HAVING A BALL

Kiedrowski’s Bakery holds its 23rd Packzi Ball at German Villa

With Fat Tuesday around the corner, Kiedrowski’s Bakery continued its annual tradition of giving folks a Polish-style event of good food, dancing to polka music and Paczki balls, Feb. 16.

Tim and Terri Kiedrowski, owners of the family-owned Kiedrowski’s Bakery, 2267 Cooper Foster Park Road in Amherst, held the event for the second year in a row at German’s

Villa, 3330 Liberty Ave., Vermilion.

Tim Kiedrowski welcomed the folks who filled the event hall by saying the Paczki Ball, in his mind anyway, is the longest running Polish tradition in North America at 23 years.

“We are here to celebrate the four ‘Fs’: Family, Food, Friends and Fun,” Tim Kiedrowski said. “Back in 1998, after Christmas,

“I don’t remember the last time we went to an Amazon or Ebay paczki ball.”

— Tim Kiedrowski, co-owner of Kiedrowski’s Bakery

Terri was talking about what could we do to stimulate paczki time and make it a little bit better? I said maybe we could put on a little bit of a paczki dance. Six weeks later, we had hoped to sell 100 tickets, but we turned away the 250th person at the door. This was at Knights of Columbus in Lorain, then we moved to Lorain Catholic for two years, then we moved to DeLuca’s (Place in the Park), but I have to say nothing is better than German’s Villa.”

Tim Kiedrowski said that it has been difficult running a family-owned business.

“It was hard, but we made it work,” he said. “There were many, many bad obstacles in our way. Just like anyone who owns their own business. I’m a strong supporter of small business; this is an event for small business. I don’t remember the last time we went to an Amazon or Ebay paczki ball.”

Len Klamut, from Parma said he loves going to the Paczki Ball.

“Kiedrowski is a really good friend,” he said. “He’s a great guy, and I really enjoy the party and his paczki balls.”

Irving Martin III, of Lorain, was enjoying the festivities.

“I really like coming here every year,” he said. “It’s always a great time; I feel it is a great Lorain tradition.”

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Tim and Terri Kiedrowski speak to the crowd at German’s Villa for the 2020 Paczki Ball.

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Ed Klimczak, vocalist and accordion player for Ed Klimczak Music, center, with Tom Ivanc, guitarist, left, Joe Ruzinok, woodwind and brass instruments, right, and Paul Hupalowsky, drums, back, play at the 2020Paczki Ball.