September 2019
I returned home on Monday September 16th after a whirlwind week of polkas and fun. It began on September 11 at the Polka Hall of Fame Sausagefest which is an annual event held at the SNPJ Farm in Kirtland Ohio. This event is always a huge success. I would guess that there must have been almost 1500 people there including four sausage vendors competing for the prizes, and musicians who played from 12pm to 8pm. The food was excellent and the music was non-stop.
I spent the next few days with my good friend Kathy Paulenich who lives in Sharon PA. We went to the former Kuzman's Lounge (now called Rolling Mills) for a jam session. This was only the second time the jams were held at this location and it is a very nice spot. Some of the musicians we saw there were Joe Godina, Ron Pivovar, Pete November, Tony Trontel, John Ross, Ray Kovach, Chuck Esposito and a number of others that I didn't know. Kathy and I jammed with Joe Godina and Pete November, and John Gerl was on drums and vocals. John's friend from Illinois was staying with him for a week also - nice to see Gary Bouc again. It was a lot of fun and I'm sure this jam will grow and draw larger crowds. Every Thursday night, folks. Call Ron Pivovar for more information.
The next day Kathy and I played a few songs on our button boxes at an assisted living facility for her friend Susie who volunteers there. The residents really enjoyed the music, tapped their toes to the beat and a few even danced. As they were leaving many of them told us it brought back wonderful memories - how heartwarming that was for us.
Kathy is on the committee that operates the Slovenian Heritage Museum and Gift Shop at the SNPJ Recreation Center in Enon Valley and gives a lot of her time to that. We went there a couple of days, enjoying the friendship and hospitality of Frank and Joyce Okicki and some of their friends who have mobile homes in the summer trailer court. On Saturday Kathy reserved a table for ten of us at a little bar called Dubic's in Youngstown OH where they serve the best barbeque - lamb, chicken, pork and ham. And I got to taste a slivo/pear brandy liqueur - yummy.
Sunday found us back at the SNPJ Farm in Kirtland to celebrate the 50th music anniversary of Eddie Rodick II, that legendary bandmaster and accordionist. Organized by his son Eddie III and the family, all the musicians who have played in his bands over the years played on the same stage with Eddie again. Also helping to celebrate were the Frank Stanger Band, the Don Wojtila Band, Klancnik and Friends, Lynn Marie and her band, and Ron Likovic Family Band - it just couldn't get any better than that! What a day - what a celebration. Well done.
I spent the next few days with my good friend Kathy Paulenich who lives in Sharon PA. We went to the former Kuzman's Lounge (now called Rolling Mills) for a jam session. This was only the second time the jams were held at this location and it is a very nice spot. Some of the musicians we saw there were Joe Godina, Ron Pivovar, Pete November, Tony Trontel, John Ross, Ray Kovach, Chuck Esposito and a number of others that I didn't know. Kathy and I jammed with Joe Godina and Pete November, and John Gerl was on drums and vocals. John's friend from Illinois was staying with him for a week also - nice to see Gary Bouc again. It was a lot of fun and I'm sure this jam will grow and draw larger crowds. Every Thursday night, folks. Call Ron Pivovar for more information.
The next day Kathy and I played a few songs on our button boxes at an assisted living facility for her friend Susie who volunteers there. The residents really enjoyed the music, tapped their toes to the beat and a few even danced. As they were leaving many of them told us it brought back wonderful memories - how heartwarming that was for us.
Kathy is on the committee that operates the Slovenian Heritage Museum and Gift Shop at the SNPJ Recreation Center in Enon Valley and gives a lot of her time to that. We went there a couple of days, enjoying the friendship and hospitality of Frank and Joyce Okicki and some of their friends who have mobile homes in the summer trailer court. On Saturday Kathy reserved a table for ten of us at a little bar called Dubic's in Youngstown OH where they serve the best barbeque - lamb, chicken, pork and ham. And I got to taste a slivo/pear brandy liqueur - yummy.
Sunday found us back at the SNPJ Farm in Kirtland to celebrate the 50th music anniversary of Eddie Rodick II, that legendary bandmaster and accordionist. Organized by his son Eddie III and the family, all the musicians who have played in his bands over the years played on the same stage with Eddie again. Also helping to celebrate were the Frank Stanger Band, the Don Wojtila Band, Klancnik and Friends, Lynn Marie and her band, and Ron Likovic Family Band - it just couldn't get any better than that! What a day - what a celebration. Well done.
On July 22, 2012, we celebrated another year (our tenth annual) for Polkas in the Park and it was a great success. The weather was sunny and beautiful with no rain (although the musicians found it a little warm on the bandshell until the shade came around). It was a wonderful day and a great ending to our ten-year run, as it was our last Polkas in the Park.
