The Kosciuszko Foundation - New England Chapter

Mission and History

The New England Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation was established in January, 1997 to promote the Foundation's mission of fostering relations and understanding between the United States and Poland and increasing American understanding of Polish culture and history through cultural events, scholarships and educational grants.

This significant event was enabled through the generosity of the late Joseph Kszepka of Three Rivers, MA, who established a fund at the Kosciuszko Foundation with the sole purpose of forming a Chapter of the Foundation centered in Western Massachusetts. The goal was realized in May of 1997 with an inaugural concert by the Elsner Quartet, a group of young musicians from Poland, before an enthusiastic audience of over 400 at Elms College, Chicopee, MA.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko
The Public Garden, Boston

Elms College also has been instrumental in the formation of the new Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation by offering the expertise of their faculty and staff, and the use of their facilities for events. We look forward to a long and productive relationship in collaborative efforts in arranging and presenting Polish educational and cultural programs.

Since then our members and friends of the Kosciuszko Foundation in New England have enjoyed numerous cultural events, and witnessed our support of social events and our successes.

A History of Programs and Events During Our First Ten Years

Ten Year Summary

~~~1998-2007~~~

The Chapter has offered 23 New England students, recipients of the Kosciuszko Foundation Tomaszkiewicz-Florio Scholarship Fund, the opportunity to participate in the KF Summer Studies program at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow.

The Chapter has annually participated in the Eastern European Festival in Deerfield, MA with displays of outstanding Polish Americans, tenor Jan Kiepura and Szopki winners of Chapter competition; has presented videos on Kosciuszko and the 2002 Szopka Festival in Krakow and offered Polish Books from the KF/NYC Bookstore.

The Chapter has sponsored 9 Awards Concerts honoring recipients of Kosciuszko Foundation scholarships and grants, 3 Szopka Competitions, has presented 5 Polish Film Festivals to celebrate October as Polish Heritage Month and numerous lectures and concerts.

Annual Programs and Events

~~~ 1998-99~~~

Inaugural Concert: Elsner String Quartet at Elms College.
Polish Culture and History Course offered by Stas Radosz at Elms College.
Trip to NYC: Lecture and Tour of Polish Art collection at the KF House and Concert by Joanna Kurkowicz, Polish violinist and graduate of UMass, Amherst and New England Conservatory, at Polish Consulate.
Polish Heritage month celebration at Elms College featuring poetry reading, films and documentaries, Polish dinner, Polish Choir and Polish folk tales.
Collaboration with Elms College for establishment of a Polish Center for Discovery and Learning.
Trip to Baltimore, MD: Polish art exhibit Land of the Winged Horsemen.

~~~ 1999-2000~~~

Polish Heritage Week, Quadrangle, Springfield, MA: Program of Polish Folk Tales, Wycinaki craft project and Krakowiak dancers from Boston.
Polish Heritage Month: Art exhibit of New England Polish-American artists. Concert of Chopin and Szymanowski Songs, Lectures on the Art Collection at the KF/NYC and the Twardowski Legend and An Evening of Polish Cuisine with author Susan Strempek-Shea at Elms College.
Trip to NYC: Concert at Alice Tully Hall to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the death Chopin preceded by Mass at St. Stanislaus Church/NYC.
75th Anniversary of KF Banquet at Sheraton and Concert at Symphony Hall featuring the Springfield Symphony Orchestra with guest artist Michael Namirovsky, laureate of 50th Kosciuszko Foundation Piano Competition.
Awards I to honor KF Scholarship and Grant recipients.
Gift of $5000 from Chapter to KF/NYC.
Elms College exchange program established with 2 colleges in Warsaw. Two Polish students graduated from the Elms in May.
Polish Center of Discovery and Learning at Elms College officially opened with events highlighting the Polish Renaissance.

~~~ 2000-2001~~~

Chapter donated 200 books on Poland to Elms College Library.
Chapter Website set up.
Polish Heritage Month: Spotlight On Youth, concert featuring young local musicians of Polish heritage at St. Stanislaus Basilica, exhibit of Polish poster art, series of Andrzej Wajda films and evening of Polish Cuisine with Joan Peterson author of Eat Smart in Poland.
Trip to NYC: Opera Halka by Moniuszko at Hunter College.
Awards II Luncheon and Concert by Andrew Russo, 1996 winner of KF Chopin Piano Competition.
May 3, Polish Constitution Day celebrated at the State House in Boston. A wreath was placed at the base of the Kosciuszko statue in Boston Gardens.
Polish Center for Discovery & Learning sponsored lecture by Holocaust survivor Irene Gut Opdyke.

~~~ 2001-2002~~~

Polish Heritage Month: Wajda film Pan Tadeusz presented at Elms College and Smith College.
Trip to NYC: Concert at Carnegie Hall to commemorating 60th anniversary of death of Paderewski.
Chapter sponsored concert by internationally acclaimed Penderecki String Quartetat Elms College.
Awards III Luncheon and Concert by New Britain Symphony featuring Michael Namirovsky at CCSU.
67th Kosciuszko Foundation Debutante Ball and Dinner: Presidents of KF chapters honored as Ball Co-Chairmen at the Waldorf Astoria, NYC.
The Forgotten Odyssey: Documentary of the 1.7 million ethnic Poles sent to Siberia in WWII at Elms College.

