Sister Malgorzata as the Mother Superior in the year 1965 just after arrival to Windsor and today

On this joyful occasion, on behalf of the entire Polish Community here in Windsor and the rest of Canada, we  would like to send our Beloved Sister Malgorzata Gorska our best wishes of love,  good health  and all the Blessings of her Patroness St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. We are very grateful for Sister’s presence here in Windsor during the last 55 years. Dear Sister, please  accept our heartfelt thanks  for all  your help, wisdom and love shown to anyone who had an honor and pleasure to meet You. May God   keep You  in the palm of His Hand  – now and always.

Initiative by the Polish People Home Association Community 

– shopping and errands assistance. 

Anyone who needs help with groceries, picking up prescriptions etc., please  contact Michael Slusarczyk at (519) 991-5515 or by emailing:  ent.magna@gmail.com.

In this time of trouble and uncertainty, let us lend a helping hand. We will bring your groceries or any necessities to you providing you with the receipt for refund after purchase and delivery

This is an advertisement  and initiative that is sponsored by the Polish People’s Home Association organization and does not necessarily reflect the views or implicate the position of Polonia Centre. We continue to urge safety and to follow precautions, recommendations and guidelines issued by the Government and Health Officials.

Miss Julie Gill-Blak at the front of the store.

On September 8th, 2018 popular Blak’s Bakery, run by the same Family since 1918, celebrated it’s 100th anniversary of being continuously in business and serving our local community. The place located at 1022 Langlois Ave. Windsor, Ontario is famous on both sides of the border not only for their paczki, strudels and delicious pastry, but also for their trademark rye bread, made every day from the original sour dough starter and baked in century old brick owen.

In 2015 the Bakery became even more famous after comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who performed in Windsor fell in love with Blak’s  Bakery marble rye bread and took  back home to New York 20 loaves of this delicacy presented  to him by Tony Blak – an avid fan of the Seinfeld Show.

“The sour is, as far as we know, the original sour from my grandfather Peter Blak Sr, because what we do every day is we save some to remake it for the next day,” said owner Valerie Blak-Gill of the fermented mixture of flour and water that gets refreshed with more flour before it is put in the refrigerator at night to rise.”

“We mix it by hand so I mean you think the same sour he mixed by hand, we’re mixing by hand”.

Mrs. Valerie Gill-Blak – the current owner, shown with Anniversary cake

Peter Blak (centre) is shown with his son Tony (L) and grandson Peter (R) in this May 2014 Facebook photo.

When you try the slice of that rye bread it is incredible to realize, that you are eating something that actually has traces of century old history and tradition in artisan bread making!

One of a kind in the whole Ontario -Blak’s Bakery Rye Bread

On Saturday people were flocking to the Bakery, which was hosting an open house for customers with free coffee and delicious cupcakes, BBQ and hot sandwiches served for small donation in order to support Heart & Stroke foundation in the name of the  late Parents and former  owners –  Elsie and Peter Blak.  Blak’s Bakery is also very well known for their involvement in Polish-Canadian community and for their generosity and support of numerous charities in Windsor – Knights of Columbus, Polish Village at the Carrousel of the Nations, local TATRY – Song & Dance Ensemble, Insight Advantage – to name a few.  Mrs. Elsie Blak, who passed away in July 218 and volunteered for so many years in Catholic Women League,  was truly a  pillar of  RC Holy Trinity Parish community here in Windsor.

In the early 30th, during the Great Depression, the owner – Peter Blak Sr. was giving regularly  bread for free to the single mothers and widows with children. He used to tell them – “As long as I have flour and as long as there is enough coal for the owen to bake another load, you can always return and get more  bread for the next day”.

An open heart and goodness – that hasn’t  changed over four  generations – this is what makes Blak’s Bakery baked goods outstanding and unique.

Congratulations, Happy Birthday and all the best for the next 100 years to come! Windsor is truly lucky to have you.

