October Events - Including, but not Limited to, PULASKI DAYS!

Fall is here and Pulaski Days are just DAYS away at this point!  We are looking forward to seeing not only our members but the general public come in and see what the Polish heritage is all about!  We have a great menu lined up through Three Men and a Grill, including the famous Polito, along with plenty of other Polish options.  We also have some fantastic bands ready to entertain us and music from our very own DJ Shane!  There will be a LOT going on October 6 through October 9 - the attached flyer has more information on all of the festivities!

Here are some other events to be aware of for October:

Tuesday, October 11 at 7:30p.m.:  Men's Monthly Meeting.  All current men members are requested to attend the monthly meeting.

Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00p.m.:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting.  All current ladies members are requested to attend the monthly meeting.

Wednesday, October 19 at 6:30p.m.:  Paint Night!  ANYONE is welcome to join us for our next paint night, hosted by Hearts for the Arts.  Pre-registration is required and can be done at the following link: http://www.hearts4thearts.com/signup/oct-19th-private-party-polish-falcons.  The art will be "Create Your Own Bottle Opener" - a 9"x12" piece done on wood.  Attendees can choose a "Drink Local," "Beer City," or Polish Falcons logo design.  Please bring a dish to pass and get ready to have a wonderful night full of art, socializing, and fun!  Cost is $30 per person. 

Thursday, October 20 at 7:30p.m.:  Century Club begins!  Members are welcome to join in on Century Club, which begins October 20 and lasts for 20 weeks (ending with a fun pizza party).  This is a great way to break up the winter!

** SPOTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE ** for our Michigan City shopping/casino bus trip!  Cost is $40 per person.  ANYONE is welcome to attend - you do not have to be a member.  Please contact Elena at E26lane@sbcglobal.net with any questions or to sign up.

Finally, have you received our quarterly newsletter?  This was sent to our members mid-September.  If you have not received this, please contact us at grfalcons@gmail.com to make sure your current email address is on our list!

Make it a great October everyone!

It is hard to believe that summer is nearing an end!  School is starting, football is right around the corner, and things are picking back up at the Polish Falcons!  Summertime is usually quieter around the club because members have so many other things going on.  We have had a few fun events happen, including:  Burrito Night, the Tigers bus trip on Polish-American night, a pancake breakfast, the annual golf outing, and the men's Tigers bus trip.  A lot of these events were summarized in our July newsletter, and hopefully you have had an opportunity to read about them (if you were not able to attend).

September is just a couple of days away and we wanted to give you a snapshot of the month's events.  They are as follows:

Wednesday, September 7 at 7:00p.m.:  Social Committee Meeting.  All members are encouraged to attend - these meetings focus on brainstorming ideas for events at the club and working to host different activities.  We know your time is valuable, and participation in these meetings count toward annual volunteer hours. 

Saturday, September 10 at 12:00p.m.:  5th Annual Westside Polka Crawl.  OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!  Attendees should arrive to the club around noon and the walk will begin at 1:00p.m.  We have six destinations: Polish Falcons, Jackson Street Hall, Joey's Tavern, Putt Putt's Bar, Laddie's Hall, and Kosciuszko Hall.  Following the stops, everyone will head back to the Falcons where we will have some light refreshments (and of course, more drinks). 

Saturday, September 10 at 6:00p.m.:  Live Music by the 6 Pak.  OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!  This falls on the evening of the polka crawl!  We will have food available for purchase.  There is NO cover and donations will be accepted at the door. 

Sunday, September 11 at 4:00p.m.:  Lions Season Opener Watch Party.  Members and guests.  Come on down and start the season on a good note or shake off your hangover from the previous day's bar crawl! Game starts at 4:25 PM against the Indianapolis Colts!  Hot dogs will be provided; please bring a snack to share.  There will be an exclusive Lions drink made by our own guest bartender for this special event that you won't want to miss.

