Scroll for Board, committee and sponsor info.
The Polish Heritage Society of Rochester is a nonprofit organization established in 1919.
Our mission is the promotion of our rich Polish culture, customs and traditions, and the preservation of
the uniqueness of our Polish American legacy. Through public programs, events, and charitable donations,
we express our pride in Polish heritage and work to broaden awareness of the contributions made by
Polish Americans in the greater Rochester area.
PHSR traces its roots to the Rochester Polish People's Home, Inc.,
Polski Dom Ludowy, an organization founded in 1919 by a group of Rochester's early Polish settlers.
These immigrant families dreamed of creating their own gathering place, one free of political or
religious pressures, where they could meet in friendship, bring their children, and organize community
events.
PHSR preserves and promotes Polish Heritage by producing and sponsoring lectures,
presentations, art workshops and exhibits, musical performances, and scholarships for senior high school
students, including a new summer program of Polish Language and Culture at Torun University,
'UMK.' Our year culminates with Wigilia, the traditional Polish Christmas Dinner. PHSR is a member of:
the Kosciuszko Foundation, the Polish American Congress, and the American Council for Polish Culture.
On the web since 2003.
Board of Directors:
President: TBD
Vice President: TBD
Recording Secretary: TBD
Corresponding Secretary: TBD
Treasurer: TBD
Past President: TBD
Members: TBD
Scholarship Committee
Members: TBD
Finance Committee
Members: TBD
Wigilia - Traditional Polish Christmas Eve Dinner, Polish Carols and Szopka Display
Members: TBD
Publicity Committee
Members: TBD
Membership Committee
Members: TBD
PHSR Website Development
Members: Gary Gocek
Anyone having been a PHSR member for more than one year may nominate himself or
herself or any other person who has been a PHSR member for more than one year to
serve on the Board. Nominees must be in good standing, having paid their
dues. Nominees must have served the PHSR in some other capacity
(committee, event coordination, etc.). Nominees must accept their
nominations in writing. The annual meeting, at which elections are held,
is typically held in April.
Polish Heritage Society of Rochester board members' responsibilities include but
are not limited to the following:
1. Financial - to manage the PHSR investment portfolio in order to keep our
financial base solid for many years to come and in keeping with the laws, etc.,
of the Internal Revenue Service.
2. Administrative/Management - to run PHSR on a monthly basis according to NYS
nonprofit public charity laws, regulations, our policies and procedures, etc.,
and in keeping with our mission to preserve and promote our rich legacy of
Polish and Polish American customs, traditions, and culture.
These two key responsibilities require the attention of each board member to
many administrative tasks like creating and monitoring our annual operating
budget, keeping records, creating and implementing programs, raising funds,
attracting new members, awarding grants to other organizations, working with
other groups to sponsor programs that promote Polish heritage, running the
annual scholarship program, doing the quarterly newsletter, creating a youth
outreach to attract Polish youth, and other activities within the framework of a
nonprofit organization.
Openings are available on almost any committee.
Sponsors
PHSR is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity. Your tax deductible
donation in any amount will support our mission of preserving and promoting
Polish heritage. You may make undirected donations, or, consider a directed
donation, such as to the PHSR Scholarship Fund.
The szopka program is funded by a grant from the Arts
& Cultural Council for Greater Rochester, the New York State Council on the
Arts, and the New York State Legislatures.
Our annual report is TBD.