~~~ 2002-2003~~~

Polish Heritage Month: Gallery of Polish Christmas Traditions featuring a Polish Christmas tree with ornaments handcrafted by Chapter members.
Trip to KF/NYC: Christmas Concert with Anna Szalapak, cabaret singer and dinner at the Foundation.
1st Krakow Szopka Competition and Jaselka (Nativity play) St. Stanislaus School, Chicopee, MA.
Trip to NYC: Concert dedicated to John Paul II by Sinfonia Varsovia at Carnegie Hall.
Awards IV: Luncheon and Concert, Songs to Remember Tribute to Jan Kiepura (100th birthday) at Mount Holyoke College.
Gift of $5000 from Chapter to KF/NYC.
Chapter collaboration with local PBS station WGBY to present Polish documentaries: Jan Karski, Zegota, and The Forgotten Odyssey.

~~~ 2003-2004~~~

Polish Heritage Month: Concert for area school children by Igor Lovchinsky, the 17 year old laureate of 2003 KF Chopin competition at Elms College.
1st Distinguished Polish American Chapter award presented to Stas Radosz at Polish Center for Discovery & Learning October banquet.
Trip to NYC: Tour Pilsudski Institute and attend KF Member's Day with concert by KF grantees.
2nd Krakow Szopka Competition: Mater Dolorosa School, Holyoke, MA.
Trip to KF/NYC: Christmas pageant Mikolaj (cancelled due to storm).
Sharing our Stories-Polish Heritage Project- new award winning documentary produced by WGBY-local PBS station and other Polish documentaries presented in a daylong fund raising campaign. Chapter initiated and financially supported this documentary.
Awards V Luncheon and Concert The Romance of George Sand and Fryderyk Chopin in Her Words and His Music Guest artist Ruth Albert Spencer.
Award of $500 to Lee Ann Kostek in Nursing Program at Elms College.

~~~ 2004-2005~~~

2nd Distinguished Polish-American Award presented to Dean Anthony J. Bajdek, Northeastern University and President of the Polish American Congress of Eastern Massachusetts at the Polish Center for Discovery & Learning Banquet.
3rd Krakow Szopka Competition: Holy Trinity School Greenfield, MA.
Poland’s Future Role in Europe: European Union and and Beyond: Panel Discussion led by Marek Lesniewski-Laas, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland with distinguished professors from Local colleges and universities.
Awards VI Luncheon and Concert: Mazurka: Dance of the Polish Soul guest pianist, Anna Kijanowska, KF grantee.
Award of $500 to each of 2 Elm Students as winners of Chapter competition for projects on Polish subject.
Kosciuszko Foundation 60th 70th 80th Anniversary Debutante Ball and Dinner: Carolyn Czaja Topor, President of the New England Chapter of the KF and Joseph M. Topor, Jr., President of the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning at Elms College honored as Chairmen at this 70th Ball.
Holy Name Rectory, South Street, Chicopee, MA, donated by the diocese of Springfield, officially became the new home of the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning at Elms College.

~~~ 2005-2006~~~

Madonnas of Europe exhibit of 81 photos by internationally acclaimed Polish photographer Janusz Rosikon at Elms College in conjunction with the installation of Elms College 9th President Dr. James Mullen, Jr.
3rd Distinguished Polish-American Award presented to Dr. Stanislaw Milewski, noted ophthalmologist and KF Trustee.
Candlelight Concert by 2005 laureate of the KF Chopin Piano Competition Yoonjung Han at Stone Church in Bellows Falls, VT sponsored in part by the Chapter to honor the large Polish community at this location.
Polish Heritage Month: 4th Polish Film Festival - 3 Wajda films Promised Land, Revenge and Korczak at Elms College with commentary/lecture by Krzysztof Plesniarowicz, the KF teaching fellow at UMass, Amherst.
Trip to NYC: Celebrate 60th anniversary of the KF House.
Awards VII Luncheon and Concert t by Yoonjung Han 2005 laureate of the KF Chopin Piano Competition Gift of $1500 from Chapter to the KF/NYC.

~~~ 2006-2007~~~

Polish Heritage Month: 5th Polish Film Festival at Elms College.
Concert by Krystian Tkaczewski, a young Polish pianist now studying at Hartt School, sponsored by the Chapter for the Donor Reception at the new Polish Center of Discovery and Learning at Elms College.
Awards VIII Luncheon and Concert, Squeezebox and Horsehair, guest artists Lidia Kaminska, accordionist and violinist Jennifer Curtis.
4th Distinguished Polish American presented to Carolyn Czaja Topor, President of the New England Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation and volunteer in area arts organizations.
Trip to NYC: Finals of the KF Chopin Piano Competition at Hunter College.

~~~ 2007-2008~~~

Polish Heritage Month: 6th Polish Film Festival at Elms College.
Trip to NYC: Concert Tribute to Karol Szymanowski at Carnegie Hall.
10th Anniversary Banquet at the Marriott, Springfield, MA, and Concert by Springfield, Symphony Orchestra with guest artist Claire Huangci, 2006 laureate of the KF Chopin Piano competition.
Awards IX honoring KF Scholarship and Grant recipients.

The directors and I are proud to have presented these programs which fulfill the mission of the Kosciuszko Foundation ‘”to foster knowledge and appreciation of Polish Culture, History and Traditions among Americans and to increase awareness of the contributions of Poland to world culture”. I encourage you to become a member of the Kosciuszko Foundation in support of this important mission!

Sincerely,

Carolyn Czaja Topor, President.