Polish Genealogical Society of Minnesota

Dedication Ceremony of 1944 Airlift Crew Memorial
2024-09-21
PGS-MN has made a donation to support this memorial – you are invited to attend the related activities:
The sponsoring organizations have joined efforts to commemorate the heroic crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress named “I’ll Be Seeing You” that took part in Operation Frantic 7 and was shot down by Germans over the suburbs of Warsaw on September 18, 1944.
A rear gunner of the plane was Staff Sergeant Walter Shimshock, a Polish-American resident of Northeast Minneapolis. He was able to parachute from the crashing airplane but was captured and executed by the Germans.
A memorial to honor him and other members of the heroic crew will be unveiled in Huset Park In Columbia Heights, MN, on September 21, 2024.
Schedule for this dedication:
9:00 am – Fort Snelling National Cemetery – Laying of wreaths on the grave
1:00 pm – Huset Park, Columbia Heights – Dedication Ceremony
4:30 pm – Holy Cross Church – Holy Mass in memory of the crew
For more information, contact PACIM:
Phone: 612-718-7718
Email: office@pacim.org

History of the Polish Settlers in Gnesen and Duluth, their Churches and Cemeteries
2024-09-28 10:00 - 14:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us in a program sponsored by the Polish Genealogical Society of Minnesota and the Twin Ports Genealogical Society of Duluth

Topics/Speakers:

Where Gnesen and Duluth Poles emigrated from and their journey to the Gnesen area – Paula Colwell
The settlement of Gnesen and the building of St. Joseph’s Church – Barb Oase
An overview of Duluth’s Polish Catholic churches and the Polish cemetery – Mark Dobosenski

Location:
St. Joseph’s Church
6110 Church Road
Gnesen, MN 55803

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED (Lunch included) – Room limit 75
Last date to register is Friday, September 13, 2024

COST: $15 – MUST PRE-REGISTER AND PAY AT TIME OF REGISTRATION
For payment, write check to Twin Ports Genealogical Society (provide Name, Address, and Phone #)
Mail registration and check to Bobbi Hoyt, 22 E. 10th St., Duluth, MN 55805
Questions: Contact Bobbi Hoyt or Barbara Oase (218) 340-3621

Kashubian Poles in Minnesota
2024-10-05 10:00 - 12:00
Speaker: Dr. Joseph Hughes

The speaker will present a concise illustrated history of Kashubian Poles in Minnesota. The focus will be on the 19th century. Topics include the Kashubian migration to North America, Kashubian “colonies” throughout Minnesota, and the unfortunate, rapid demise of the Kashubian language all across Minnesota.
This program is free to PGS-MN members, and members do not need to pre-register. The program will be held by Zoom only. A zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program.

Tracing Family from the Pomerania Area
2024-11-02 10:00 - 13:00
Speakers:
Kay Freund, PGS-MN Secretary and
Chris DeWuske, Teacher, Graphic Designer and Founder of My Pomerania
This is a joint meeting between the Polish Genealogical Society of Minnesota and the Pommern Regional Group of Minnesota. It will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
10:00 am
Kay Freund’s presentation will go through the process that she undertook to find the ancestral village of her Korcal family ancestors (Zblewo/Hochstueblau in Starogard County, Pomerania Voivodeship). It includes almost five decades of research, gaining an understanding the history of Poland, discovering hidden family gems, help received from others, and key take-aways for genealogy research.
There will be a short break between speakers.
11:30 am
Chris DeWuske found valuable resources to fill in the gaps of the origins of his unusual surname in Pomerania. He will explain documents he found that have typically been outside the purview of American audiences, but bear a tremendous significance for those who have run out of research options. His presentation will address Land Records, with an emphasis on land and mortgage registers, recess acts, and leases.
We hope you will join us!

Publishing a Family History Book: The Process and Details
2025-03-01 10:00 - 12:00
Speaker: Jay Biedny

This presentation comes in two parts:

The first will discuss the many ways you can create, publish, and distribute a family history book.
Then after a brief break, it will focus on ways to produce the text and incorporate graphics interestingly into the book.

