NORTHAMPTON – The Polish Heritage Committee of Northampton kicked off Polish American Heritage Month on Tuesday with the raising of the Polish flag in front of Memorial Hall. Mayor David Narkewicz was on hand as Laura Britton, from the office of state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, read a citation from the House of Representatives recognizing “the committee’s commitment to furthering education on Polish American heritage.” Among those in attendance was Northampton native Chris Majewski, now of Easthampton, whose parents, Casimir and Caroline Kuczynski, founded the committee 32 years ago.
Afterwards, another Northampton native, Bob Gibowicz, and his wife, Tessie, now of East Longmeadow, recounted their trip two Sundays ago to Walnut Hill Park in New Britain, Connecticut, home to the “Little Poland” neighborhood, to witness a visit by Polish President Andrzej Duda and shake his hand. According to Gibowicz, Duda gave his entire speech in Polish except to say “God bless Poland” and “God bless America.” After being informed that the Gibowiczes had stood in line for four hours to meet him, Duda shook their hands a second time.
At the Northampton ceremony, committee members made a point to stress that this year’s Pulaski Day Parade will be on Sunday, Oct. 20, a change from years past when it has commonly fallen on the Monday holiday of Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day. The parade begins at 12:30 p.m. from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church on King Street and ends in Pulaski Park.
Kevin Gutting can be reached at kgutting@gazettenet.com.