Program Meeting Archives 2026
We hold six Program Meetings each year, with a varied mix of topics to meet our members’ needs. Below are links to recordings to 2026 programs. Email questions or suggestions for future topics to: pgsminnesota@gmail.com
2026
November 7, 2026
Kowalski Family
Speaker: Janet Mitchell
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October 3, 2026
Polish Food
Speaker:
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September 12, 2026
Operation Vistula
Speaker: Marge Runnako
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May 2, 2026
Forged in Iron: A Minnesota Rusyn Immigrant’s Tale
Speaker: Mary Soroko
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April 11, 2026
PACIM and Columbia Heights Sister Program
Speakers: Gloria Bergstom and Mietek T Konczyk
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.
March 7, 2026
The Poznań Project and FamilySearch Marriage Records
Speaker: Terry Kita, PGS-MN Past President
This program combines 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.
Below is an article from the Summer 2025 PGS-MN Newsletter about how to use the FamilySearch website.