Głos Polonii w USA | The Voice of Polonia in the USA | Październik 2020

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6 PAŹDZIERNIK2020POLONIA W OREGONIEAlmeda Fire – Destruction in Southern OregonKarolina Wyszynska LavagninoI couldn’t sleep that night. Crazy windwoke me up around 3am. I thought to myself,this darn sequoia tree by our house isgoing to end up falling on us tonight. Windwas unusually strong for this part of Oregonand especially that time of the year.Early in the morning, I went to the Farmer’sMarket. It felt like just another Tuesdayin Ashland, Oregon, yet still very windy.But then at 10:45am my coworker who isstationed at our central office downtownsent me that message with a photo – there’sa fire in Ashland! Moments later I was withher on Facetime watching as winds werespreading fire and pushing it north. Withthe very dry summer behind us, and abnormallyhigh September temperatures,plus 30 mph winds, we were bound for a disasterif that wind turned its course. Feelinga sense of relief that it was not headingtowards residential parts of town I was sohopeful that the fire fighters would get itunder control in no time. Oh, how wrongwas I. Almeda/Glendower Fire (as laternamed) has become the most unpredictableand destructive wildfire in the historyof our region.As the winds pushed it through “the tunnel”of forested area, mobile home parksand farms between Hwy 99 and I-5 it wasdestroying everything in its path. Evacuationnotices for the town of Talent (5miles north of Ashland) were deployedaround 12pm and for some residents evensooner. Firefighters had no way to get thiswild beast under control. It took over andswallowed entire neighborhoods and continuedon its rampage along Hwy 99 andthe Bear Creek bike path to the next town.In Phoenix it did the same. People weretrying to escape while both Hwy 99 andI-5 got shut down. For so many residentscoming back home from work to grab anydocuments, family heirlooms, animals wasimpossible as the authorities could not riskallowing anyone in. The inferno continuedinto the night.Here in Ashland we lost the internet andsome northern parts of town were withoutpower. Around 11pm I drove with my husbandand our 4-year-old up one of the highestclimbing roads in town. What we sawfrom there is unimaginable. The infernoin Talent and Phoenix was uncontrollable.A gigantic sphere of orange was swallowingeverything north of us. I was sobbingand trying to call my parents in Poland tolet them know that in case they hear abouta devastating fire in South Oregon, that wewere safe, at the moment. Back home wehad packed a huge plastic tub with all ourimportant documents, family photos andmemorabilia, my daughter’s handprintsfrom the time she was 1 day old, my grandma’scookbook, and collected some necessaryclothes and camping gear, just in casewe were forced to evacuate, if forsome crazy reason this fire choseto go suddenly south. I couldn’tsleep that night praying that nolives were lost in this mega fire.Next morning, I drove to the officefearful to find out what hadhappened in the past 24 hours.Social media was my source ofall the information. The videosand photos taken by brave residentswho drove into Talent tosee if their homes, neighborhoodswere still standing were gruesome.What I saw was a post warlike destruction. After the initialshock, I also learned that the firewas now in southern parts of Medford,the largest city in our regionand evacuations were in place formany residential neighborhoods.We have expected a catastrophictragedy on a humanitarian level,but it really was beyond our worstnightmares. Official number oflost residences, including houses, townhomes,duplexes, apartments and mobilehomes is 2,357. Because of the toxicity ofthe post fire area, many more were displacedand not allowed to go home fora week. Those who stayed in Talent andPhoenix during