2013 in Wisconsin
National Advocates Society
National Medical and Dental Association
Succesful, Fruitful, Fun
2013 Annual Convention, Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
The National Advocates Society ("NAS") hosted the 2013 National Advocates Society/National Medical and Dental Association Annual Convention from July 31 through August 4, 2013 in Door County WI at the Landmark Resort in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.
Arrival
Our members, guests and their families started arriving on Wednesday afternoon and checked in with the Convention Registrar. Convention materials, including gift bags for the children, were distributed. The weather was perfect: sunny, not too hot, just right!
Opening Reception
Wednesday evening, we gathered for the opening reception and dinner. The dinner featured the traditional Door County Fish Boil which began with the flamboyant Boil Over. Bishop Andrew Wypych, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, blessed us, our convention and the meal we were about to eat. We were entertained by the duo of Ben There Dan That who sang and accompanied themselves on guitar, mandolin and congos. After dinner, we continued to get re-acquainted with one another and welcome those who we were with us for the first time. The children and some adults went out to the bonfire to toast marshmallow and make smores, and later, the rest of us joined them. Polish scouting songs played in the background as we gathered around the fire and continued to visit, toasting marshmallows and greeting those who were just arriving and saying good night to those who were going to bed after a long day.
The Professional Program
The Professional Program was held on Thursday and Friday mornings and the following presentations were made:
JJ Przewozniak, the Curator of Collections at The Polish Mission at the Orchard Lake Schools and Marcin Chumiecki, the Director of The Polish Mission spoke to us about the exciting work being done by and at the Polish Mission. They brought to the Convention a sample of art work from The Polish Mission Collection and works from the Forbidden Art exhibit which was on loan from the Auschwitz Museum in Poland.
The Most Reverend Andrew Wypych, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, in his role as a bishop and teacher, delivered a pastoral message addressing some of the ethical issues attorneys and medical professionals are concerned with when we use our professional knowledge, training and wisdom in service to our clients and patients. His talk was entitled “The Ethical Person and Natural Law – The Classical Catholic Philosophical and Theological Vision.”*
Sebastian Kurek, the Vice Consul of the Chicago Consulate General of the Republic of Poland spoke about the Consular Protection Program and its services to Polish Nationals in the United States.
Our 2013 Jachimczyk Polonia Award recipient, Dr. Donald E. Pienkos, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee talked to us about the reality of a potentially stronger relationship between the United States and Poland. His lecture was entitled “Where are We Heading? Polish Americans and U.S. – Poland Relations: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”*
Patrick J. Simers, a principal of Principal Valuations, LLC, a nationally recognized business appraisal firm, discussed the valuation of medical practices and other health care businesses in the current health care reform environment.
Alexander Z. Fiedotjew, our current NAS President, brought us up to date on the efforts to have the U.S. Congress authorize Poland’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program.
*The texts of Bishop’s lecture and Dr. Pienkos’ lecture are available by e-mail by e-mailing your request to Jane Simers at jsimers@sbcglobal.net
JJ Przewozniak, the Curator of Collections at The Polish Mission at the Orchard Lake Schools and Marcin Chumiecki, the Director of The Polish Mission spoke to us about the exciting work being done by and at the Polish Mission. They brought to the Convention a sample of art work from The Polish Mission Collection and works from the Forbidden Art exhibit which was on loan from the Auschwitz Museum in Poland.
The Most Reverend Andrew Wypych, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, in his role as a bishop and teacher, delivered a pastoral message addressing some of the ethical issues attorneys and medical professionals are concerned with when we use our professional knowledge, training and wisdom in service to our clients and patients. His talk was entitled “The Ethical Person and Natural Law – The Classical Catholic Philosophical and Theological Vision.”*
Sebastian Kurek, the Vice Consul of the Chicago Consulate General of the Republic of Poland spoke about the Consular Protection Program and its services to Polish Nationals in the United States.
Our 2013 Jachimczyk Polonia Award recipient, Dr. Donald E. Pienkos, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee talked to us about the reality of a potentially stronger relationship between the United States and Poland. His lecture was entitled “Where are We Heading? Polish Americans and U.S. – Poland Relations: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”*
Patrick J. Simers, a principal of Principal Valuations, LLC, a nationally recognized business appraisal firm, discussed the valuation of medical practices and other health care businesses in the current health care reform environment.