The presentation is filled with many practical examples based on Jay’s recent publication of Only Two Places: Poland & Buffalo – A History of One New York Family. The nearly 400 page book culminates his forty years of research on his 100% Polish family roots.
This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? No worries – the program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.

About the Speaker
Jay Biedny has been a decades-long member of both the Polish Genealogical Society of New York and of America. Since moving to Minnesota almost 40 years ago, he has been a member and officer of the Polish Genealogical Society of MN including its president. His roots in Poland center north of Poznan in the German Partition and east of Nowy Sacz in Austrian Galicia. He has Russian Partition relatives also who lived along the Vistula River north of Mielec. He has written columns on Polish genealogy for local publications as well as presented talks at local and regional genealogical events.

Tour of the Gale Family Library
2025-04-09 11:00 - 14:00
Our April Program Meeting will be a unique offering, held at the Gale Family Library in the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. in St. Paul.
The program will include a one hour orientation, and library staff will provide an overview of its collections, as well as a review of resources, equipment, and services. The presentation will focus on library use, archives catalog, online collections and other search tools for genealogical research. In addition, library staff will be available for assistance with individual requests.
Because of the location, there will be no Zoom component for this presentation. Orientation slides and links will be made available on the PGS-MN website after the visit. No registration is required – you can just show up if you are interested in attending. Note that the day (Wednesday) and time (11 AM) are different from our usual program time because PGS-MN will have sole use of the Library and its resources for the full three hours.
The Gale Library is on the second floor. We will meet in the lobby there – you should check in at the front desk when you arrive and you will be asked to present a photo ID. Food, liquids, bags and ink pens are not allowed in the library. Lockers are available for storing purses, bags, and other belongings.
For directions, parking and food service, contact the Minnesota History Center:
– Website: https://www.mnhs.org
– Phone: 651-259-3300
For questions, contact the PGS-MN Program Committee at pgsminnesota@gmail.com with title “Gale Family Library Visit.”
We hope to see you there!

Travel to Poland: Options for Every Traveler
2025-05-03 10:00
Speakers:
Laura Hunter, PGS-MN Member
Tom Losinski, PGS-MN Director at Large
Iwona Srienc, Polish Cultural Institute of MN (PACIM) Director

Have you always wanted to travel to Poland, but weren’t sure how to start planning? This program will consist of a panel of three speakers who will present their own travel experiences in Poland:

Laura participated in a 10-day organized Rick Steeves tour in May 2024
Tom traveled to Poland for two weeks in September 2024 with a neighborhood group
Iwona Srienc was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland

Both Tom and Laura visited Gdansk, Torun, Warsaw and Krakow. They will compare and contrast their types of travel, offer pros and cons of each, as well as share mementos and pictures from their travels. All three panel members look forward to an open exchange with the audience.
This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both Zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? No worries – the program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.

About the Speakers:

Each of the panel member’s ancestors came from different areas of Poland.
Laura Hunter is a PGS-MN member and a casual genealogy researcher with Polish roots in Michigan and Milwaukee, WI. Her ancestors came from the Poznan and Gdansk areas of Poland.
Iwona Srienc is a Director on the PACIM Board. She was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland, which gives her a unique personal perspective on travel in Poland.
Tom Losinski has been a PGS-MN member since the 1990’s and is currently a PGS-MN Director at Large. He is a casual genealogy researcher, and has Polish roots in Pine Creek, WI and Winona, MN. Tom’s ancestors immigrated from the Kashubia area of Poland.

History of the Polish Settlement in Le Sueur County
2025-05-21 18:00 - 19:00
The New Prague Area Historical Society is sponsoring a program about the Polish immigrants who settled in Le Sueur County. The program will be held at the Pioneer Power Association show grounds from 6-7 pm. Tours of St. Jozefa Church (which is now located on the show grounds) will be available from 3-6 pm. For more information, contact the New Prague Historical Society at npareahistory@gmail.com or 952-758-3153.

