Buffalo, New York, the home of the Western New York Division of the Polish American Congress (PAC), has the distinction of being the birthplace of not only the national organization but also the regional division.  Immediate recognition must be given to the fifteen men who have guided the way of many of Polonia’s most significant events during the past 60+ years:

The Western New York Division comprises an eight county area which in addition to Buffalo includes the cities of Rochester, Niagara Falls, Lackawanna, Batavia, Dunkirk, North Tonawanda, Tonawanda, Olean, and Salamanca as well its surrounding townships, most notably, Cheektowaga and West Seneca.  Of the Roman Catholic population in the area, one-third is of Polish descent, and additionally Buffalo (Lancaster) is the seat of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church.  The town of West Seneca is home to the Polish Union of America, the only national Polish fraternal organization headquartered in the Western New York area. 

On the political scene, the previous 30^th U.S Congressional District (since eliminated as a result of the 2000 census) was represented by a native son in the person of Edmund Radwan, Joseph Mruk, Chester Górski, Thaddeus Dulski, and Henry Nowak.  The city of Buffalo has had as its Mayors: Joseph Mruk, Steven Pankow, Chester Kowal, and Stanley Makowski; while the County of Erie’s County Executive seat has been filled by Edward J. Rutkowski and Dennis Górski.  The Judiciary has had many Polonian Judges from the Justice of the Peace level to the U.S. District Court level. 

Our Division has worked hand in hand with the National PAC offices in Chicago and Washington is supporting all its initiatives and acting aggressively when such action was necessary.  We have stood shoulder to shoulder with our National Presidents: e late Charles Rozmarek, Aloysius Mażewski, Edward Moskal, and our current President Frank Spuła.

We are extremely grateful for the various Polish veterans organizations that have been our most loyal members over the years.  These men and women have contributed enormously in staging commemorative events significant in Polish history and culture.  Their pride as Poles is very apparent when they are called upon to participate in public events as evidenced in the annual May 3^rd Polish Constitution Day and the November 11^th celebration of Polish Independence Day.  We can never thank God enough for their presence in our midst.

Our many projects and initiatives included successfully preventing the takeover of St. Stanislaus Cemetery under diocesan administration, supporting the teaching of Polish language courses in area parochial and public schools, commemorating the significant anniversaries of Pope John Paul II’s selection to the Papacy, commemorating the anniversaries of the Katyn massacre, leading boycott demonstrations against films degrading Poles and/or Polish Americans, hosting three national PAC Directors’ meetings, attending the protest demonstration at the UN during the Jaruzelski visit, arranging an excursion during the Pope’s visit in Toronto, staging demonstrations protesting martial law imposition in Poland, “Pride of Polonia” banquets, etc.  A Polish-American Political Action Committee, called Solidarity Task Force was initiated through the guidance of our Division as well as a major renovation of the Polish “Haller’s Blue Army” cemetery located at Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario, Canada.

We have staged “Polish Cultural Olympic” competitions in the fields of Polish literature, language, history, and art open to elementary school children of Buffalo.  Our traditional “Swięcone” gatherings have been promoted not only to uphold our Christian Easter heritage but also to act as a bond within and for our community.  Again, the involvement of our young people has always been paramount at these various affairs in order to keep the flame of “Polishness” burning within their hearts and souls.

Involvement in Captive Nations Week events has had a special place in our hearts because it was through the efforts of one of our most devoted members, the late US Congressman Thaddeus Dulski that the proclamation of that particular week in July became the law of the land.  The highlight of our involvement with other ethnic groups probably would have to be the formation and continuous involvement with the Polish-Jewish Task Force of Western New York.  This has manifested itself in the Jewish community’s supporting some of our endeavors and created cooperative ventures as well.

Looking back through the archives, we have had many prominent guests at various functions including General Władysław Sikorski, and General Bór-Komorowski.  Gracing our area also, was a prominent cleric from Poland, then the Bishop of Kraków, the Most Reverend Karol Wojtyła, who later became our beloved Pope John Paul II.

Of recent note, we have hosted President Lech Wałęsa on two occasions, Polish Ambassador Janusz Reiter, and WNY native son, US Astronaut, James Pawelczyk.

Fund raising for our needy brethren in Poland, especially during the oppression under Soviet communism, has always been a hallmark of this Division.  Its generosity has been tested many times with never a doubt as to the outcome of some of the most successful campaigns carried out by any Polonia community.  Shoes medical supplies, food, clothing, money…all this can be attested to by the Pac Charitable Foundation.  Credit must be given to Brain Rusk, Richard Solecki and the late Alice Posłuszny for initiating Telethons for the sole purpose of raising money for the people of Poland during the dire times of the 1980’s.  Their first venture was a June 1981, two hour Friday evening Telethon on WGR-TV Channel 2 in Buffalo with no cost to the PAC.  For many years, our radio personalities, especially Stan Jasinski at WWOL, WKBW, WMMJ, WXRL, and WHTT, as well as WHLD’s Wanda Kogut, Stanley Mroczka, Maria Jaworska, and Matt Korpanty, and Greg Chwojdak on WXRL were all instrumental in helping our less fortunate overseas.

We are certainly indebted to our Polonia’s print media which over the years has supported all our endeavors.  The demise of “Dziennik Dla Wszystkich” daily was a sad day in our history as the daily printed Polish language came to an end in Buffalo.  However, we are grateful for our weekly Am-Pol Eagle and the national Polish-American Journal monthly which continue to be published in our area.

The few of the many successes listed above are a tribute to the hundreds of members who made it possible because of their belief in helping their fellow man and their undying faith in God.  We intend to keep moving forward in this 21^st century – the same love of God and Polish ideals and heritage that made us what we are – a caring and unselfish people with the intent of making the world better place to live – will be our path.  Sto lat!

1944                      Stanislaus Czaster

1945                      Judge Joseph Kuszyński

1946 - 1960            Jan J. Nowak

1961                      Jan A. Faltyn

1962                      Casimer Szudzik

1963                      John J. Mikulski

1964 - 1968            Joseph Wandel

1969 - 1973            Christopher J. Włoch

1974                      Casimer Lotarski

1975 - 1976            Henry J. Osinski

1977 - 1989            Bronisław Durewicz

1990 - 1991            Peter Sloane

1992 - 1993            Karol Tomaszewski

1994 - 2004            Joseph J. Macieląg

2005 - Present        Richard B. Solecki

CHRISTIAN HOLOCAUST MASS, 2006

PAC Pres. Solecki and National Director Macielag meet with dr Jerzy Kropiwnicki, Mayor of Lodz on July 8, 2007 to discuss the role of the German Government in the restoration of Jewish cemeteries in Lodz and the rest of Poland.

CHRISTIAN HOLOCAUST MASS, 2006

Photo of Pres LechWalesa, Consul General Jerzy Surdykowski, and Joseph J Macielog.  Greeting the Pres at his arrival at the Buffalo Airport to participate in the PAC's 50th Anniversary Celebration in Buffalo, October 1994 and to thank the PAC for its constant support to the people of Poland during it's oppression under communism.
 

Polish American Congress members make a presentation and bid fond farewell to Bishop Henry J. Mansell upon his leaving Buffalo to become Archbishop of Hartford, CT.  December 4, 2003.  Bishop Mansell was an admirer of Polonia during his stay in Buffalo.