Alexander Z. Fiedotjew, our current NAS President, brought us up to date on the efforts to have the U.S. Congress authorize Poland’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program.
*The texts of Bishop’s lecture and Dr. Pienkos’ lecture are available by e-mail by e-mailing your request to Jane Simers at jsimers@sbcglobal.net
In addition, copies of two articles by Dr. Pienkos may be requested, namely “Witness to History: Polish Americans and the Genesis of NATO Enlargement” and “Charles Rozmarek, Aloysius Mazewski and Edward Moskal: Leaders of the Polish American Community”
The Business Meetings
Saturday morning, the National Advocates Society and the National Medical and Dental Association held their annual business meetings separately.
The National Advocates Society elected their officers for the 2013 – 2015 term as follows:
Alexander Z. Fiedotjew, President
David S. Tokarski, 1st Vice-President
Robert P. Groszek, 2nd Vice-President
Steve H. Tokarski, Secretary-Treasurer
The National Advocates Society elected their officers for the 2013 – 2015 term as follows:
Alexander Z. Fiedotjew, President
David S. Tokarski, 1st Vice-President
Robert P. Groszek, 2nd Vice-President
Steve H. Tokarski, Secretary-Treasurer
Click on the Officer tab for the officers’ contact information.
Other Activities
The Convention days were started with Mass and/or breakfast. On Thursday and Friday mornings, Bishop Wypych and Monsignor Tom Machalski, the Chancellor of the Orchard Lake Schools, Orchard Lake, Michigan concelebrated Mass for us.
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings, breakfast gave everyone a chance to say good morning to each other before our members attended the Professional Program and the business meetings and the children and other guests enjoyed the Resort, Egg Harbor and the rest of Door County, Wisconsin.
On Thursday morning, we held a Meet and Greet for our children so that they could get to know each other, play a few games, and learn a little about their Polish culture. The Polish National Alliance provided us with beautiful coloring books of figures dressed in the beautiful, traditional costumes of some of the more well-known regions of Poland.
On Thursday afternoon, we headed over to the Beach Harbor Resort which is located on Sturgeon Bay in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for a Door County Beach Party Pig Roast! Everyone had a fabulous time! The weather was sunny and not too hot. We were met with good music, good food, and great company. There were plenty of seats, either under our private tent or in the sun. The children and (some of) the adults played on the beach and in the water; the beach games were a big hit with the kids and the adults. Others had a chance to continue the conversations started during the morning session. No one will disagree that the beach party was a perfect place to take a break from our normal routines, to relax, and to enjoy the scenery and the company of each other.
On Friday afternoon, for those who stayed at the Resort, hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, drinks and other treats were served poolside. After lunch, we held the NAS/NMDA Ladies Putting Competition at the nearby Alpine Golf Course. All were invited, but keeping with tradition, only the ladies were allowed to play and the others, gentlemen and children, cheered on the golfers!
Friday evening, a group of us went over to the Peninsula Players Theatre, enjoyed a gorgeous Door County sunset before the performance and then saw Sondheim’s musical, Sunday in the Park with George.
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings, breakfast gave everyone a chance to say good morning to each other before our members attended the Professional Program and the business meetings and the children and other guests enjoyed the Resort, Egg Harbor and the rest of Door County, Wisconsin.
On Thursday morning, we held a Meet and Greet for our children so that they could get to know each other, play a few games, and learn a little about their Polish culture. The Polish National Alliance provided us with beautiful coloring books of figures dressed in the beautiful, traditional costumes of some of the more well-known regions of Poland.
On Thursday afternoon, we headed over to the Beach Harbor Resort which is located on Sturgeon Bay in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for a Door County Beach Party Pig Roast! Everyone had a fabulous time! The weather was sunny and not too hot. We were met with good music, good food, and great company. There were plenty of seats, either under our private tent or in the sun. The children and (some of) the adults played on the beach and in the water; the beach games were a big hit with the kids and the adults. Others had a chance to continue the conversations started during the morning session. No one will disagree that the beach party was a perfect place to take a break from our normal routines, to relax, and to enjoy the scenery and the company of each other.
On Friday afternoon, for those who stayed at the Resort, hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, drinks and other treats were served poolside. After lunch, we held the NAS/NMDA Ladies Putting Competition at the nearby Alpine Golf Course. All were invited, but keeping with tradition, only the ladies were allowed to play and the others, gentlemen and children, cheered on the golfers!