We were fortunate to have a great lineup of featured bands and players: the Button Box Buddies & Play Mates which included Charlie and myself, Andy Miinch, Dennis Uhlik, Ken Dowling, Mike Masten, Terry Vanderiviere, and Derek Uhlik; Mike Mahler & the Blue Waves, Frank Svet from Dayton OH, George Gojtan & Croation Friends, Eddie Adamic leading the Slovene American Club members and others in a button box jam session, a piano accordion jam session with great accordionists like Frank Svet, Eddie Adamic, Ken Dowling, Frank Sajn, Dennis Uhlik, Frank Stancic, Russ Krill, Ron Bolohan, Herb Schroeder, Louis Rote, Chuck Rote, and others; and coming all the way from Fairport Harbor OH were three members of the award-winning accordion & button box club, the Fairport Jammers - Tom Borris, Jim Savastano, and Frank Sajn. Terry Vanderiviere from Chatham provided the drums and the back-up for many of the groups as did Sandy (Blue Waves) and Syl (SAC Club); Mike Masten, tuba player extraordinaire sat in on most sets; and Derek and Dennis Uhlik both provided some keyboard backup. Sue and Dravko Augustin, members of the Niagara Button Boxers came all the way from Oakville and assisted with the Croation music, the jamming and singing. It was a fun-filled day thanks to the talent and skill provided by these people. We told the crowd that if they liked the music that day, hug a musician!
This music festival depended upon the hard work of many people: Charlie Tomecek, Chairman of the committee worked on all aspects from the organizing and paperwork end, booking the tent, the floor, the bathrooms, arranging for the fencing setup and teardown, and the myriad little things that were required; Darlene and Russ Krill have been the volunteer coordinators for the duration of the festival and ensured we had enough people on hand to assist with various tasks; and Rose Holek has been the treasurer for all these years, collecting the money, doing the banking, and paying the bills - a very detailed job; and me, Mary Lou Downs - I guess my title is "secretary". I was involved in the organizing, publicity and advertising, computer work, paper work - and assisting my husband Charlie Tomecek with his many jobs. I was a jack-of-all-trades and filled in anywhere there was a need.
And we have to thank the many volunteers who showed up to help put up and take down the fencing, the tables & chairs, the signs, and who sat at the admission gates throughout the day. Many of these people have helped us for all of the ten years we have been putting this polka festival on. Your help was very much appreciated.
This was the "GRAND FINALE" of our Polkas in the Park. It was very emotional to know that this would be the last, but the committee is finding it harder to do all the work involved due to age and illness, so the decision was made to call it quits. We decided to go out while we were still "on top" and thanks to everyone involved in putting the event on we have been a success each and every year.
So if you have attended our function in the past we thank you for your support.
If you were one of the many volunteers who assisted we appreciate your time and work.
If you were one of the financial sponsors, we could not have organized such a successful event without your contribution.
And if you are one of the musicians who donated your time and your talent, we will be forever in your debt.
We have a saying: "When one door closes, another one opens." Who knows what we will do next? If you like to go to polka parties, you can always come on one of our bus trips. We might be senior citizens, but we have more fun than teenagers!
Music by featured artists and guest musicians
from Ontario, Michigan, and Ohio
Button Box Buddies - Charlie Tomecek - Mary Lou Downs - Andy Miinch - Dennis Uhlik
Ken Dowling - Mike Masten - Terry Vanderiviere
Members of the Fairport Jammers - Frank Svet - Andy Nester
Frank Sabo - Rob Deblander - Chuck Rote - Derrick Uhlik
George Gojtan & Croation Friends
Mike Mahler & the Blue Waves
Members of the Slovene American Club Button Box Club
Cecile & Steve Urbanec - Bob Heide - Karl Preiss
Eddie Adamic leading a button box jam
Piano accordion jam session
from Ontario, Michigan, and Ohio
Button Box Buddies - Charlie Tomecek - Mary Lou Downs - Andy Miinch - Dennis Uhlik
Ken Dowling - Mike Masten - Terry Vanderiviere
Members of the Fairport Jammers - Frank Svet - Andy Nester
Frank Sabo - Rob Deblander - Chuck Rote - Derrick Uhlik
George Gojtan & Croation Friends
Mike Mahler & the Blue Waves
Members of the Slovene American Club Button Box Club
Cecile & Steve Urbanec - Bob Heide - Karl Preiss
Eddie Adamic leading a button box jam
Piano accordion jam session