This past weekend, the Polish Genealogical Society of New York State once again set up our research table at the Cheektowaga Polish American Arts Festival โ and by every measure, it was one of the best years yet.
A Record Turnout
Attendees turned out in what looked like record numbers this year. Parking areas were filled all weekend, the grounds were packed, and our table stayed busy across all three days of the festival โ a reminder of just how strong and resilient the Polish-American community in Western New York remains.
Reuniting Families With Their Roots
For many who stopped by, our table wasn’t just one more festival booth โ it was the reason they came at all. Volunteers spent the weekend helping visitors search parish and church indexes, trace surnames, and piece together family trees that had gone cold for years. Person after person left with the same words: thank you, thank you, thank you.
One moment stood out above the rest. Using our surname mapping alongside details of a village of birth and parish, our team was able to translate a birth certificate and confirm the maiden name of a visitor’s grandmother โ closing a gap in her family history that had been missing for generations. It’s exactly the kind of breakthrough that reminds us why we do this work.
We also heard from a couple visiting from Virginia who stopped by our table Friday โ and came back again on Saturday with a fresh list of names to research, delighted with the help they’d received. It’s a great example of the kind of lasting connection our volunteers build with researchers, even those who don’t live anywhere near Western New York.
Many visitors were surprised and grateful to learn that PGSNYS assistance is free, that our database is accessible from home, and that there are even more free genealogy resources available to them that they never knew existed.
Thank You to Our Volunteers
None of this happens without the people who give up their weekend, their voices, and honestly, their backs and knees, to sit at that table for hours on end. A heartfelt thank you to Dolores, our Community Outreach Chair, who anchored our presence throughout the festival โ talking Polish genealogy with visitor after visitor until she was nearly hoarse, and who deserves a long rest after three days on her feet. Thanks as well to our dedicated team of volunteers who staffed the table and kept the computers running throughout the weekend: Richard and Hope Kraus, Jack Petko, John Nowak, Louise Tomczak, and Denise Pisanczyn. And a special thank you to Barb Ruppert, who sat with us all weekend, showcasing her GraveFinder at St. Stan’s research on her laptop and answering countless questions from visitors.
We also want to recognize the next generation of Polonia: Dolores’s 12-year-old granddaughter pitched in throughout the weekend, helping set up and staffing the table alongside her grandmother. Moments like these are how our traditions โ and our society โ carry forward.
Our volunteers didn’t just serve visitors; they grew closer as a team too, problem-solving together and building the kind of camaraderie that makes this work sustainable year after year.
Looking Ahead
Every family history rediscovered, every “thank you” from a grateful visitor, and every new researcher who leaves our table excited to dig further is a reminder of why PGSNYS shows up to events like this. We’re already looking forward to next year’s festival โ the 47th Annual Cheektowaga Polish American Arts Festival, scheduled for July 30โ31 and August 1, 2027, at Cheektowaga Town Park โ and to helping even more families find their way back to their Polish roots.
Interested in volunteering at a future outreach event, or want help researching your own family history? Contact information@pgsnys.org to get started.
Serdeczne dziฤkujฤ to everyone who visited our table, and to every volunteer who made this weekend possible.