Adams Women See Parish Unity In Polish Food
 Nearly 300 golabkis are ready for today's bazaar at Pope John Paul the Great Parish in Adams. |
Six women from St. Stanislaus Kostka Church spent two days mixing, rolling and baking 275 of the cabbage rolls for Sunday's annual Fall Fest and Bazaar for Pope John Paul the Great.
"We just wanted to join hands with the other church and try to make us one unified parish," said Jean Koperniak, co-chairman of the group with Terry Winarski. "To recognize it is one parish — if we want to survive, we have to survive as one parish."
The threatened closure of St. Stan's Church in 2008 divided the Catholic community in this small town into often opposing camps with the newly named Pope John Paul the Great Church (formerly Notre Dame) down the street. It sparked a three-year vigil to keep St. Stan's open that ended in April after 1,150 days. The historic church became a mission chapel within the parish, but the rift in the community is still healing.
Winarski said she and Koperniak had helped make golabkis years ago for fundraisers when their children were attending St. Stan's School. It seemed a good idea to resurrect the efforts as a way to be part of the parish, so the first person she called was Koperniak.
But there was a small problem. All that golabki making was 30 years ago, and they'd only done part of the process.
"We've had to come up with new recipes," she said. "We were never part of the process of making the filling."
They gathered members of the original group — Fran Bulsa, Bunny Wegrzyn, Barb Winsowski and Chris Milesi — and turned to the PNA for filling recipes (in trade for 25 of cabbage rolls.)
Friday was spent in the Kolbe Hall kitchen under St. Stan's Church preparing the cabbage, and Saturday morning filling and cooking.
"We had such a great time. We've been friends for 30 years," said Winarski. "I knew who to call and so did Jean."
More importantly, it was a way to reconnect within the parish.
"It's bridging the gap and I really always have felt that we are one parish, two churches," she said.
The (very large) golobkis will be sold for $3.50 at the bazaar, being held at Notre Dame School. Also at the bazaar will be American, French, Italian, Irish and German foods and desserts for takeout; kids' activities, raffles, crafts, silent auction, Chinese auction and other items. The bazaar runs from 9 to 4 p.m.
Women from both Pope John Paul and St. Stan's churches offered their expertise. Special thanks to Josie Granger, Fran Bassi, Lorraine Gamari, Bev Pizani, Josephine Laliberte, Pat Taylor, Ann Adamczyk, and Joan Pause.
Tags: , bazaar, crafts, Polish food, St. Stan's,
