Downtown Wilno on Kashub Day 2018 Photo: Sharon Gardiner
The Wilno Heritage Society celebrated its 20-year anniversary last Saturday with the annual Kashub Day Festival at Wilno Heritage Park. Guests enjoyed non-stop entertainment from 11 a.m. until after sundown. The annual celebration commemorates pioneer ancestors and helps keep the unique Polish Kashub cultural heritage alive in the Valley. On Kashub Day everyone is welcome in Wilno thanks to a vast army of volunteers and helpers. Every Kashub Day brings enjoyment for the crowd of festival-goers but for core volunteers of the Wilno Heritage Society it is the first day of preparations for next year’s event. The Current salutes the volunteers in the Valley who make the first Saturday of May so much fun for all.
Food is where everyone goes first. You’re likely to be greeted by Ursula Jeffrey and her many helpers.
Left: Carol Chippior, Ursula Jeffrey Centre: Busy kitchen staff Right: Ursula Jeffrey, Pauline Walsh Photo: Sharon Gardiner
The barbecue is a big favourite, as is the drinks tent organized by Teenie Mask with many helpers including Viola Cybulski.
Left: Pat Borutski, Owen Cuddy, Andy Borutski, Debbie Peplinskie Centre: Teenie Mask Right: Viola Cybulski C/R Photos: Sharon Gardiner
Kashub Day is famous for its non-stop live music. For many years volunteers such as the Stoppa Lake Melodiers have performed, often playing two sets like they did this year. Ray Kutchkoskie (second from right, below) gives an Honourable Mention to the late Great Brent Quade, who was an original member of the Stoppa Lake Melodiers. Says Kutchkoskie,
Brent died a few years ago but he was a valuable, talented member of the band and would have been there Saturday if he could.
From left: Ray Chapeskie, Michael Summers, John Yaskolskie, Ray Kutchkoskie, Dominic Babinskie Photo: Sharon Gardiner
More volunteers that help make Kashub Day a success:
(Left) Marilyn McMillan and Colleen McMillan Photo: Sharon Gardiner
Polish Kashub Heritage Museum Curator, Shirley Mask Connolly (front)
shares a moment with Theresa Prince Photo: Sharon Gardiner
Always ready to give credit to the many volunteers who make Kashub Day a success are Past President David Shulist (below left) and Wilno Heritage Society President Peter Glofcheskie (shown right with Beverly Glofcheskie, also a volunteer).
The next Kashub Day Festival will be held on the first Saturday of May 2019.
Editor’s note: The Honourable Mention comment above was originally attributed to the wrong Melodier. Apologies for any confusion.
