The month of May is special for a number
of reasons. It is the month of Mary and the month of Mothers.
It is the month of flowers and of gardens in first bloom. It is
the time for communions and graduations, for parties and for proms.
It is also the month that we observe Polish Constitution Day on
May 3rd and PWA Founder's Day on May 22nd. And this is the month
we celebrate our May Queens and Honor Roll of Groups, those members
who were most successful in bringing new membership to PWA in
the past year.
Membership is the lifeline of any organization.
We know this. We have heard it said many times before. But not
all of us act on it. We love the PWA, we pass it on to our children
and grandchildren, but we have to reach out beyond our immediate
families if we want our organization to continue to grow in this
new century, if we want it to be there for many generations to
come.
This year on May 22nd, we will be celebrating
the 111th anniversary of our founding. And we must find a way
to carry on the vision of our founders. The principles on which
the PWA was founded are as true today as they were in 1898. Our
founders wanted a meeting place for women and their families,
an organization where they could better themselves, improve their
communities and their families, preserve their heritage and culture,
and find meaning in causes bigger than themselves.
Their achievements as they fought for equality
for all women, security for their families, and for freedom for
Poland can only inspire us. They had so little and they achieved
so much. Together.
I would like to congratulate our May Queens
and Honor Roll of Groups and thank them for their efforts in bringing
new members to PWA. You inspire us all to do better and to do
more. Together.
Happy May! Happy Spring!
And Happy Summer to all our members!
Virginia Sikora
National President