Sobieski Summer Bazaar - June 29, 2025
2025-06-29 10:00 - 16:00
The annual St. Stanislaus Parish Summer Bazaar will be held on the grounds of St. Stanislaus Church and will start with a Mass at 10:00 a.m. A home cooked chicken dinner (including trimmings, pie, and ice cream) will be served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as an alternative to a full meal, there will be hot dogs, pork burgers and nachos. The event includes a beer garden, Polish Wheel of Fortune, live polka music by Twin Cities Sound, quilt bingo at 1p.m., silent auction, bountiful baskets, quilt raffle and games for all ages. An all-cash raffle drawing (over $6,000 in prizes) will be held at 3:30 p.m.
PGS-MN will have a table at this event – come join us in the fun! Contact us at pgsminnesota@gmail.com if you are interested in helping us at our display table.

MN Genealogy Center Open House
2025-06-29 10:30 - 16:00
The Minnesota Genealogy Center is hosting an open house on Sunday, June 29, 2025 from 10:30 am – 4:00 pm. They will serve hot dogs and chips, and offer tours of the Hoffman Research Library.
PGS-MN will have a table at the event and our Polish Genealogy expert will be available in the Hoffman Library – a great opportunity to ask him your genealogy questions! There will also be a Beginning Genealogy class for anyone who is interested.
For more information, contact:
Minnesota Genealogy Center
1385 Mendota Heights Road
Suite 100
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
651-330-9312
info@mngs.org

Bowlus Fun Day - July 6, 2025
2025-07-06 10:00 - 16:00
The city of Bowlus, in Morrison County, holds their annual Fun Day on the first Sunday in July. A polka mass starts at 10:00 AM at St. Stanislaus Church, followed by the parade at 11:15 AM. The rest of the day consists of water fights by local volunteer firefighters from neighboring towns, live music all day, children’s pedal pull, bingo, games for all ages, raffle, beer garden, lots of great food followed by spectacular fireworks.
PGS-MN will have a table at this event – come join us in the fun! Contact us at pgsminnesota@gmail.com if you are interested in helping us at our display table.

Sacred Heart Polish Festival - July 19, 2025
2025-07-19
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Minneapolis is holding its annual Polish Festival on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Their website indicates that more information about the festival will be available soon. We will post the information as it becomes available. The link to their website is: https://www.sacredheartofjesusminneapolis.com
PGS-MN will have a table at this event – come join us in the fun! Contact us at pgsminnesota@gmail.com if you are interested in helping us at our display table.

Royalton, MN Platte River Day - July 26, 2025
2025-07-26 08:30 - 23:30
Platte River Day, is Royalton’s annual area celebration hosted by the Royalton Lions Club on July 26, 2025. There will be entertainment for everyone. A 5K run/Walk starts at 8:30 a.m. and the parade starts at 11 a.m. A food court and beer garden opens at 11 a.m and there will be a live auction.
The Platte River Day Car Show will be held at the American Legion Post #137, starting at 3:00 p.m. and will include drawings and prizes.
Evening entertainment by Perfect Storm will be provided, starting at 8 pm – it will be a small town street dance party!
PGS-MN will have a table at this event from 10 am-3 pm. Come join us in the fun! Contact us at pgsminnesota@gmail.com if you are interested in helping us at our display table.

FEEFHS Conference
2025-08-06 - 2025-08-08
This is not a PGS-MN event but may be of interest to some PGS-MN members as there are Polish sessions. For more information, click here.
The 2025 FEEFHS Annual Conference will be held virtually by Zoom from August 6-8. Early bird registration is from March 2, 2025 through July 6, 2025.
The Conference will feature four parallel tracks of classes. Registrants will receive a complete syllabus and access to viewing recordings of each session via the FEEFHS portal through the end of 2025.

Polish Picnic in Columbia Heights
2025-08-16
The Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota (PACIM) and the Sister Cities program are organizing a picnic on August 16, 2025 for all Polish groups. It will be held at Huset Park in Columbia Heights. Activities planned include a band, dancing and Polish food (kielbasa, pierogi, kapusta, etc.) for sale. The lower level and shelter has been reserved as well. They are calling picnic The Great Polish Get Together.

The event is still in the planning phase – more information will be posted as it becomes available.

