs with beeswax and a stylus),
Egg Painting and Palm Weaving; for Christmas, she introduced Christmas
Ornaments and a Pierogi Workshop; for the Genealogists, she introduced a
Genealogy Workshop and for the Art Lover, she introduced Wycinanki (the art
of paper cutting). On November 14, 2009 a first time golabki (stuffed
cabbage) Demonstration Workshop will take place.
Joann believes in promoting
Polish heritage among the youth because they are our future. In order for
the many customs to continue, they must be introduced to them at an early
age. For Polish Heritage Month (October), she has introduced the Polish
Heritage Art Contest for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. For
Polish Constitution Day (May), she has introduced a Polish Constitution Art
Contest for students in grades 6 through 12. There is also a coloring
contest celebrating Polish American Heritage Month under the jurisdiction of
the fraternal department.
There are many beautiful
Polish Customs for all ages to experience and to enjoy.
PRCUA 1st Lady has promoted
these customs at Christmas with a Family Wigilia and an Adult Wigilia. Each
Wigilia is similar but done according to age. There is a presentation on
Christmas customs, a workshop making Christmas ornaments, a meatless
Christmas Eve meal and a visit from St. Nicolaus and Mrs. Claus.
Although Mrs. Ozog
presented these workshops as a volunteer of the Polish Museum of America
that is located in the same building as the PRCUA, she invites PRCUA
members, as well as, non-members to attend. The instructors and workers who
are involved with these workshops are members of PRCUA.
Supporting our youth by
assisting them financially with their higher education is very important to
PRCUA. Since 1993, PRCUA gave out 1,344 scholarships for a total of
$835,500.00. In 2002, PRCUA introduced the PRCUA Education Fund, Inc. This
fund is not restricted as the PRCUA Scholarship Fund. Since its inception,
99 scholarships from the PRCUA Education Fund, Inc. have been given out for
a total of $86,000.00.
These are some of the
programs offered to its members and to the community by the Polish Roman
Catholic Union of America promoting fraternalism. Other programs involving
groups on local levels are: collecting tabs from pop cans, preparing lunch
boxes for those in need, planting flowers at a Veterans’ home, purchasing
school supplies for disadvantaged children, donating crocheted hats and
scarves to a home for children, collecting baby items for single moms,
collecting socks for the homeless, donating money and food to a soup
kitchen, sewing dresses for girls in Africa to name a few. |