the fire as their homeswere far enough from the inferno, wereleft with no power, water, gas or internet.This meant we were facing close to 30,000residents displaced or with no resourcesto live and over 2,300 families that havelost everything. Local and state authoritiestogether with this amazing communityhave immediately developed temporaryshelters, donation centers, and foundways to help so many. Rogue Food Uniteswas created by local restaurant ownersand chefs ready to feed all the displaced.Air quality, due to surrounding us fires becamehazardous and stayed that way in thevalley for 11 days. We had to act fast to getpeople into temporary housing, from theircars, open air shelters or tents. Many peoplehave offered housing in their homes,Airbnbs, RVs, you name it. Myself, workingfor a company that owns four hotels intown, I have reached out to the Red Cross,FEMA and other local organizations in orderto get as many as possible families intosafe hotel rooms. It was a wild race to feed,house and protect thousands of familiesand volunteers during the time of Covid.The most wonderful thing in all of thisis how our community has united to help.One of the local credit unions matcheddonations up to $100,000. Many organizations,both nonprofit and corporate havestepped up to donate, fund and help everyway possible. Lots of focus went to helpingthe most vulnerable, Latin community, thebackbone of our society. These Rogue Valleyresidents work at our farms, vineyards,in our restaurants and hotels, cleaninghospitals and schools. Without them manyof our industries would not be able to function.GoFundMe accounts were establishedoffering an easy way to support those inneed from near and far.Just to put things into perspective, inPhoenix Elementary School it is estimatedthat 80% of kids are left homeless, and50 % in Talent. Many people are united tohelp Phoenix-Talent School district. Bothof my company’s restaurants, Larks-HomeKitchen Cuisine and LUNA Café have committedto making 400 free meals eachweek to feed these families. Fire reliefdrives, some of which I got to organize endedup providing so many necessities fromhygiene products, and clothing to non-perishablefoods and things for kids. Oregonbased, Nike, sent a truck load of shoes.A young man who grew up in Phoenix andnow has an LA based apparel companydelivered 20,000 hoodies of all sizes anddistributed among the most needy. Localcollege, Southern Oregon University, hasopened their dorms for day use allowingpeople to escape hazardous smoke, rest,take a shower and use their WiFi. Localbikers were going into Talent and Phoenixwith water supplies looking for olderpeople who had no way to get out duringtowns’ weeklong shut down. There areso many stories, and so much generosity.Next steps are to continue getting funding,not forget of anyone and rebuild as fast aswe can.As I sit here right now, almost 3 weeksafter this catastrophic 24 hours, I haveso much hope for the humanity and joyin my heart for how we come together tohelp each other, no matter what our background,political position or status.If you would like to help, here are a fewlocal organizations that are doing a hugelift in this community: United Way of JacksonCounty, UNETE – Oregon Worker ReliefFund, Phoenix-Talent School District FireRelief, Rogue Credit Union, People’s Bankof Commerce, and so many more.You can also visit our company’s website:https://neumanhotelgroup.com/team-community-fire-relief/ We have 11employees and their families who have losteverything.With questions or comments pleasereach me directly at Karolina@Neuman-HotelGroup.comKarolina Wyszynska LavagninoMaster in English - Cognitive Linguistics, UMK, Torun and Master inManagement, Southern Oregon University. Director of Sales & Marketingat Neuman Hotel Group. Ultrarunner, Mother of 4 year old Mia Isabel.From Bydgoszcz. 20 years in Oregon.
