On this page we present in reverse chronological order, information about some of the most significant donors.
Gift from Zofia and Florian Śmieja
Zofia was very keen on supporting the Polish Language and Literature Program, and even in her failing health expressed that she wanted her deceased husband, Florian, to be remembered by the gift of $15,000. Florian was a Spanish professor at Western, and was very active in the Polish community as a writer and poet. He was a frequent contributor to Polish newspapers, especially the Związkowiec
Estate of Mitchell Wywiórski
In 2019 a bequest from the estate of Mitchell Wywiórski totalling $203,000 established an endowment in his name. He had worked as the Chief Electrician at the Royal Alexandra theatre and was a lover of the arts.
Marie Curie Skłodowska Association
At the annual Ball of the Marie Curie Skłodowska Association on November 4, 2017, the president, Alina Brown presented a cheque for $20,000 to the Council. The Association has been generous in the past so the total donated is close to $25,000. One of the fruits of their generosity is a scholarship endowment of $200,000 at the University of Toronto for women in science and engineering. The Ball this year celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Association and unfortunately is the last to be organized. A description of the event can be seen here.
Estate of Florentyna Sobanska
In June 2017 a bequest of $20,000 was made to the Council from the estate of Florentyna Sobanska.
Veterans of the Second Polish Corps of the 8th British Army
The Veterans of the Second Corps have made a very generous donation of $50,000 and created a fund in their name for the support of the Polish Language and Literature Program. The Veterans have contributed to many initiatives of the Polish-Canadian community over the years. For pictures from the event honouring the donors, please see this post.
The Mickiewicz Foundation
The Mickiewicz Foundation, based in Toronto, has pledged $25,000 to the Polish Language and Literature Program over a period of three years. The first donation of $10,000 was made in October, 2014 with additions of $3,000 in subsequent years.
Tatry
The Polish Senior Scouting Group “Tatry” made a donation of $5,550 in October, 2014. The money was contributed by members of the group and their families. Additional information and photos from the receptions at the Polish Consulate in Toronto can be found here.
A history of the Polish Senior Scouting Group “Tatry” can be viewed by clicking here.
Polish Students’ Association at the University of Toronto
The PSA has held a number of fundraising events to support the Polish Language and Literature Program, the latest in the fall of 2014. They made a donation of $1,500 on October 18, 2014, bringing the total since the first fundraiser in 2010 to over $6,900. Their goal is to raise a total of $10,000. For more information and photos click on the following dates: 2014, 2012 and 2010.
The Estate of Alexander Frejszmidt
In October 2013, Barbara and Stefan Glogowski presented a cheque for $15,000 at a meeting of the Council. This was a bequest of Alexander Frejszmidt for the Polish Language and Literature Progam. A biography of Mr. Frejszmidt and some photos can be viewed via this link.
Borys Wrzesnewskyj
In 2011, Borys Wrzesnewskyj set up an endowment in honour of his father, Roman, with a donation of $35,000. A reception was held at the Polish Consulate to mark the event. More details and photos from the event as well as a press release can be viewed here.
Charitable Foundation of the Canadian Polish Congress
Also in 2011 the Charitable Foundation donated $35,000 to the Program. This is in addition to smaller sums in other years. A link to the Charitable Foundation can be found on this page.
The Ungar-Slaby Fund for the Polish Language and Literature Progam
Irena Ungar and Henry Slaby together contributed $500,000 establishing the Ungar-Slaby Fund. The proceeds from this very generous gift go a long way towards covering the costs of the first two levels of the Polish Language course. More information about the two donors can be found at this site.
Konstanty Reynert Chair of Polish History
The president of the Canadian Polish Congress, Stanislaw Orlowski, in 1988 began a campaign for funds to enable the continuation of lectures on Polish history at the University of Toronto. About $500,000 was collected from the Polish community. However, it was a bequest of $500,000 by Konstanty Reynert-Śmigielski that led to the establishment of the Chair of Polish Studies, later renamed the Chair of Polish History. More information is available on this page of our website.
