When Communism in Eastern Europe
began to collapse, Fort Wayne community leader Stan Podzielinski saw an
opportunity to build links between his ethnic homeland, Poland, and Fort
Wayne. 
His
goal was simple, to help Poland and to enrich Fort Wayne.
In 1989, he contacted Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne Professor Bronsilaw
Misztal to ask for help, as well as Fort Wayne businessman Roman Hildt.
Podzielinski explained the Sister
Cities International program to Misztal in the hope that the professor
could make a connection for Fort Wayne with the Polish government. Mizstal
contacted his friend, Andrzej Celinski, then Chief-of-Staff to Polish
President Lech Walensa. Celinski seized the opportunity and proposed his
own hometown, Plock. Podzielinski then proposed the link to Fort Wayne
Sister Cities which then began working with Podzielinski to make the relationship
official.
After a series of exchanges an official proclamation was signed in October
1990 between Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke and Plock Mayor Andrzej Dretkiewicz.
Since the relationship began the highlights have been many and regular.
Civic leaders have exchanged visits to compare and contrast the workings
of the two different city governments. Plock leaders were especially interest
in city planning, zoning water delivery systems, trash removal, sewage
disposal and taxation.
The City
of Fort Wayne also provided several internships to employees of Plock
city government. First-hand experience was obtained by Plock employees
on how departments of Fort Wayne government work.
In
the early 1990s a large contingent of Fort Wayne English teachers traveled
to Plock to teach English to their Polish counterparts. To this day the
program has wide spread support among students. Fort Wayners teaching
English in Plock has become an annual event.
During the summer of 2002 three Fort Wayne Boy Scouts were selected to
represent the city at an annual encampment of Polish Scouts in Plock.
The program focus was on cross cultural training and development.
On five occasions (1994, 1996,
1998, 2000, and 2003) the famed Wisla Folk Song and Dance Ensemble performed
for a wide range of Fort Wayne audiences. In 2003, Wisla gave 38 concerts
to over 16,000 elementary school children. Other concerts were performed
in a variety of venues, including performances at Disney World in Florida.
With the support of the FWSCI Chapman
Fund a number of students from Plock have attend high school for an
academic year in Fort Wayne.
In an effort to facilitate the learning of English, a book drive was conducted in Fort Wayne schools and over 3,000 books were shipped to Plock for use by that city's students.
Visit our photo album for more FWSCI photos