PAŹDZIERNIKPOLONIA W WASZYNGTONIE I KALIFORNI 2020 7Polish Drama Club - Polski Klub Dramatyczny w WaszyngtonieDorota Ponikiewska & Anna KajkowskaPolish Drama Club (Polski KlubDramatyczny) to organizacja, którejcelem jest promowanie polskiejkultury i historii poprzez popularyzowanieutworów literackich,utworów dramatycznych, poetyckichi literatury pięknej polskiegodziedzictwa narodowego wśródczłonków polskiej społeczności.Polish Drama Club istnieje odprawie dwudziestu lat. Organizacjapowstała w 2000 roku z inicjatywygrupki polskich miłośnikówteatralnych.Dyrektorem Polskiego KlubuDramatycznego jest Dorota Ponikiewska- absolwentka WydziałuPolonistyki na Uniwersyteciew Gdańsku, autorka kilku powieści:"Smak Czerwcowego Śniegu","Gdzie Diabeł mówi dobranoc".Pisze sztuki, opracowuje scenariusze,udzielatakże prywatnychlekcji języka polskiego oraz uczyw Szkole Polskiej przy Ambasadziew Waszyngtonie DC.Polski Klub Dramatyczny działana obszarze Waszyngtonu DCi okolic wyłącznie dzięki zaangażowaniuczłonków wolontariuszy.Od początku istnienia, współpracujemyz Polską Biblioteką orazz Ambasadą Rzeczypospolitej Polskiejw Waszyngtonie DC. W maju2015 roku, na podstawie sekcji IRC501c(3), Polish Drama Club uzyskałstatus organizacji non-profit.Nasza organizacja znana jestz podejmowania odważnychprzedsięwzięć i wystawianiasztuk, które wydają się – przynajmniejna początku – wyzwaniamitrudnymi do udźwignięcia przezamatorską, polonijną grupę teatralną.Sceniczne sukcesy, które wieńcząte ambitne zadania, entuzjazmpubliczności i nieustające zachętydo przygotowywania nowychspektakli, dostarczają zespołowidużo satysfakcji oraz są źródłeminspiracji do podejmowania kolejnychambitnych projektów.W czasie naszego istnienia zrealizowaliśmyponad 50 przedstawień;do najważniejszych z nichzaliczyć można: "Dzień Gniewu"Romana Brandstaettera, "PanaJowialskiego" Aleksandra Fredry,"Brata Naszego Boga" KarolaWojtyły, "Norymbergę” WojciechaTomczyka czy "Żabusię” GabrieliZapolskiej. Do jednych z naszychnajwiększych sukcesów scenicznychmożemy zaliczyć kostiumoweczytanie ksiąg “Pana Tadeusza”,które zostało zaprezentowane7 razy. Oprócz przedstawień dladorosłej publiczności, przygotowujemyrównież spektakleświąteczne dla najmłodszych odbiorcówze szkół polskich z okolicWaszyngtonu.Członków naszej grupy teatralnejłączą podobne korzenie - Bóg,Honor i Ojczyzna. Szanujemy różnicemiędzy nami; skupiamy sięna tym, co nas łączy - miłość dojęzyka polskiego oraz pragnieniepielęgnowania prawidłowego języka.Wystawiając sztuki polskichautorów, dzielimy się z innymi dorobkiempoetów i pisarzy prozy.W trosce o odbiorców, wielokrotnieprzedstawiamy nasz programw obu językach - polskimi angielskim. Przykładem mogąbyć projekcje "Wieczorów Poezji".Obecnie pracujemy nad sztuką“Powrót 2020” autorstwa DorotyPonikiewskiej. Przygotowujemytakże spektakl świąteczny dladzieci ze szkół polonijnych z Waszyngtonui Baltimore. Więcejinformacji o naszej działalnościznajdą Państwo na naszej stronieinternetowej: www.polishdramaclub.org.Apel PASI, Polish American Strategic Initiativedo organizacji polonijnych w USAEdward Wojciech Jeśman, President, Polish American Strategic InitiativeDrodzy Państwo prosimy Państwa o wsparciei podpisanie Państwa organizacji pod niżej załączonymlistem. Adresatami listu są członkowie IzbyReprezentantów i Senatu USA. List wspiera projektnowelizacji obecnego systemu rent i emerytur – projektznany jest jako „The Social Security Fairness Act”(H.R.141 / S.521). Proponowana nowelizacja istniejącegosystemu rent i emerytur eliminuje niesprawiedliweobniżki świadczeń wynikające z „GovernmentPension Offset” (GPO) oraz „Windfall EliminationProvision” (WEP). Powyższe programy obniżająświadczenia wielu legalnych imigrantów, w tym takżepolskich emerytów mieszkających w USA. PotrzebujemyPaństwa pomocy i wsparcia! Aby uzyskać więcejinformacji, proszę dzwonić pod numer 310-291-2681 lub wysłać email na adres president@joinpasi.org. Dołączcie do nas! Wstąpcie do