1Designating the month of October 2014 as "Polish American
2Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, This year marks the 405th anniversary of Polish
4settlers arriving in the United States of America; and

5WHEREAS, People of Polish heritage will mark the 234th
6anniversary of the death of General Casimir Pulaski, father of
7the American cavalry, and the 102nd anniversary of Marie
8Sklodowska Curie's receipt of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for
9her discovery of radioactive elements polonium and radium; and

10WHEREAS, People of Polish heritage have contributed greatly
11to global advancement and advancement of the United States and
12Pennsylvania in particular in the 405 years since the first
13Polish immigrants settled here; and

14WHEREAS, People of Polish heritage have demonstrated
15exceptional skills in the fields of acting, accounting, art,
16dentistry, education, engineering, entertainment, general labor,
17government, law, literature, management, mathematics, medicine,

1the military, music, philosophy, poetry, sports and many other
2endeavors; and

3WHEREAS, Polish people are recognized for their strong work
4ethic and outstanding achievements; and

5WHEREAS, Polish notables include Ignacy Jan Paderewski, one
6of the most famous and popular pianists of all time and an
7advocate for Polish freedom, who was born 153 years ago in
8Warsaw and who died in 1941 in New York City; and

9WHEREAS, Other Polish notables include Revolutionary War
10heroes Casimir Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciuszko; Leopold
11Stokowski, a renowned international conductor; Zbigniew
12Brzezinski, National Security Advisor to President Carter; and
13Edmund Muskie, a United States Senator from Maine; and

14WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians of Polish heritage have made many
15contributions to our nation; and

16WHEREAS, These Pennsylvanians include Cardinal John Krol of
17Philadelphia, baseball great Stan Musial of Donora and singer
18Bobby Vinton of Canonsburg; and

19WHEREAS, The Polish people have many reasons to be proud of
20and to celebrate their heritage, culture and the achievements of
21their people; and

22WHEREAS, All Pennsylvanians are grateful for the many
23contributions of Poland and its citizens to our Commonwealth;
24therefore be it

25RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of October 2014
26as "Polish American Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania.