[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE THADDEUS KOSCIUSZKO SOCIETY AS THEY CELELBRATE THEIR 100TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 29, 2012

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to 
join the many families and community leaders who have gathered today to 
celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Society--a 
remarkable milestone for this very special organization.
  Like so many others of its kind, the formation of the Thaddeus 
Kosciuszko Society was rooted in the common need of immigrants to 
support one another. Milford, Connecticut was an ideal location for 
Polish farmers who had recently immigrated to America to settle because 
of the agricultural opportunities the land presented. In a new country 
and beginning new farms, these families faced many challenges. Seeing 
the need to have someone or something available to them to assist in a 
time crisis, a group of seven men met on Sunday, April 1, 1912, and 
established an organization through which they could not only help each 
other, but also future generations. Their mission, as stated in their 
original bylaws was simple: ``To promote social activities, recreation 
and mental improvement among its members and to provide relief benefit 
therefor in cases of sickness or trouble.''
  From that handful of farmers, the Society has grown throughout the 
years. Many of today's seventy-five members are descendents of the 
original seven. Throughout its 100-year history, the Society has often 
been a source of comfort and support for newly immigrated families. 
Over that time, the Society Treasury, funded by member dues and modest 
fundraising events, has enabled the Society to provide financial 
support to relatives and survivors of the sick and deceased as well as 
more than $50,000 in scholarships to students of Polish decent seeking 
higher education.
  Keeping with the practice started by their founders, the Thaddeus 
Kosciuszko Society still meet once a month on a Sunday afternoon and 
their Annual Summer Picnic, now a well-known community tradition, is 
still held on a mid-summer Sunday afternoon. Though times and the needs 
of members have changed, the Society continues to make a difference in 
the lives of those in need, strengthening the bonds of friendship and 
community from one generation to the next. Today, as they celebrate 
their 100th Anniversary, they can proudly look back on their rich 
history and be secure in the knowledge that the Thaddeus Kosciuszko 
Society will remain a source of support and encouragement for many more 
families in the years to come.

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