Professional and Business Women of Polonia Website. All Rights Reserved
The Professional & Business Women of Polonia, also known as PBW, was created to enhance the status and image of
Polish-
Witamy!
President
Christine Kibler
Vice President
Mary Jane Wajmer
Treasurer
Theresa Tucholski
President Ex Officio
Renee Harzewski
Executive Board
Mary Domanski
Diana Marciniak
Pat Greiner
Professional & Business
Women of Polonia’s
Current Officers
Secretary
Barbara Wetzel
Treasurer
Theresa Tucholski
President Ex Officio
Renee Harzewski
Executive Board
Mary Domanski
JoAnn Lewandowski
Pat Greiner
Professional & Business Women of Polonia (PBW) held its membership dinner at the Millennium Hotel on Sept. 13, 2018. The dinner was attended by PBW members and their guests.
Sr. Mary Johnice Rzadkiewicz gave the dinner prayer which was followed by a delicious dinner and desert.
PBW President Christine Kibler,announced that the PBW will be joining the Polish Cadets of Buffalo to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Polish Cadets, 927 Grant St., Buffalo. Joseph Macielag will be the keynote speaker. Light refreshments will be provided. For tickets and information contact www.polishcadetsofbuffalo.com.
A new PBW board member is being sought to replace the late PBW Board member, Mary Jane Wajmer. The criteria to be a board member is you have be a PBW member for one year. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 7, the time and place to be determined.
Henry’s compelling story
The guest speaker at the meeting was author Katrina Shawver. PBW member Michelle Kisluk was instrumental in bringing Katrina to the meeting and introduced her. Katrina lives in Phoenix, AZ and has written hundreds of newspaper columns over 11 years for The Arizona Republic.
Katrina wrote a book titled "Henry: A Polish Swimmer's True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America." This is her very first book and it is the true story of Henry Zguda, a Polish competitive swimmer. Henry survived the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald during World War II by his wit, humor, luck and friendships.
Katrina met Zguda in 2002. He was 85 years old. She had received a telephone tip about Henry who was also living in Phoenix. She was told that Henry was a Polish Catholic who survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald and claimed to have attended high school with Pope John Paul II.
Katrina contacted Henry not knowing where this journey would lead her. She initially met Henry for the sole purpose of doing only one newspaper column about him. At their first meeting, Henry showed her a scrapbook of his entire life. Katrina recognized the importance of his story as a Polish Catholic prisoner during WWII that needed to be told. Katrina also learned that Henry was one of the few prisoners who survived the death march from Buchenwald to Dachau near the end of WWII.
The next 6 months, Katrina interviewed Henry twice a week at his home. She recalled Henry having an excellent memory and a good sense of humor.
Katrina learned that Henry was very outgoing and had a lot of friends. His ability to be social and have many friendships helped him survive during WWII. While interviewing Henry and through her own research, Katrina learned about Poland's history before, during and after WWII.
In 1958, Henry immigrated to the United States with a friend aboard the SS America. He lived in New York City. There, he met the love of his life, Nancy Conforti, whom he would marry. Nancy was from Brooklyn, NY. They eventually traveled west. In 1980, Henry and Nancy settled in Phoenix where they lived out the rest of their lives.
Henry died in December 2003. After Henry's death, Katrina stayed friends with Nancy until Nancy's death in 2013.
Katrina's book came out last November. It has won a number of awards. Her book is not only about Henry but also about the history of Poles during WWII. The book has been accepted for sale at the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum gift shop in Washington, D.C. The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles has a recommended reading list of books about Poland. Katrina's book is listed on their website.
Katrina also said she just found out that the Polish American Congress of Arizona will be honoring her with their Distinguished Award in October at their Heritage Ball for presenting Henry's story and for her service to the Polish community.
Henry and Nancy did not have children. Had Katrina not received the tip about Henry, his story would have never been told. Katrina emphasized the importance of writing down your own family stories, otherwise they could be lost forever.
was instrumental in bringing Katrina to the meeting and introduced her. Katrina lives in Phoenix, AZ and has written hundreds of newspaper columns over 11 years for The Arizona Republic.
Katrina wrote a book titled "Henry: A Polish Swimmer's True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America." This is her very first book and it is the true story of Henry Zguda, a Polish competitive swimmer. Henry survived the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald during World War II by his wit, humor, luck and friendships.
Katrina met Zguda in 2002. He was 85 years old. She had received a telephone tip about Henry who was also living in Phoenix. She was told that Henry was a Polish Catholic who survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald and claimed to have attended high school with Pope John Paul II.
Katrina contacted Henry not knowing where this journey would lead her. She initially met Henry for the sole purpose of doing only one newspaper column about him. At their first meeting, Henry showed her a scrapbook of his entire life. Katrina recognized the importance of his story as a Polish Catholic prisoner during WWII that needed to be told. Katrina also learned that Henry was one of the few prisoners who survived the death march from Buchenwald to Dachau near the end of WWII.
The next 6 months, Katrina interviewed Henry twice a week at his home. She recalled Henry having an excellent memory and a good sense of humor.
Katrina learned that Henry was very outgoing and had a lot of friends. His ability to be social and have many friendships helped him survive during WWII. While interviewing Henry and through her own research, Katrina learned about Poland's history before, during and after WWII.
In 1958, Henry immigrated to the United States with a friend aboard the SS America. He lived in New York City. There, he met the love of his life, Nancy Conforti, whom he would marry. Nancy was from Brooklyn, NY. They eventually traveled west. In 1980, Henry and Nancy settled in Phoenix where they lived out the rest of their lives.
Henry died in December 2003. After Henry's death, Katrina stayed friends with Nancy until Nancy's death in 2013.
Katrina's book came out last November. It has won a number of awards. Her book is not only about Henry but also about the history of Poles during WWII. The book has been accepted for sale at the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum gift shop in Washington, D.C. The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles has a recommended reading list of books about Poland. Katrina's book is listed on their website.
Katrina also said she just found out that the Polish American Congress of Arizona will be honoring her with their Distinguished Award in October at their Heritage Ball for presenting Henry's story and for her service to the Polish community.
Henry and Nancy did not have children. Had Katrina not received the tip about Henry, his story would have never been told. Katrina emphasized the importance of writing down your own family stories, otherwise they could be lost forever.
