George Baranowski and John Evans must have received an abundance of good wishes while sharing their oplatek wafer during their Christmas Eve wigilia dinner last holiday season.
The traditional Polish custom is to break apart the sacred wafer and share it across the table, wishing everyone the best for the following year.
Both were honored this month by the Indiana Division of the Polish American Congress, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate commitment to family, faith, democracy, hard work and fulfillment of the American dream.
"My mom was overjoyed," Baranowski said. "To have her son get a meritorious award - she was dancing - speaking broken English and just having the greatest time."
The organization represents about 10 million Americans of Polish descent and origin and is a federation of more than 3,000 Polish-American organizations and clubs.
Baranowski's mom, Janina, 83, was from Warsaw and his dad, Mieczyslaw, who is deceased, was from Krakow. They moved to East Chicago in 1950 and to Hammond after George was born.
Baranowski, 51, of Schererville, is an Allstate Insurance agency owner and a Lake Central School Corp. board member. He has held a variety of public offices and been active in many charitable and community-based organizations.
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., celebrated Baranowski's contributions by reading a history of his achievements on the House floor.
"To be recognized by your own peer and ethnic group is a big deal in the Polish community," Baranowski said. "They want to see people do good things. It's a great honor."
Evans, 50, is the choir director and organist at St. Stanislaus in East Chicago. He lives in Miller Beach where as a teen he began his music career playing every weekend at Wilson's Restaurant and Lounge.
Today, he and his choir play primarily for church events. He also produced a CD of church songs in Polish and English.
His mom Eleanor, 74, lives in New Chicago. Her parents immigrated from Wadowice, where Pope John Paul II was born.
His two sisters sing alto and soprano and his brother sings tenor in the choir.
"We've got it all covered," Evans said. "That's how I got my love of music. My mom always sang as a soloist and the nuns played the organ. As a kid, she'd teach me parts.
"I remember washing dishes and going on my fingers ‘hallelujah.' I was an altar boy and always wanted to play the organ. When I was 10, my parents bought one and I started taking lessons. The nuns left, I started to play and one thing led to another."
The Polish American Congress also recognized the Pulaski Citizens Club which was influential in naming a part of Interstate 65 Gen. Casimir Pulaski Highway and renaming a North Hammond park as Pulaski Park.
