PFA President Honored As Polonian Of The Year

By Frank Winters

For his years of dedicated service and involvement within the Polish community, the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation recently honored Polish Falcons of America National President Wallace Zielinski with the Foundation’s 2006 “Outstanding Polonian Award” at a luncheon on Saturday, May 6, at the University of Pittsburgh’s Student Union Main Ballroom.

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Druh Zielinski received this award in front of a well-represented Falcon crowd, including members of National Headquarters office staff, First Vice President Patricia Del Busse, Secretary/Treasurer Timothy Kuzma and Marketing Director Joe Elliott.

In addition to receiving a variety of gifts and recognitions, several other groups paid their respects to Druh Zielinski. Proclamations were given by two places; the first was from Donora, Pa., Mayor John Lignelli, of which Druh Zielinski is resident. The second proclamation was from Pittsburgh City Council President Luke Ravenstahl and Councilman Jeffrey S. Koch, who was the proclamation’s sponsor. In addition, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives issued a citation by Speaker of the House John M. Perzel and Thomas C. Petrone, the citation’s sponsor.

Currently in his third term as Polish Falcons National President, Druh Zielinski has served in this role since being elected to the position in 1996. A lifelong Falcons member and Silver Legion of Honor recipient, Druh Zielinski has also served on the National level as a District IV National Director and has held the offices of Director and Auditor at the District level. Locally, Druh Zielinski has held positions as Treasurer and Financial Secretary for more than 30 years within Nest 247, Donora, Pa.

As President of the Polish Falcons of America, Druh Zielinski has served as a trustee for the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., and has visited the Holy Father Pope John Paul II in Rome on two occasions, enjoying private audiences each time. In addition, Druh Zielinski has traveled to Poland several times, including a visit in 2000 to Bydgoszcz with several youth members of the organization for a combined Zlot with the Sokol youth of other Eastern European countries that participated in the event.

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Along with his Polish Falcons duties, Druh Zielinski is a member of several other Polish organizations, including the Polish American Congress, where he serves as Director and National Secretary. He is also Vice President of the Western Pennsylvania Division of the Polish American Congress and a member of the Polish Cultural Council.

Besides his present work commitments, Druh Zielinski is involved with his Donora-based parish church, Our Lady of the Valley, as a parish council member (financial board), Eucharistic Minister, Lecturer and past CCD instructor. He is also a member of the Bishop Elko Knights of Columbus society, having held several positions such as Grand Knights of Council 1941 as a Fourth Degree Knight and Controller of the Bishop Phelan Council.

Born on December 11, 1940, to Joseph and Violet Zielinski, Druh Zielinski was introduced to the Polish culture as an alter server at the Holy Name of Mary Roman Catholic Church in Donora. Both his maternal and paternal grandparents were immigrants from Poland who continued the customs of their native land with their own families, especially during the Easter and Christmas seasons.
Upon graduation from California University of Pennsylvania in 1962 with a B.S. in Education, Druh Zielinski taught in the Cleveland Area School District. After earning a Master’s Degree in Math Education from Ohio State University, he taught mathematics in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, from which he retired in 1996.

The Kosciuszko Foundation is an American Center for Polish Culture, promoting educational and cultural exchanges and relations between the United States and Poland since 1925. Currently there are chapters in Chicago, Ill., Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pa., Pittsburgh, Colorado, Texas, and Buffalo, N.Y. The Kosciuszko Foundation can be visited online at kosciuszkofoundation.org.

Captions: (Top Photo) From the left is Nest 8 President John Bartus with Polish Falcons of America National President Wallace Zielinski.

(Bottom Photo) From the left is President Zielinski, National Secretary/Treasurer Timothy Kuzma and First Vice President Patricia Del Busse.