Tuesday, September 13 at 7:30p.m.:  Combined Members Meeting.  In lieu of the men's monthly meeting, a combined members meeting will be held for all men members and ladies auxiliary members.  Details regarding Pulaski Days will be discussed during this time.

Tuesday, September 20 at 7:00p.m.:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting.  Reminder - raffle tickets are due on this night so please be sure to bring them.

Sunday, September 25 from 8:30a.m. to 12:00p.m.  Pancake Breakfast.  Join us for another pancake breakfast, including pancakes, potato pancakes, eggs, sausage, ham, toast, and beverages.  All you can eat for just $6.  All are welcome - bring the family!

Thursday, October 6 - Sunday, October 9:  PULASKI DAYS!!  This needs no further description - we will see you for our favorite weekend of the year at the club!  A flyer is attached with more specific information on the events.

A Quick Look Into Events!

We have had a lot of fun in the past month - from the children's Easter party, to the Building Re-dedication party, the Tigers Opening Day party and the Century Club celebration.  We hope you have had an opportunity to join us for some, if not all, of these events!  Here are some photos of the fun! 

Here are some other dates to remember in April:

Tuesday, April 12 - Men's Monthly Meeting at 7:30pm.

Sunday, April 17 - Tigers Paint Day (painting starts at 1p, Tigers game is at 2p) - registration is required for painting (deadline is Friday!) - http://www.hearts4thearts.com/signup/apr-17th-polish-falcons-society.

Tuesday, April 19 - Ladies Monthly Meeting at 7:00pm.

Friday, April 22 - Ed Wright's Burrito Night (evening).

March & April Events!

Happy March everyone!  We are getting closer to spring and are starting to get busier at the club!  We wanted to remind you of some of the great events that are coming up.  Be sure to mark your calendars.  Please share this information with anyone who might not have access to this blog or with anyone who might be interested.  Unless otherwise noted, all events are open to members and guests!

March

Thursday, March 3 (today):  Potluck at 7:00 p.m. (these are done on the first Thursday of the month)

Tuesday, March 8:  Men's Monthly Meeting - 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 11:  Family Night - family friendly movie will be starting around 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 15:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 19:  Build-a-Burger - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!  Dinner starts at 5:00 p.m. - come hungry!  There are a LOT of toppings to choose from.  Music will be provided by DJ Shane.

Sunday, March 20:  Kid's Easter Party from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Members' kids and grandkids are more than welcome - a sign up sheet for attendance is available at the club!  Please see the flyer below.



April

Friday, April 1:  Building Rededication Party - come join us to see the progress on the building and see who the lucky raffle winners are!

Wednesday, April 6:  Social Committee Meeting at 7:00 p.m.  All interested members are encouraged to participate to work on various club events and brainstorm new ideas. 

Friday, April 8:  Tigers Opening Day Party!  Club opens at 12:00 p.m. and the Tigers v. Yankees game starts at 1:00 p.m.  We will have $2 hot dogs/nachos available as well as drink specials for the day.  Might as well leave work early and celebrate baseball season!

Tuesday, April 12:  Men's Monthly Meeting at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 17:  Paint Day - A sign-up will be posted soon as will be further information on registration.

Tuesday, April 19:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, April 22:  Ed Wright's Burrito Night - Dinner starts at 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 30:  Chicago bus trip - $50/person.  Open to ALL members!  Space is still available but is limited.  Please contact Elena at e26lane@sbcglobal.net for more information.



Stay tuned.. we will be having a Tigers raffle on May 10.  Tickets will be available soon.  There are some great top prizes and you will not want to miss this!

If you have any questions on these events, please feel free to comment below.  Otherwise, more information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/polish.auxiliary/.  The main email for Polish Falcons is grfalcons@gmail.com. 

Great Times at Paint Night!

We have been having a fun month at the Falcons!  So far, a highlight was our Paint Night, which was on February 3.  Our wonderful instructor Shannon from Hearts for the Arts led our group of 35 attendees to painting success.  We have another paint night on the radar and this time the picture will be an old English D (just in time for Tigers season).  More details are on our Facebook page.

