New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. with honorees and co-sponsors at his Polish Heritage and Culture celebration at Surrogate’s Court on Monday, October 30, 2006. Pictured (back, l to r) are: Christine Holowacz, environmental advocate and co-chair, Greenpoint Water Front Association for Parks & Planning; Thompson; Halina Kalitka; Frank Milewski, president, Downstate New York Division, Polish American Congress; (Front, l to r) Chet Szarejko, vice president, Downstate New York Division and chairman, Political Activities Committee, Polish American Congress; Father Peter Zendzian, Holy Cross, R.C.; Janusz Krzyzanowski, national commander, Polish Veterans of World War II and executive vice president, Polish Immigration and Relief Committee; Father Andrew Kurowski, St. Frances de Chantal, R.C.; and, Hon. Gregory L. Lasak, New York State Supreme Court Justice.

Photo credit: Marla S. Maritzer

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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. honored four New Yorkers at his 2006 Polish Heritage and Culture Celebration on Monday, October 30. The event was co-hosted by the Polish American Congress and the Polish and Slavic Center.       

“Tonight, we are celebrating the contributions of the Polish-American community to the life of our City,” Thompson said in addressing the crowd.

“From the City’s earliest days, New York offered hope and opportunity to immigrants from Poland,” Thompson said. “The men and women who came here worked long and hard to build better lives for their families. The new immigrants, in turn, helped build a better future for our City.”

Thompson noted that the honorees have excelled in a wide range of professional and civic pursuits. They are leaders in environmental advocacy, justice, veterans’ rights, and community activism.

The first honoree was Honorable Gregory L. Lasak.  In 2003, he was elected New York State Supreme Court Justice in Queens County.  Previously, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in Queens, where he earned positions of increasing responsibility.  In 1984, Lasak was appointed chief of the homicide, major offense and Supreme Court trial bureaus.  Seven years later, he was named as Executive Assistant District Attorney in charge of the major crimes division.  Throughout his tenure as an Assistant District Attorney, Lasak convicted every defendant he took to trial. A lifelong resident of Queens, he attended Holy Cross High School and graduated from Queens College.  He received his Juris Doctor degree from New York Law School.        

“Judge Lasak has made tremendous contributions to the life of our City, State, and nation, bringing vision and innovation to the field of jurisprudence,” Thompson said.
The next honoree, Christine Holowacz, is co-chair of the Greenpoint Waterfront Association for Parks and Planning.  Born in Poland, she immigrated to the United States in 1972. Within two years, she graduated from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Accounting.  Holowacz became involved in Greenpoint issues because of environmental concerns.  Since 1989, she has been president of Greenpoint Property Owners and has worked tirelessly on housing issues by co-sponsoring informational seminars for local owners and tenants. 
Holowacz has also served on Community Board 1’s 197(a) Committee, which was responsible for the planning and rebuilding of the waterfront.  She is now community liaison at the Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant for the Newtown Creek Monitoring Committee.  For her work, Holowacz has received the Woman of the Millennium and the Carmine “Dusty” De Chair Community awards from the Seneca Club.  She has also received the Williamsburg-Greenpoint Rising Star award from St. Nicholas Preservation Corporation. 
 
“Ms. Holowacz has made great contributions to our City as an environmental advocate and a dedicated community leader,” Thompson said.

The next honoree was Janusz Krzyzanowski, national commander of Polish Veterans of World War II and executive vice president of the Polish Immigration and Relief Committee.  Born in Poland, he was captured and imprisoned by Soviet forces in 1939. Upon his release, he joined the Polish Army under General Wladyslaw Anders and fought to defend his country.  After the end of the war, he imigrated to the United States and became a co-organizer of the group Polish Veterans of World War II. In 1972, he became the group’s National Commander, a position he continues to hold today.

He is also a member of the group’s World Council and serves as editor of the organization’s quarterly publication.  He is executive vice president of the Polish American Immigration and Relief Committee, one of the national directors of the Polish American Congress and a member of the board of the Pilsudski Institute.  Krzyanoanowki has received the Pro Patria Et Fide medal from Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland.  In 1990, he was also awarded the Polonia Restituta medal by the Polish government.

“Mr. Krzyzanowski served his country with distinction, and has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to meeting the needs of veterans of Polish ancestry,” Thompson said.

The final honoree, Chet Szarejko, is chairman of the Polish American Congress (PAC), Downstate New York Division.  The PAC is a national umbrella organization representing at least 10 million Americans of Polish decent and origin.  Born in Poland, Chet Szarejko now lives in Flushing, Queens. He served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps and after he was honorably discharged, went on to become a social studies teacher in the Great Neck school system.  There he helped form a human rights committee of students to help address ethnic discrimination issues in the school community. 

He also served as executive director of the Deepdale Gardens Community Council, where he supervised a staff of 50, and developed many programs for the community.  Szarejko also served as executive member of the Democratic Organization of Queens County and a member of the Queens Coalition for a National Health Plan, and the Bayside Historical Society. For all his contributions, Szarejko has received honors such as the Man of the Year award from the Asian/American Democratic Club and an award for Distinguished Service to the Bangladeshi Community.

“Chet Szarejko has provided dedicated service and invaluable assistance to our youth and to the Polish community,” Thompson said. 

Polonaise Folk Dancers performed at the event. Father Peter Zendzian of Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church gave the Invocation.  Father Andrew Kurowski of St. Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church performed the Benediction.

To receive photographs, please contact Marla Maritzer at (212) 669-2597 or at mmaritz@comptroller.nyc.gov.

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