Pulaski Birthday, Savannah, GA - Saturday March 7, 2015


[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

1. Color Guard consisting of the Knights of Columbus in Monterey Square


Pulaski Birthday Observance

Savannah, GA, March 7 - This year's commemoration of Casimir Pulaski's birthday began in Savannah's Monterey Square at 11:00 am. The gathered crowd was greeted by Glenn Ball, Chair of the Savannah General Pulaski Committee. A processional consisting of the Knights of Columbus Color Guard; the Coastal Heritage Society Fife and Drum Corps; with members of the Daytona Beach, FL; Jacksonville, FL and the Polonia Society of Korona, FL Polish-American clubs led the march into the square where General Pulaski is memorialized with a tall marble monument and tomb.

After the playing of the national anthems of Poland and the United States by the Benedictine Military School band, two Revolutionary War "soldiers," Brian Carney and Aaron Bradford, re-enactors from the Georgia Coastal Society, fired a musket salute in honor of Pulaski. United States Congressman "Buddy" Carter made a few topical remarks. Deborah M. Majka, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland, spoke on behalf of the Polish government. Fr. Frank Ziemkiewicz offered a prayer and representatives of the three Polish societies who came from Florida to take part in the observance, the American Council for Polish Culture, and the Savannah General Pulaski Committee, placed wreaths on Pulaski's grave.

Among those present at the observance was Polish-American historian Edward Pinkowski, and his son Jack (President of the Poles in America Foundation) with wife Monica. Later, the group retired to the Plantation Club at The Landings for a very tasty Polish style banquet. There the 98 year old Mr. Pinkowski, who has spent most of his life researching Pulaski's history, was honored with a rendition of the traditional Polish song Sto Lat [May he live 100 years] for which occasion the one-hundred was raised to two-hundred.

Also at the very sociable banquet were resident Savannah writers Joan Wilson and Mel Gordon who are researching a future book about Pulaski. During the event Mr. David Duckworth, a concert pianist, played selections from Chopin and other classical composers. Thanks go to the organizing committee: Chairman Glenn Ball and his wife Janina, Vice-chairman Joseph Warenzak, Secretary Edward Krolikowski, Treasurer Andrew Boguszewski, and Publicity Chair Ray Piechocki.

It should be remembered that Pulaski was born on March 6, 1745, as indicated by records at the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw where the baptism took place. These were discovered by Slawomir Gorzynski in 1992 and later incorporated into an updated entry for Pulaski in the Polski Slownik Biograficzny, an official source for biographical sketches of famous Poles.

This and other topics are subjects for discussion about the "Hero of Two Nations" at the International Casimir Pulaski Conference scheduled by the Kazimierz Pulaski University of Technology and Humanities in Radom and the Pulaski Museum in Warka, Poland, for October 6-7, 2015. Scholars, students, and presenters are invited to attend. Interested individuals may obtain information through: Pulaski Conference Page at Radom University


[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

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2. Colonial Soldier re-enactors fire muskets to honor Pulaski.

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

3. Edward Krolikowski addresses the assembly

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

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4. Costumed participants in the ceremony.

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

5. General view of Monterey Square

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

5. Polish American Club of Northeast Florida.

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

6. Debbie Majka and wreaths at the Pulaski grave.

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

7. Debbie Majka with US Rep. "Buddy" Carter

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8. Debbie Majka with Lucyna Piechoczek of Jacksonville, FL.

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

9. Debbie Majka, US Rep. "Buddy" Carter, "Krakowianka" Janina and Glenn Ball (Chairman of the Savannah General Pulaski Committee)

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

10. Edward Pinkowski (center) with writers Joan Wilson and Mel Gordon

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

11. Jack Pinkowski, Edward Pinkowski, and "Krakowianka" Janina

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12. Edward Pinkowski with "Krakowianka" Janina

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

13. Edward Pinkowski and Andrew Boguszewski

[Savannah Pulaski 2015 picture]

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14. Ed Krolikowski models two different types of Colonial era uniforms