We are always looking for more pictures from our various events and activities - if you have any photos you would like to share, please post them to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/polish.auxiliary) or email them to grfalcons@gmail.com.  

Fun Events in 2016!

Happy New Year Polish Falcons members!  We hope that 2016 brings you health and happiness!

Note:  We had a couple of changes to make - these are in blue.

There are a lot of wonderful events coming up at the Polish Falcons. The Communications Committee has created a new email address that will be used to provide updates/reminders for the club.  The email address is grfalcons@gmail.com.  Please let us know ASAP if you are not receiving these emails!  If you know of anyone that would like to be added to this distribution list, please email or comment below.  The committee sent out the first of our quarterly newsletters at the beginning of the year - hopefully you have received this!  Paper copies are available at the club.

Now, onto the fun events - please mark your calendars!

THIS SATURDAY, January 16:  Euchre Night!  This begins at 6:30pm and is $10 per person.  If you are interested, stop on down!  Please contact Elena Chaidez at E26lane@sbcglobal.net.    Please bring a dish to share!

Tuesday, January 19 at 7:30pm:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting.

Sunday, January 24:  Bowling Tournament - there is room for 6 more participants - please contact Lavina at the club ASAP to secure your space. Thank you to those who are participating and enjoy!

Wednesday, February 3 at 7:00pm:  Social Committee Meeting - all members are invited and encouraged to join this committee.

Wednesday, February 3:  The Ladies are hosting Paint Night where we will be painting a Michigan themed picture on wooden pallets.  Since this is an instructed class, SPACE IS LIMITED TO 35 PARTICIPANTS - please sign up at this link to confirm your spot!  http://www.hearts4thearts.com/february.html.  The cost is $35 per person.  Bring a dish to share!  This class is open to ALL members and guests.

Tuesday, February 9 at 7:00pm:  Men's Monthly Meeting

Tuesday, February 16 at 7:00pm:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting

Friday, February 26 at 5:30pm:  The Falcons is hosting a group event at the Grand Rapids Griffins!  Since this is a Friday night, there will be $2 beer and $2 hot dog specials there.  The cost is $15 per person (reduced group rate).  A sign-up sheet is available at the club.  Payment is due by Thursday, February 11 - checks may be made to Stephanie Hecksel and an envelope for payment is available behind the bar.  This is for members and guests - the more the merrier!  We will be meeting at the club around 5:30pm to pick up tickets and leaving around 6:30pm for the game.  Please contact Stephanie with any questions - Stephanie.hecksel@gmail.com. 

Sunday, February 28 from 9:00am to 1:00pm:  Falcons breakfast!  Please join us during this time for breakfast - this is also a great volunteer opportunity for members who are looking to contribute!  The Ladies Auxiliary will provide more details on this as we get closer. 

Tuesday, March 8 at 7:00pm:  Men's Monthly Meeting

Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00pm:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting

Saturday, March 19 (evening):  Build-a-Burger!  Many of you know the drill - there will be burgers and PLENTY of toppings to choose from.

Sunday, March 20 (mid-morning):  Children's Easter Party

Friday, April 8 (afternoon):  Tigers Opening Day Party!  Please join us as we celebrating the beginning of the Tigers season!

Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00pm:  Men's Monthly Meeting

Tuesday, April 19 at 7:00pm:  Ladies Auxiliary Monthly Meeting

Saturday, April 30:  Chicago Bus trip!  Please contact Elena for details and to reserve your space.  This is open to ALL members.

Friday, April 22 (evening):  Burrito Night!  We will be having our member Eddie Wright's famous burritos - members and guests welcome!

Friday, May 20 (afternoon):  Polish American Night at the Tigers - more details will be coming about this fun bus trip to the Tigers game.


That's all for now - we will keep you posted as we have updates and more events.  As always, the club is open on Tuesday through Saturday from 4:00pm to 10:00pm.  Buckets of (domestic) beer are available for $9 all day every day (except during special events).  Stop on down and bring a friend - show off what the club is all about!

