CHICAGO: Polish Wigilia Celebration/Christmas Eve with Governor Bruce Rauner and First Lady Diana Rauner took place at the Copernicus Foundation in Northside of Chicago on Saturday, December 3, 2016.
Several hundred participants attended the event.
Anna Morzy was MC of the event. She introduced guests, expressed wishes and made a polite request to leaders in Illinois: Republicans and Democrats to establish bi-partisan budget.
The focus of the evening was to share some Christmas customs that are cultivated in the Polish American community, like breaking of the wafer. This custom is open to all people who participate, exchange greetings and wishes for each other.
Anna described this custom and shared this tradition with the Governor Rauner and his wife Diana.
Several non-for profits organizations were presented during the event. Their representatives shared the objectives for each organization. The idea was to make help more practical and to support these non-for-profits.
One of the organizations taht was presented is “Jasmin”. This is an organization that serves several hundred disabled children and youth in Chicago Northside.
The other non-for-profit was the Foundation for The Cancer Survivors. This agency is established near the Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
John Wojciechowski, Vice-President of the Copernicus Foundation shared the objectives of his organization that serves many communities in North side of Chicago. He donated on behalf of the Copernicus Foundation a check for $ 1,000 for The Foundation for Cancer Survivors.
Governor and his wife expressed support for the work of these three non-for-profit organizations.
The event was well organized. Thank to Kinga Aleksandrowicz, Anna Morzy, Polish-American Sponsors, Copernicus Foundation. and others.
Karolina Baran, 16. year old, talented singer, sang Christmas carols during this special event. event. You can watch many her songs online. She has skills, ability to perform for national audiences.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/158e733756e87909?projector=1
It is worth to share that the event was attended by people of different religious beliefs, potitical views. The common topic was the Wigilia/Christmas celebration.
Governor Rauner shared his plan to visit Poland with his wife Diane in 2017.
I talked with him briefly about 200 years Anniversary of establishing Illinois. He emphasized this important Anniversary in his Inauguration Address two years ago.
Mrs. Morzy, a lawyer, former President of the Polish American Chamber of Commerce, expressed her own and event participants appreciation to Kinga Aleksandrowicz from Govbernor’s Office for her work to coordinate it and to the sponsors of this event who represent different businesses and community organizations. I want to add my own appreciation for an invitation as well.
It was an honor to attend this event with Alina, my wife, and meet many friends, fellow Polish-Americans and people from different ethnic groups.
First Lady Diana Rauner, Alina Mikolajczyk, Governor Bruce Rauner and Andrew Mikolajczyk.
Governor wished participants Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year.
@ Andrew (Andrzej) Mikolajczyk
@ Photos: Alina and Andrew Mikolajczyk