Uncovering Roots: A Journey into My Polish Heritage
2025-09-06 10:00 - 12:00
Speaker: Colleen Zenk, PGS-MN Member
Colleen Zenk began her search for her Polish ancestry with only fragments of family knowledge and a surname—Fiyol—that had long obscured her path. With encouragement and guidance from our community, she connected with a Polish genealogist and embarked on a remarkable journey of discovery. From the small town of Minnesota Lake, where her great-grandparents settled, she traced her lineage back to a village east of Kraków, Poland.
In this presentation, Colleen will share the story of uncovering her family’s past, the enduring legacy of resilient Polish women, and how their strength carried generations through times of hardship and change.
This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? The program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.

From Treaty to Trenches: Poland’s Path to Sovereignty (1918–1921)
2025-10-04 10:00 - 12:00
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Speaker: Professor Gordon Pueschner – MFA
Century College, White Bear Lake, MN
This presentation will cover what happened after the 1919 Paris Peace Accords, focusing on the rebirth of Poland and the challenges it faced in the years that followed. We’ll look at how the Treaty of Versailles helped restore Polish independence after more than a century of partition but left many questions—especially about Poland’s eastern borders—unresolved. Along the way, we’ll look at the often-overlooked Polish-Ukrainian War of 1918–1919 and how it set the stage for Poland’s bigger showdown with Soviet Russia in 1920. From diplomatic efforts to military conflicts like the Battle of Warsaw, this presentation will show how Poland fought to secure its place in a changing Europe—and how those early struggles shaped the region and laid the groundwork for future instability.”
This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both Zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? The program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.

Smaczne Jabłka (Apple Fest) - Winona
2025-10-05 11:00 - 16:00
The annual Smaczne Jabłka (Apple Fest), sponsored by the Kashubian Cultural Institute and Polish Museum, will be held at their Polish Museum site, located at 102 Liberty Street in Winona.
PGS-MN members will host a display table at this event, with information about our organization. Come join us in celebrating all things Kashubian!
If you are interested in helping with our display table at this event, contact us at pgsminnesota@gmail.com.

An Evening with Polish Cinema: Two Sisters
2025-10-14 18:00 - 20:00
The Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota (PACIM) is proud to present an exclusive screening of Dwie Siostry (Two Sisters), the newest film from acclaimed Polish director Łukasz Karwowski. This moving drama follows two sisters who, after years of separation, are drawn back together to face long-hidden family secrets. Blending personal conflict with universal themes of memory, reconciliation, and identity, the film offers a gripping glimpse into the depth and artistry of contemporary Polish cinema.
Two half-sisters, who have been in conflict for years, set off to Ukraine to pick up their seriously injured father. They travel by car, then by train, in the end – on foot. The world of war, bombarded houses and burnt down tanks is gradually revealed in front of their very eyes. Near Kharkiv they cross the frontline unawares and enter Russian-occupied territory. Will they manage to find their father? Is there a place for forgiveness and love in a world of war? What will this journey bring about?—Gdynia Film Festival
The screening will be followed by an open discussion, providing an opportunity to share impressions and reflect on the film’s themes together. The movie will be presented with English subtitles.
📍 Location: Landmark Center Auditorium, St. Paul, MN
Admission $10, sold at the time of the show.

North Star Conference - Charting Your Ancestral Course
2025-10-24 - 2025-10-25
The 18th Minnesota Genealogical Society’s North Star Conference early bird registration opens July 8, 2025.
The event will be held at the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway, Eagan, MN.
Included in the 2-day conference registration:

Presentations from featured speakers David Rencher and J. Fonkert
15 breakout sessions led by genealogy experts
Lunches both days
NEW THIS YEAR! Honors and Hors d’oeuvres – Friday early evening social and awards program
“Ask a Genealogist” panel
Vendors, door prizes, and more

There will be a pre-conference event with Irish expert David Rencher the afternoon of October 23rd at the Minnesota Genealogy Center. Sign up early, as space is limited for the pre-conference.
Find all the conference details on the North Star web site.
PGS-MN will have a table at this event.

Emigration between Countries and Pommern Ship History
2025-11-01 10:00 - 14:00
This is a joint program between the Polish Genealogical Society of MN and the Pommern Regional Group of MN.