Please be sure to like us on Facebook as we post a lot of updates there:  https://www.facebook.com/polish.auxiliary/. 

Thank you and see you soon at the club!

Renovations & Meeting

Renovations to the siding have officially begun!  As a reminder, there is a special meeting for ALL members tomorrow, December 8 at 7:30pm (in lieu of the men's monthly meeting).  We are encouraging every member from the men's group and the ladies' auxiliary to attend as important information regarding the building renovations will be discussed.  Please try to attend if at all possible.  Because of the construction, parking is not available around the building temporarily.

We hope to see you all tomorrow!  Please feel free to comment below or email polishfalconsladies@gmail.com if there are any questions.  Thank you!

Holiday Season!

Believe it or not, holiday season is here!  We have had a lot of fun decorating the hall, even if we chose the one snowy day to do so.  We also had a great party the night before Thanksgiving.  Here are some pictures to share.  Members, stop on down to the club to check out the decorations, grab a bucket of beer, and just relax!  Again, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 4:00pm to 10:00pm.

PARKING & MEETING!

Please share with those who may not have access to the blog, email, or Facebook.  Also, if you do not receive email updates and would like to have your email address added, please send a message to grfalcons@gmail.com with "Add Me" in the subject line.

A quick note on parking... Beginning Monday, November 30, 2015 there will be no parking at the Polish Falcons facility.  This includes in front of the doors of the garage to the north of our building on Lane. There will be construction workers, equipment including scaffolding, tools, materials and dumpsters on-site. This process could last until the new year. Please find alternate parking locations so that you do not interfere with the construction process or potentially cause damage.

For those who did not receive this email, please see below - there is a special meeting coming up on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:30 p.m.  Attendance is very important for all members!

A short recap of our mandatory joint meeting in Aug. of this year, the membership that was present (64 male members, and 20 Women’s auxiliary members)  made a very clear statement to the Board that they wanted to save the current building and wanted us to proceed with the exterior repairs that were required by The City of Grand Rapids.

Your Board has been pursuing this goal and has gotten the approval from the City, to have installed, cement board siding. We have purchased the materials and have entered into a contract with a professional siding contractor to have the product installed.

The cost of this project has greatly exceeded our original projections of $35,000 - $40,000.00. The current projected cost is $55,000.00.

Our current financial situation will allow us to pay $40,000.00 towards this cost. This will leave approx. $20,000.00 for operating costs which is the absolute minimum we need to keep our club functional.

We have asked the Women’s Auxiliary to contribute to this cause as well.

WE ARE CRITICALLY SHORT OF FUNDS. YOUR CLUB NEEDS YOUR HELP.

The Board is now asking for your financial support to cover this shortfall.

Please attend this meeting with an open mind and financial support. (Early payment of dues will be appreciated). We are required by The City of Grand Rapids to complete this project, and you have expressed your desire to do the same. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD FOR THE FUTURE OF THE POLISH FALCONS AID SOCIETY.

  

Sincerely,

The Polish Falcon’s Board of Directors

Important Updates!

Happy Wednesday!  We hope that you are enjoying this sunny fall day.  Even more importantly, we want to take a moment on Veteran's Day today to thank all of those who have served and sacrificed for our country and for our freedom.

Here are a few updates to pass along:

1.  We are now closed on Mondays.  The regular club hours are now:

Tuesday through Saturday

4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

 Additional updates will be provided if the club is open outside of these hours for an event.  See #2!

 

2.  We will be open this Sunday, November 15 at 12:30 p.m for the Lions game.  Per the usual, we will have the $3 Bloody Mary bar and $3 mimosas along with all of your other favorite beverages. This is always a fun time, especially for those who may not be out hunting are looking to do something to do on a Sunday afternoon!

