24 May 2009 - Matki Boskiej w Sanktuarium

The hotels in Szczyrk are near the shrine Matki Boskiej w Sanktuarium created to commemorate the 24 July 1894 appearance of Mary before three local women. The stone shrine on the edge of the hill has a striking similarity to the grotto on the campus of Orchard Lake.

A new crown for the statue was sent to the Vatican and blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, was blessed by Pope Benedict for the statue of Mary. Fr. Marek Dąbek, the custodian of the Shrine, explained that through the act of blessing the crown, the church authority validates what happened here in 1894.

23 May 2009 - Bielsko-Biała, visit to Szczyrk

The team traveled to Bielsko-Biała which became the base for our stay in Poland.

We visited several resorts in the nearby ski town of Szczyrk to discuss the possibility of the Polonica Americana Research Institute and Michigan Polonia holding genealogy seminars and conferences featuring local experts from Bielsko-Biała and Krakow.
We were guests of the owner of Orle Gniazdo (Eagle's Nest) in picturesque Szczyrk and attended an outdoor party,complete with grilled kiszka, kabobs,a blazing bonfire,and a talented Highlander band.

22 May 2009 - Grób Nieznanego Żołnierza

The current economic crisis extends to Poland and makes it extremely hard to ask anyone for financial help. But by the end of our meeting the advisors asked us to present a concrete business plan for the next three years for Orchard Lake Schools. They want to know how they can be involved and offer support and services. A second meeting is scheduled for June 9th where Chumiecki will present the strategy.

After the meeting Martin Chumiecki and Cecile Wendt Jensen visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Grób Nieznanego Żołnierza), a monument dedicated to the unknown soldiers who gave their lives for Poland. It is one of many such national tombs of unknowns erected after World War I.
A candle was lit in memory of all veterans.

22 May 2009 - Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego

On Friday May 22 we met with a group of advisers to the Ministry of Culture and Director of National Heritage (Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego). Also present was the Deputy Director of the Biblioteka Narodowa Dr. Joanna Psztalaniec-Jarzynska.
The three hour meeting began with The Polish Mission Director Marcin Chumiecki presenting the history of Orchard Lake and the responsibilities of The Polish Mission. He covered the archives, galeria, and museums. He mentioned that he was thankful for the opportunity to represent Orchard Lake and that all official letters and agreements will be exchanged between Chancellor Whalen and the Ministers.
Cecile Wendt Jensen, director of the Polonica Americana Research Institute, presented a copy of her book "Detroit's Polonia" and spoke of the grant she obtained for The Polish Mission from the Michigan Humanities Council of Michigan ( the state funding agent for the National Endowment for the Humanities).
The grant will provide funding for two campus events: Commemorating 1 September 1939 and Celebration SS Cyril and Methodius Seminary 1909-2009. Jensen also provided a copy of her book "Sto Lat: A Modern Guide to Polish Genealogy” published by Michigan Polonia LLC which outlines the process American researchers follow in documenting their Polish heritage. There was also a discussion regarding indexing civil records.

21 May 2009 The Polish Mission Visits Poland

21 May began the first official visit of The Polish Mission of Orchard Lake and Michigan Polonia LLC, representing United States Polonia to the top government, universities, and museums, archives officials of Poland.
At 5:45pm we arrived for a private meeting with Poland’s First Lady Maria Kaczyński in Łazienki Królewskie Museum and gave her The Polish Mission presentation and extended an invitation to visit Orchard Lake in 2010 for the 125 Anniversary of SS Cyril and Methodius Seminary.
She said she was leaving for Tel Aviv the next morning, but would like to schedule a follow up meeting in early June. After the meeting we attend a gala.
Throughout our busy schedule in Warsaw, Krakow, and Bielsko-Biala the official letters from Chancellor Timothy Whalen were presented to the Ministry of Culture, Foreign Affairs, and the Head of the National Archives. We met with the president of the Holocaust Survivors Foundation when we present the photo album from Auschwitz and discussed future cooperation and start discussions between our communities. The names and emails of the visits are available upon request.

Next PARI Open House 3 May 2009

If you missed out on Sunday’s Open House, please mark 3 May (Sunday) for your visit. The campus will be active with celebrations in honor of Poland’s 3 May Constitution Day. PARI guests will be greeted by our own Góralka Michelle Chumięcka, dressed in regional costume and offering Polish candies. Researchers, please bring your ancestral questions and documents that need translation. We will have volunteers on hand to help. Access will be provided free of charge for online databases from both North America and Poland. A schedule of the 3 May events will be posted on the new Polish Mission website: http://polishmission.com/.

5 April 2009 First PARI Open House

Subject: Open House for the Polonica Americana Research Institute (PARI)
3535 Indian Trail
Orchard Lake, Michigan

On Sunday 5 April The Polish Mission held the first Open House for the Polonica Americana Research Institute (PARI) . Guests were greeted by Betty and Joe Guziak, respected founders of the Polish Genealogical Society of America (Chicago), and The Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan. They also distributed the PARI survey which allowed researchers to respond and request forthcoming programs. Also helping with the opening was Dr. Hal Learman who, when away from his practice, helps researchers at the Family Research Center in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Guests received the list of names of the 106 Polish figures represented in the Panorama and their significance. The room was active with the moving figures of the Panorama, the “how to” PowerPoint showing the steps to research and document family in the United States and Poland, and visitors browsing the large library of research materials.

Visitors were not limited to family researchers.

Chancellor Timothy Whalen stopped in carrying palms distributed during Palm Sunday Mass, as well as Richard A. Walawender J.D., member of the Orchard Lake Board of Regents, and newly appointed head of The Polish Mission Board of Directors. Walawender is a Senior Principal at the law firm Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC, an international firm with global offices including Poland. Their homepage states “With a global presence and clients and connections around the world, we ask the right questions, know the right resources, and create the right legal strategy for you.” He co-founded the firm’s Polish partnership in 1991 and served as the lead attorney on the first corporate commercial paper issuance of a U.S. company in Eastern Europe, as well as on the establishment and capitalization of Solidarity Bank, one of the first private commercial banks in Poland.



He is enthusiastic about the launch of PARI and looks forward to inviting second, third, and fourth generation Polish Americans to campus to connect with their Polish heritage. Rick and Ceil Wendt Jensen, MA,CG, PARI director, discovered they have relatives in neighboring villages in the area of Tczew, Pomorskie, Poland.

Our international visitors included the artist Jan Siuta and his sister, noted art professor Maria Siuta of Krakow, accompanied by art collector Halina Malinski. Kasia Aldin, local artist , arrived with her husband and children to become familiar with the resources available at PARI.

If you missed out on Sunday’s Open House, please mark 3 May (Sunday) for your visit. The campus will be active with celebrations in honor of Poland’s 3 May Constitution Day. PARI guests will be greeted by our own Góralka Michelle Chumięcka, dressed in regional costume and offering Polish candies. Researchers, please bring your ancestral questions and documents that need translation. We will have volunteers on hand to help. Access will be provided free of charge for online databases from both North America and Poland. A schedule of the 3 May events will be posted on the new Polish Mission website: http://polishmission.com/.