Polka up some money
Dance party latest fundraiser for Polish church rebuilding
Fundraising will emphasize fun when St. Mary’s Polish Church holds its first Zabawa Polka Party today from 7-11 p.m. at the Polish Village Hall.
The $10 ticket will get you in the door and a Polish paczki pastry, which is like a filled doughnut and served just before Lent begins. For those with more of an appetite, there will also be plates of Polish food for sale. Tickets can be reserved by calling 902-539-4354 and the proceeds from the event will go toward the rebuilding of the church, which is moving along according to schedule, says Tom Urbaniuk, past chair of the parish council.
“Our goal is down now to just over $50,000, thanks to lots of hard work by many volunteers and community support,” said Urbaniak. “The main components to be done are the kitchen and the washrooms in the Sala 1050 section, which will serve the broader community.”
That includes the space for rehearsals, multicultural library and reading room, cooking classes, Polish language lessons and so forth.
“We are hoping to start on the washrooms in the next few weeks.”
Ever since the original church burnt down on Nov. 29, 2014, church members have been actively raising money for the new church with a series of fundraisers and community events. Expect that to continue into the spring, says Urbaniak.
“As part of an ongoing fundraiser, we are selling products with the Cape Breton Polish tartan,” says Urbaniak. “On Sunday, May 7, we will be having a fundraising tea to mark the holiday for people of Polish heritage around the world. Many of the servers and volunteers will portray different characters in the famous Polish epic poem “Pan Tadeusz.”
Urbaniak says many people and businesses within the community have been helping with the fundraising and they are thankful for the support.
“Speaking personally, I feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful community. I find it inspiring.”