3.  Did you know we now have Buckets of Beer?  That's right!  Buckets include 5 domestic beers for $9 and are available ALL DAY EVERYDAY (with the exception of special events).  Buckets can be mix and match, so they are great to split with friends who have other domestic beer preferences.  

Here is a reminder of our upcoming events - be sure to mark your calendars and let your friends know as well!

• Pre-Thanksgiving Day Dance - November 25 - OPEN  TO THE PUBLIC!
• Ladies' Board Elections - December 6 (for current Ladies Auxiliary members)
• Children's Christmas Party - December 13
• Club Members Christmas Party - December 18
• Euchre Tournament - January 16
• Bowling Tournament - January 24
• Build-a-Burger - March 19
• Children's Easter Party - March 20
• Tigers Home Opener Party - April 8
• Chicago Shopping Bus Trip - April 30

•     Note:  Chicago trip is open to anyone; more information to be provided soon!

    Please share this information with those who may not have Internet access!  We look forward to seeing you at the Falcons!

THANK YOU to our Sponsors!

We would like to a moment to recognize and send out a THANK YOU to our wonderful sponsors for Pulaski Days.  Every year, the Pulaski Days celebration continues to be a success and we greatly appreciate your generosity!

Food Sponsor - $1,000

Three Men and a Grill

Platinum Sponsor - $500

Micron Manufacturing, Mike Preston (member)
Martin L. Rogalski PC, Marty Rogalski (member)

Gold Sponsor - $250

Powell Moving, Lorna Powell (auxiliary member)
Kaczmarski Hearing, Beckie Kaczmarski
John & Ann Kamyszek (member)

Silver Sponsor - $100

Custom Caulking
Bob & Char Czarnecki (members)
Swift Printing, Walt Gutowski (member)

Friend of the Falcons (keg sponsor) - $50

John Theisen Family (member)
Wysocki & Rooney Families (members)
Greg Herda Family (member)
Jeff Danhof (member)
The Stella's (members)
Mr. Hair, Ken Kloostra (member)
Mark Robinson & Bob Devereaux Families (members)
Mike & Mary Uzarski (member)
Arsulowicz Eye Care (member)
Polish Falcons Ladies Auxiliary (2)
Bob & Cheri Wojcik (member)
Lavina Phelps Family (auxiliary member)
Kroon and Mitchell, Phil Mitchell (member)
Gary Vachon (member)

Halloween Party - Open to the Public!

 

Lions Football in October

Whew!  We hope everyone has had a little recovery time since Pulaski Days - what a wonderful four days filled with Polish food, drinks, and fun!  The Polish Falcons would like to thank all of the members that so kindly volunteered their time to make sure it was a success.

And speaking of success... Lions season is officially underway!  Maybe they are not off to a great start, but it is still fun to root for them and hope for the best!  What might make that even more fun is a BLOODY MARY BAR and MIMOSAS!  The Polish Falcons will be open for the Lions games listed below and will have $3 build-your-own Bloody Marys and $3 mimosas.  All of your other favorite refreshments will also be available per the usual.  Remember, this is open to members and guests, so bring a friend down to watch the game!  Hot dogs will be provided.  Please feel free to bring a dish or a snack to pass if you would like to do so!  We look forward to seeing you to cheer on the Lions for the following Sunday games:

Sunday, October 11:  4:00 p.m. vs. Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, October 18:  1:00 p.m. vs. Chicago Bears
Sunday, October 25:  1:00p.m. vs. Vikings

** UPDATE:  For this weekend's game (October 11), (spiked) hot apple cider will also be available!

PULASKI DAYS!

Can you believe it?! It is already Pulaski week 2015!  Falcons is excited to have another great weekend of fun coming up.  We are open for Thirsty Thursday and then will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday per the usual.  Food will be served by Three Men and a Grill - they will have the Polish dinner plate, kielbasa sandwiches, kapusta burgers, pierogis, and the newly trademarked but always delicious POLITO (and WET POLITO for those who like to take something fantastic and top it with whiskey bacon sauce!)  We will have polka bands as well as our very own DJ SHANE providing the entertainment for the weekend.  Both the upstairs and downstairs are open to the public!  Even better, the parade is on Saturday, October 3 and is being held on the west side of town this year.  We will be happy to see you, whether it's Thursday night after work, Friday during the lunchtime, Saturday night out, or any and ALL times that we are open.  Get ready to enjoy the best weekend of the year!

