Mary Stanek

Mary Stanek

Polish Easter traditions are cherished

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By Mary Stanek

Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon

3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394

“If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street, if you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat. Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman.” – the Beatles.

Yes, the taxman is knocking on our doors this weekend.

MaryStanek 1

Mary Stanek

On a better note: Happy Easter to all. I’m sure a few of us have visited the Polish delis in the neighborhood for the delicious sausage, ham, horseradish, lamb butter and blessing bread. On April 16, blessing of this food (Swieconka) will take place at St. Richard Church at 10 and 11 a.m., and at St. Bruno Church at noon and 1 p.m. This blessing is one of the most beloved traditions of the Polish community.

Thanks to the St. Turibius Parish St. Vincent de Paul Society members, and parishioners for the hard work they continue doing. Many hands, including some neighborhood youth, were on deck to help with the Easter food distribution preparation.

St. Bruno and St. Richard School campuses will be having an open house on May 1 from 10 a.m. to noon. If you are interested in Pre K through 3rd grade, tour the St. Bruno campus, 4839 S. Harding. The 4th through 8th grade tour is at the St. Richard campus, 5025 S. Kenneth.

It’s that time of year for garage sales. I see so many pop-up sales in the neighborhood. Tables are set out on sidewalks with the merchandise for sale. But a permit is required. Permits can be obtained at your alderman’s office.

April 23 is police Beat 822’s Earth Day cleanup. The vacant lot by the train tracks at 3502 W. 55th St. will be the target area. If you would like to help, you need to register at tinyurl.com/2s48tkap no later than Monday, April 18.

Daffodils are blooming at the Peck Panther Patch, and new bird feeders have been installed. I bought some daylily bulbs from the Rural King, to plant there. I was told by a clerk at the Rural King that bulbs can be planted in any month that has an r in it. That could be an old wives’ tale; but if not, I only have a few more weeks left in April to plant, before May gets here.

Happy Birthday on the 17th to my dear friend, Pat Charleston. Birthday wishes also go to journalist Ray Hanania.

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