Friday evening, a group of us went over to the Peninsula Players Theatre, enjoyed a gorgeous Door County sunset before the performance and then saw Sondheim’s musical, Sunday in the Park with George.
Many of our conventioneers used the time that we did not have an activity planned to play golf on one of the many Door County golf courses, to shop, to fish, to visit the wineries, to bike and hike the State Parks, to watch the sunsets, or to just relax at one of the Resort’s pools or nearby beaches. People who came with children found it easy to keep their children happy and busy.
The Formal Awards Dinner
Our Saturday evening was dedicated to honoring George R. Szymanski, our 2013 Man of the Year and Donald E. Pienkos, our 2013 Jachimczyk Polonia Award Recipient.
We gathered for Mass celebrated by Monsignor Machalski followed by a cocktail reception, dinner, and dancing.
George R. Szymanski, an attorney who practices law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and our member and former NAS President, was presented the Man of the Year Award by his very dear friend and colleague, Ronald Sadowski. Ron told us about George’s excellent character, his many good works, his love of Polish culture, and how George, using his knowledge and wisdom as an attorney, has served the Polish community throughout his career. George accepted the award with humility, pride and humor as he reminisced about some of the past Man of the Year Award recipients and their illustrious lives and told us how honored he was to now be part of this group.
Dr. Donald E. Pienkos, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, was chosen by the NAS to receive the 2013 Jachimczyk Polonia Award in appreciation and acknowledgement for his outstanding work as a scholar, educator, author and activist for and on behalf of Polonia. Steve Tokarski, our NAS Secretary/Treasurer, who has known Dr. Pienkos for many years and has worked on many projects with him, in presenting the award to Dr. Pienkos, reviewed the Professor’s extraordinary and rich career. Professor Pienkos, in accepting the award, expressed his gratitude to be so honored with an award named for Dr. Joseph Jachimczyk, a learned man and a proud member of both the NAS and NMDA, who as coroner of Harris County, Texas made significant contributions to modern forensic science and to the advancement of Polonia in the United States. Professor Pienkos also thanked us for the hospitality and excellent time that he, his wife and his family enjoyed while attending the Convention.
The new NAS officers were sworn in by Judge John Wasilewski, a retired judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
Looking to the future, Dr. Lee Mielcarek, the NMDA President, took the floor and told us the exciting plans for the 2014 NMDA/NAS Convention to be held July 30 through August 3, 2014 at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
We gathered for Mass celebrated by Monsignor Machalski followed by a cocktail reception, dinner, and dancing.
George R. Szymanski, an attorney who practices law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and our member and former NAS President, was presented the Man of the Year Award by his very dear friend and colleague, Ronald Sadowski. Ron told us about George’s excellent character, his many good works, his love of Polish culture, and how George, using his knowledge and wisdom as an attorney, has served the Polish community throughout his career. George accepted the award with humility, pride and humor as he reminisced about some of the past Man of the Year Award recipients and their illustrious lives and told us how honored he was to now be part of this group.
Dr. Donald E. Pienkos, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, was chosen by the NAS to receive the 2013 Jachimczyk Polonia Award in appreciation and acknowledgement for his outstanding work as a scholar, educator, author and activist for and on behalf of Polonia. Steve Tokarski, our NAS Secretary/Treasurer, who has known Dr. Pienkos for many years and has worked on many projects with him, in presenting the award to Dr. Pienkos, reviewed the Professor’s extraordinary and rich career. Professor Pienkos, in accepting the award, expressed his gratitude to be so honored with an award named for Dr. Joseph Jachimczyk, a learned man and a proud member of both the NAS and NMDA, who as coroner of Harris County, Texas made significant contributions to modern forensic science and to the advancement of Polonia in the United States. Professor Pienkos also thanked us for the hospitality and excellent time that he, his wife and his family enjoyed while attending the Convention.
The new NAS officers were sworn in by Judge John Wasilewski, a retired judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
Looking to the future, Dr. Lee Mielcarek, the NMDA President, took the floor and told us the exciting plans for the 2014 NMDA/NAS Convention to be held July 30 through August 3, 2014 at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
The party continued with conversation and dancing for all.
Sunday Morning Farewell
We met for breakfast on Sunday morning to say our goodbyes. As we shared our wishes with each for a good trip home and for the best of everything in the coming year, we were already thinking about the 2014 NMDA/NAS Convention in National Harbor, Maryland where we would meet again.