Just a note, food will be served: 

Thursday, October 1:  5:00p - 11:00p
Friday, October 2 & Saturday, October 3:  11:00a - 11:00p
Sunday, October 4:  12:00p - 5:00p

Updates and Sponsorship Opportunities!

Happy Thursday!  As a reminder, the 4th Annual Westside Polka Crawl is in TWO days.  There are over 150 signed up for this extremely fun day - more people are welcome to join!  If you and your friends would like to participate, please join us!  The cost is $20/person.  There will be some extra t-shirts available but remember they are first come, first serve.  We will have different prizes as well as a "Show us your Selfie" competition on our Facebook page - details will be provided at the crawl.  Also, the club is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC on Saturday.  If you are not able to make the crawl itself but are looking for something fun to do in the evening, stop on by!  We will have the GPS polka band playing, starting around 5:00 p.m., and we encourage you to stop on by and enjoy the night. 

It is hard to believe that it is almost that time of year again - Pulaski Days are right around the corner!  We have sponsorships available this year at several different levels.  This is a great opportunity to get your name or your business out to a large group of people.  Please contact John at john.theisen@comcast.net or Bob at bodever1@comcast.net to see what options are available.  

Open Today!

Falcons is open now - come on down for some football and cold beverages! Go Lions!

4th Annual Westside Polka Crawl

Hi everyone!  Just a reminder that the Westside Polka Crawl is two weeks from today!  Be sure to sign up at the Falcons to guarantee your spot and your shirt.  This has always been a lot of fun and is a great way to support the Falcons and other west side businesses.   Here is a look back on some of the years past - enjoy!

Polish Festival This Weekend

Don't forget that the Polish Festival is happening this weekend - August 28, 29, and 30!  This is held at Rosa Parks Circle and will have plenty of food, drinks, bands, and other entertainment.  Please visit http://www.polishheritagesociety.com/ for more information and enjoy celebrating the Polish culture here in Grand Rapids!

Annual Tailgater Success

Saturday's Annual Tailgater was a success!  Thank you to those of you who were able to make it!  We got to enjoy a LOT of very tasty food as well as some drinks and some camaraderie. 

 

Mark your Calendars!

Polish Falcons Members,

We have a lot of exciting events happening soon - please mark your calendars for the following:

THIS SATURDAY, August 22 at 5:00 p.m.:  Annual Tailgater.  Be sure to bring a dish to pass and something to thrown on the grill or in the deep fryer.  We are gearing up for football season - wear your colors for your favorite high school, college, or NFL team.  Rain or shine!

August 28 - August 30:   Polish Festival (Rosa Parks Circle)

September 19:  Annual Westside Polka Crawl - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!  Cost is $15 per person before September 11 and includes a shirt, drink ticket, and novelty item.  Sign up sheets are located at the Polish Falcons.  Call (616) 774-8495 with any questions.

October 1 - October 4:  Pulaski Days.  The Pulaski Days parade will be held on Saturday, October 3 on the west side of town.

October 31:  Halloween Bash with live entertainment by the 6 Pak.  Open to members and guests.

November 25:  Thanksgiving Eve celebration.

December 5:  Ladies Michigan City Bus Trip - casino & shopping.  Call Elena at (616) 723-6326 or email E26lane@sbcglobal.net for more information and to register.
December 13:  Annual Children's Christmas Party - open to members' children and/or grandchildren.

December 18:  Club Christmas Party - open to members.

 

More details for these events will be posted as we get closer.  Please feel free to comment below with any questions.  Hope to see you out and about at one or all of these fantastic celebrations!