Text: Maria Wojewnik

Photos: Blak’s Family archives,

“Windsor Star” – Dax Melmer,

Maria Wojewnik

Over 1 million ($ 1,035,300.00) in Donations and Scholarships since inception in 1978. Polonia Centre (Windsor) Inc. was established in 1978 and operates with a 12 member Board of Directors. The Organization promotes cultural, educational, charitable and sporting events by organizing these events or by providing financial contributions within the Polish community in support of events. In 2017, our total donations in Sponsorships, Donations and Awards  reached a new record level of $169,800. $100,000.00  was donated to the Holy Trinity R.C. Catholic Church on its 100-th Anniversary,  $33,000  in scholarships was awarded to students in our Polish community and numerous Canadian and Polish-Canadian  organizations received their donations  as well.  The Cultural Committee of Polonia Centre (Windsor) Inc.  oversees the Tatry Song & Dance Ensemble, organizes the Annual Dozynki and Evening of Excellence and participates in Carousel of the Nations. Polonia Centre (Windsor) sponsors a website for and about Polonia at www.poloniawindsor.ca.

Polonia Centre 2017 Sponsorships, Donations & Awards:

HOLY TRINITY R.C. CHURCH – 100th  ANNIVERSARY

· Holy Trinity Church Building Fund      $75,000

· Holy Trinity 100 Year Jubilee Fund & Memorial    $17,500

· Ursuline Sisters of AHJ  $7,500

$100,000

WINDSOR  &  COMMUNITY  – 125th YEAR  ANNIVERSARY

· Polish Song & Dance Ensemble “Tatry”    $10,000

· Copernicus Sundial Monument Restoration – Jackson Park    $9,000

· Polish Canadian Business & Professional Association  $2,600

· Polish Canadian Student’s Association of Windsor  $1,500

· Polonia Windsor White Eagles Sports & Recreation  $1,500

· Polish Varieties Radio WNZK  $1,000

· Polish Scouting Association of Canada, 5th Div. Windsor  $1,000

· “Polskie Nadzieje” of Windsor  $750

· Wisla Volleyball Club of Windsor   $700

· Windsor Public Library  $500

· Telewizja Detroit Inc.  $250

$28,800

CANADA – 150th YEAR ANNIVERSARY

· Graduate Student Awards $25,000

· Undergraduate Student Awards  $8,000

· Polish Language School  $5,000

· University of Windsor Leddy Library  $3,000

$41,000

2017 Total Sponsorships, Donations and Awards  $169,800

Total to Date on Record of Donations, Sponsorships and Awards

$1,035,300  since 1978

2017 Donation Recipients: Kneeling – (left to right) – Michal Zalewski (Polskie Nadzieje of Windsor), Andrzej Olichwier (Polish Scouting Association of Canada) Dr. Frank Simpson (Leddy Library UoW). Standing – (left to right) – Halina Roznawski (Polonia Centre – Vice-President), Barbara Koczwara (“Tatry” CEO), Gerry Obierski (Polonia Centre – Treasurer), Fr. Zbigniew Sawicki (Holy Trinity R.C. Church), Kathleen Pope (Windsor Public Library), Beata Slusarczyk (PCBPA), Anna Nogal (PCSAW), Zbigniew Kowalczykowski (Windsor White Eagles), Sebastian Minkiewicz (Wisla Volleyball) , Jerzy Rozalski (Polish Varieties Radio WZNK) Dorota Makarczyk (Polish Language School)

Text – Courtesy of: Mrs. Halina Roznawski

Photo – Curtest of: Mrs. Maria Kulesza

Jozef Haller von Hallenburg (1873-1960) – Lieutenant General of the Polish Army

June 10-th, 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first volunteers to the Kosciuszko Military Training Camp in the Niagara on The Lake. This  celebration was designated as the first official Polish American event of the U.S. WWI Centennial Commission.

Locally, the Polish American Congress, Western New York Division Inc., and Canadian Polish Congress have annually sponsored a pilgrimage to the cemetery at Niagara-On-The-Lake

The Annual Pilgrimage started at 12:00 p.m. on June 11 at the St. Vincent de Paul, with a military inspection of the veterans’ organizations. Then a Catholic Mass was celebrated at the cemetery chapel. Following the Mass, a parade proceeded to the Cenotaph,  where wreaths were laid honoring those Polish and Canadian volunteers of General Haller’s Blue Army who gave their lives in WWI.

All the members of the parade gathered at 11:30am. The event was open to public, with everyone being welcomed to attend to commemorate the centenary of ultimate sacrifice of General Haller’s Blue Army Soldiers and Recruits.

There are more interesting facts about history of the Kosciuszko Camp and General Haller’s Blue Army under the following link.

Text: Maria Wojewnik

Source: Niagara-On-The-Lake-Museum, by Google Arts & Culture