William Penn Life, 2008 (43. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2008-11-01 / 11. szám
Branch 129 Columbus, OH by Árpád Sibrik A nip of fall is in the air, and the leaves have changed to their beautiful colors, letting us know that summer has said good-bye until next year. Several branch members went to the WPA Picnic-A Great Fraternal Fest at Penn Scenic View in September, thanks to Mike Boso and his beautiful motorhome. We all had a great time, had lots of good Hungarian food and enjoyed the good Hungarian music. Thanks again, Mike. Mark your calendars for Dec. 13. On that day our branch will have its beautiful family Christmas party featuring all the famous Hungarian foods and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus for the children. The party will be held at the same place as last year, in Grove City, Ohio. You can read more about the party in a letter that will be sent to our members this month. We hope you and your family will attend. We will have a special branch meeting on Dec. 10 during which we will elect officers for the coming year. The meeting will be held at the Hungarian Reformed Church beginning at 7:00 p.m. Please come and join us. The Hungarian Cultural Club held a dinner marking the 52nd anniversary of Hungary's fight for freedom in 1956. The dinner featured breaded pork and all the trimmings. The Club also has beautiful Hungarian T-shirts for sale. For your life insurance and annuity needs, please call Árpád Sibrik at 614-231-8024 or write to him at 645 S. Kellner Road, Columbus, OH 43209. Next Deadline November 14 Branch News Branch 226 McKeesport, PA by Leslie F. Petras How fast the world turns with summer over and the autumn season in full swing. It was a great summer, and there was a bit of Indian summer with us as this was being written. In August, the City of McKeesport held its 47th International Village, attracting more than 30,000 visitors over three beautiful summer days. The International Village brings food, music, crafts and rides with all nationalities from the area being represented. The biggest attraction is the food, and this year the menu offered tastes from 17th ethnic groups. The Free Hungarian Reformed Church of McKeesport has represented the Hungarian community over these many years, offering kolbász, stuffed cabbage, palacsinta, haluski and a large variety of baked goods. They sell out every year. Live entertainment is presented every night by the varied ethnic groups, including an annual performance by the William Penn Association Magyar Folk Dancers. They put on a great show. This group practices at the Free Hungarian Reformed Church of McKeesport under trainer Mrs. Daniel Borsay. They perform each year at several personal care facilities, including Riverside and Sycamore Estates, and danced at the Pittsburgh Folk Festival. The group was founded as the McKeesport Magyar Folk Dancers and practiced at the McKeesport Hungarian Club through the 1980's under the direction of the late Betty Király. The dancers performed locally and in festivals in Ohio and New Jersey and at the Pontozo in St. Catherines, Ontario. The group also sponsored a well-attended Pontozo at the McKeesport campus of Penn State in 1985. In 1987, the William Penn Association gave financial support for an international Pontozo at the University of Pittsburgh. This dance group performed annually at the Bethlen Home in Ligonier, Pa., and at the Pittsburgh Folk Festival. It is heartwarming to see this tradition live on under the WPA banner. Many of those original dancers are still members of the WPA, and their children are now insured through the WPA and a few are performing with the WPA Magyar Folk Dancers. Branch 226 President Malvene Heyz has been with the group since its founding and remains active. Her son Ricky and daughter Malvene Harris performed for many years, and now her granddaughters are learning the dance traditions. It was said then the folk dancers represented some of our best Hungarian ethnic qualities and characteristics. That still holds true today. May they dance happily for many years to come. Regretably, I was unable to attend the WPA Picnic at Penn Scenic View and missed seeing many friends and acquaintances. I also missed tasting the Hungarian specialties, especially the gulyás cooked outdoors in the huge kettles. Several of my fellow parishioners made it to the picnic for the first time and gave a glowing report. It was another great success, and many thanks go out to the volunteers for their time and effort. The McKeesport Hungarian Club held its annual Grape Harvest Dance on Oct. 11. As always, it was an enjoyable evening featuring great food, refreshments, music and dancing. Arrangements for our annual family Christmas party are being finalized. We will notify members by mail very soon. Congratulations to all our members celebrating birthdays or anniversaries this month. We also extend get well wishes to all our ailing members, especially Dr. Victor Molnár, who for many years hosted a Hungarian program on a local radio station. We were all sadden by the passing of Gay Banes, who served the WPA for many years. We lost a friend and a true fratemalist. Our condolences and prayers also 22 William Penn Life, November 2008