PASI, Polsko-AmerykańskiejInicjatywy Strategicznej! Sprawmy, abygłos Polonii był ponownie reprezentowany i słyszanyna Capitol Hill.Więcej informacji na www.joinpasi.orgRE: The Social Security Fairness Act (H.R.141 / S.521)Dear Congressman -------------------We, your constituents, and members of Polish American organizations within the United States urge you to lend your support to and pass H.R.141 / S.521,also known as "The Social Security Fairness Act."The bill aims to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) from the existing Social Security Act.In addition to negatively impacting disability benefits, these provisions are unfair to countless government workers and legal immigrants because theyunfairly reduce, and in some cases eliminate, their social security retirement benefits.The GPO and WEP provisions are unjust towards legal immigrants whose small retirement pensions come from their native countries. Many of yourconstituents who are affected by these policies fled persecution under repressive governments. These are mostly first-generation immigrants who –having been unable to complete a usual employment timeline in the United States – retire with very modest social security benefits. Their combinedretirement income from both countries is frequently still below the poverty threshold. Their hard-earned foreign pension should not be consideredwithin the windfall formula, as it unjustly penalizes the individual.We are asking You to make a positive difference in many current and future retirees' lives. Please, support and pass "The Social Security Fairness Act."If passed, it would eliminate the punitive character of both provisions, provide much-needed relief, and restore the sense of justice to many retirees.Thank you for your consideration and support.Sincerely,Edward W. Jeśman, PresidentPolish American Strategic Initiative& Polish American Congress of Southern Californiapresident@joinpasi.orgwww.joinpasi.orgRichard Widerynski, VP for American AffairsPolish American Congress of Southern CaliforniaProf. Jim Mazurkiewicz, PresidentPolish American Council of TexasAndrzej Burghardt, PresidentPolish American Congress, New Jersey DivisionAndrzej Prokopczuk, PresidentPolish American Congress of Northern CaliforniaJerzy Bogdziewicz, PresidentPolish American Congress of Florida, Inc.Christopher J. Gajda, PresidentPolish Association in TexasRyszard Brzozowski, PresidentPolish American Congress, Long Island Division,New YorkStanislaw Matejczuk, National CoordinatorPolonia Semper Fidelis, New MexicoEdward Świderski, PresidentPolish National Alliance Lodge 113,Amsterdam, New YorkGeorge Sykala. CommanderPolish American Veterans, Schenectady, New YorkWalter Brzozowski, PresidentPolish National Alliance Lodge 1684, Cohoes, New YorkEdmund LewandowskiPolish Community Portal, San Francisco, CaliforniaJake Burnett, PresidentPolish American Citizens Club of Albany, New YorkHenry Matala, PresidentSaint Michael's Community Center, Cohoes, New YorkMarie GlowackiPolish Community Center, Albany, New YorkSusan Gorga-MatalaLadies' Auxiliary of the Polish Community CenterAlbany, New YorkMarian Wiercioch, CommissionerPolish National Alliance of the US of NA,Cohoes, New YorkBarbara Niesulowski, Founder"Vivat Musica" Polish Choir, Seattle, Washington
Page 1 and 2: GŁOS POLONII W USAthe voice of pol
Page 3 and 4: HISTORIAPAŹDZIERNIK20203Jan Paweł
Page 5: Polski Klub w DenverPAŹDZIERNIKPOL
Page 9 and 10: PAŹDZIERNIKTERAZ POLSKA 2020 9Pię
Page 11 and 12: PAŹDZIERNIKFELIETON 2020 11W takim
Page 13 and 14: PAŹDZIERNIKPORADY 2020 13Nie taki
Page 15 and 16: PAŹDZIERNIKKULTURA 2020 15Mecenat
Page 17 and 18: PAŹDZIERNIKKULTURA 2020 17Ameryka
Page 19 and 20: PlenerowniaPAŹDZIERNIKWYPOCZYNEK -
Page 21 and 22: PAŹDZIERNIKDLA DZIECI 2020 21Co je
Page 23 and 24: Informacje konsularneAMBASADA RZECZ

Głos Polonii w USA | The Voice of Polonia in the USA | Październik 2020

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