Morning Program (10 AM – 12 PM)
Imigracja między krajami (Immigration Between Countries)
Speakers:
Alicia Byzewski, Member, PGS-MN
Jim Warzonek, President, PGS-MN
10 AM – 12 PM
The speakers will provide an overview of the experience of Polish immigration to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. There will be examples of advertisements that promoted the journey by ship, as well as questionnaires and forms that Polish emigrants were required to complete before starting their journey. It will include the cost and course of travel by ship, as well as the routes taken once they arrived in the United States.
In addition, the speakers will address what is involved for a United States citizen to become a Polish citizen. They will cover the required forms, cost, and language needs to obtain Polish dual citizenship for individuals with Polish ancestry.

There will be a lunch break from 12 PM – 12:45 PM
For those attending in person, a light lunch will be provided.

Afternoon Program (12:45 PM – 1:45 PM)
Dar Pomorza (Gift of Pommern)
Speaker:
Jim Neuenfeldt, President, Pommern Regional Group of MN (PRG)
Pommern – The translations refer to “The People by the Sea” to “Land South of the Baltic.” No matter which interpretation is used, Pommern’s relationship to the sea makes it appropriate to name ships related to Pommern-Pomerania.
One of the legendary ships is the Dar Pomorza – “Gift of Pommern,” Poland’s greatest sailing ship. The speaker will cover the different ships named after Pommern, with focus on the Dar Pomorza, its historic stories, and how it is still used today.

This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program.This program is free – attendees (both by Zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? The program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.
We hope you will join us!

Polish Soup Festival
2025-11-16 10:30 - 15:00
The Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota (PACIM) is hosting a Polish Soup Festival and invites anyone interested to attend. There will be a sampler of Bigos and traditional Polish Soups. You can also purchase soups in 32 oz. containers.
Location:
St. John Paul II School
1630 4th St. NE
Minneapolis, MN
For more information, contact PACIM at 612-384-0154.

2026 Program Meetings
2025-12-01 - 2026-12-31
Below are the titles for the 2026 Program Meetings. Keep checking back for more details.

March 7, 2026 – The Poznan Project and FamilySearch Marriage Records (Speaker: Terry Kita) – Now Available in the Program Meeting Archives
April 11, 2026 – Polish American Cultural Institute (PACIM) and Columbia Heights Sister City ProgramNow Available in the Program Meeting Archives
May 2, 2026 – Forged in Iron – A Minnesota Rusyn Immigrants Tale (Speaker: Mary Soroko)
September 12, 2026 – Operation Vistula (Speaker: Marge Runnako)
October 3, 2026 – Polish Food
November 7, 2026 – Kowalski Family (Speaker: Janet Mitchell)

Previous programs can be found in the Program Meeting Archives in the Members Only section of our website. We encourage you to watch the ones that interest you at your convenience.

PGS-MN Networking Groups
2026-01-01 - 2026-12-31
PGS-MN members have expressed an interest in meeting with other members who have similar ancestral backgrounds, both in Poland and in Minnesota.
As a result, we have established five networking groups (for members only), based on the MN areas where members currently live as well as the Missing Branches information (where members ancestors emigrated from in Poland and where they settled in MN). The participants in the five groups have found it to be a great networking opportunity with other members who have similar backgrounds.
The networking groups are held six times each year in the same months that our program meetings are held (March, April, May and September, October, November). All PGS-MN members are welcome to attend any of the groups. All of the groups determined that their meetings will be held by Zoom to provide the best access for all members, and evening hours were preferred.
One email at the beginning of each of the six months will be sent to all PGS-MN members. The email will include the Zoom links to all five networking groups that will take place in that month – all you have to do is click on the link for the meeting you are interested in on the date/time that is indicated for that group.
Below is the schedule for April:
SE Minnesota – facilitated by Karen Brill
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026 (2nd Monday of the month from 7-8:30 PM)
(primarily Winona and the Pine Creek, WI area)
Central Minnesota – facilitated by Mike Stodolka
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2026 (2nd Tuesday of the month)
(primarily Morrison, Benton, and Stearns Counties)
NE Minneapolis – facilitated by Connie Waldherr
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2026 (3rd Monday of the month)
(primarily Minneapolis and Anoka County)
NE Minnesota – facilitated by Mary Johnson
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2026 (3rd Tuesday of the month)
St. Paul – facilitated by Marijo McBride
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026 (4th Monday of the month)

We invite all PGS-MN members to join any groups of interest. No need to register – you can just show up on the Zoom call. Contact us at pgsminnesota@gmail.com for more information.

