Polish Cultural Center – Seattle – May 7, 2016
Photos by Gary Benson
A tall, blond woman crossed the street and headed for the entrance to Seattle’s Polish Hall on May 7, the night of the Ethnic Heritage Council’s Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony.
“All of a sudden I heard that music, and it felt like home!” she exclaimed, “but I couldn’t think why.” And she isn’t Slavic!
It was the Sinovi and Kisobran Ensembles from the Croatian community of Seattle, filling the place with exuberant, traditional songs. She realized it felt like home because she grew up with Croatians in Hoquiam and Aberdeen. She had a wonderful time that night, along with 167 others.
Tino Salud, an officer of Ethnic Heritage Council, was master of ceremonies. After a welcome from Pawel Krupa, President of the Polish Home Association, the program opened with a gorgeous, beautifully performed, suite of Croatian folk dances by the Seattle Jr. Tamburitzans, under the direction of two of the evening’s award winners, John Morovich and Joanne Morovich Abdo. Dinner was next; and everyone raved about the scrumptious buffet prepared by Basia of the P.K. Kitchen at Polish Hall.
The room was full with representatives of many ethnic communities who had come to honor Martha Golubiec, recipient of the 2016 Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial Award, and the Morovich family—Cathryn, John, and Joanne, recipients of the Gordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial Award. When Martha’s name was called to receive her award, the entire Polish contingent stood and sang a traditional song of salute. Martha’s acceptance remarks and those of each of the Morovich family members expressed the love and dedication we all have for our heritage.
Ethnic Heritage Council is grateful to the Polish Home Association and the Polish Women’s Club for their warm welcome and assistance, in particular Teresa Indelak Davis, Pawel Krupa, Irena Kulik, Wanda Pawluskiewicz, Krystyna Untersteiner, Marija & Piotr Horoszowski, Lucy Blonska, and Marian Strutynski Many thanks to special EHC donors Yukio and Julianne Kumasaka, Hans and Heidi Herrmann, the Steve J. Sourapas Family, Marianne Forssblad, and the Gostovich-Royer Family. We cannot thank enough the many musicians who made the night so happy and memorable: Sinovi Tamburitza Ensemble, Kisobran (Alumni of Seattle Jr. Tamburitzans), and those electrifying young Seattle Jr. Tamburitzans.
EHC Board and Advisory Committee members and volunteers who made the night happen were: Peter Lam, JoAnne Lee, Bettie Luke, Ericka Michal, Rosanne Royer, JoAnne Rudo, Tino Salud, Yasemin San, Jane Simmons, Grant Simmons, and Ann Wright.