The Poznan Project and FamilySearch Marriage Records
2026-03-07 10:00 - 11:30
Speaker: Terry Kita, PGS-MN Past President
This program will combine information from two free online marriage record resources: The Poznan Project, and FamilySearch.
The Poznan Project originated in 2015, and is a compilation of all marriages between 1800-1899 in the Prussian Province of Poznan. Data includes parish name, date, names of groom and bride, and occasionally names of parents. Data was obtained from church books, and from civil records after a certain date.
FamilySearch records to be discussed are also digitized marriage records from Poznan. The records were written by the presiding priests, usually in Latin. The format of the records can vary from paragraph to tabular form. The speaker will also address ways to reveal additional family members through the FamilySearch site.
This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both Zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? The program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.

Introduction to PACIM and the Columbia Heights Sister City Organization
2026-04-11 10:00 - 12:00
This program will provide you with an overview of two organizations in the Twin Cities related to Polish culture.
PACIM (Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota) is a Polish-American cultural and language organization that has served Minnesota for over 40 years and is currently based at Landmark Center in St. Paul. It provides meaningful programming that promotes Polish culture, language, and history. It also builds connections across the Polish-American community through membership and partnerships with other cultural organizations, schools, churches, and individuals.
The Columbia Heights Sister City organization is based in Columbia Heights, MN. Its origin can be traced to the story of a Polish-American air force pilot who lost his life in WWII near the Polish city of Lomianki. The relationship between Columbia Heights and Lomianki has existed since 1991, and involves cultural, historical, as well as civic ties and exchanges.
This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both Zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? The program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.

Lake Minnetonka’s Polish Pioneer of the Plains - Frank Grygla
2026-05-01 12:00 - 13:00
This is not a PGS-MN event, but we are posting it since it is a Minnesota event related to Polish History –
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Speaker/Author: Carolyn H. Grygla
Location:
The Marsh in Minnetonka
15000 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
Learn about a Hero:

Escapee from a Russian death march in 1865 Siberia
Founder of Minneapolis’ first ironworks (Grygla & Selden)
1st Polish American on Lake Minnetonka (Breezy Point)
Pioneer leader of the PNA national fraternal group
Advocate for Native tribes in Alaska & New Mexico
Exposed a Russian spy & Minneapolis fraud
Helped settle Northwest MN
Represented Minnesota at the 1894 Lwow Exposition in Ukraine

There will be a book signing by the author after the presentation. There is no cost to attend, however, seating is limited. To register or for more information:
Email: secretary@polishmuseumwinona.org

Forged in Iron - A Minnesota Rusyn Immigrant’s Tale
2026-05-02 10:00 - 12:00
Speaker: Dr. Mary Soroko,
Retired College Educator and Consultant –
In 2015, the research staff of the MN Discovery Center in Chisholm, MN, asked the speaker for information on the Soroko family. The Center had just received the Soroko “location” home as a donation for their Glenn Location exhibit. Unlike the majority of these properties, the Soroko home survived because it was used as a hunting shack. The speaker knew very little about the family history and what began as an inquiry became a full-fledged research project, and eventually a book.
This program will be held in person at the Minnesota Genealogy Center, 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Mississippi Room, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120 as well as virtually by Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all PGS-MN members a few days before the program. Attendees (both Zoom and in-person) do not need to register in advance.
Not able to attend this event? The program will be recorded and available on the PGS-MN website (under Program Meeting Archives) about a week after the program is held.

Polish Cultural Center and Museum Webinar
2026-05-16 10:00 - 12:00
Using Polish Language Newspapers to Search for Ancestors and More –
While this is not a PGS-MN event, it is a Minnesota Polish event which we are posting for anyone who might be interested in attending via Zoom (there is no charge to attend) –
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Time: 10 am (CDT)
Speakers:
Jeff Turkowski, Kashubian American Historian and Genealogist
Julie Roberts Szczepankiewicz, Polish Genealogical Society of New York State
This program will be live at the Polish Culture Center and Museum in Winona, MN as well as by Zoom.
For more information or to obtain Zoom link:
info@polishmuseumwinona.org
507-454-3431
