General Pulaski Committee picks Miss Polonia and marshals for NYC parade

Pine Island — Tom and Cindy (Rutkowski) Zak of Middletown will represent Orange County as marshals in the General Pulaski Parade in New York City on Oct. 3. The General Pulaski Memorial Committee of Orange County held its annual presentation dinner/dance in June to honor the 2010 Orange County’s contingency Marshals and Miss Polonias for parade. The Zaks say it’s important to keep their Polish heritage alive. They are best known as hosts of the Monday night “Polka Beat” radio show on WVKR (91.3 FM), where they promote Polonia with music and announcements of events. Cindy with her sister Darlene, with Tom spinning the tunes, started the original free Polish dance classes in Pine Island. In 2008 Tom and Cindy joined forces with Mayor John Tyzak of Poughkeepsie, Tom’s hometown, to reestablish the Poughkeepsie Pulaski Parade and ceremony. The parade re-started two years ago and is scheduled for the second Sunday of October every year. Kiana Morse, daughter of David and Cynthia Morse of Port Jervis, was crowned the 2010 Miss Polonia. Kiana is an honor student entering her junior year at Minisink Valley High School in Slate Hill. She is an active member of the soccer and softball teams and belongs to the art club. Kiana has donated over 40 inches of her hair to the Locks of Love program, a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to children who have lost their hair to a medical condition. Completing Kiana’s court are two Junior Miss Polonias, Sarah Glowaczewski and Kim Kocot. Sarah is the daughter of Jeff and Colleen Glowaczewski of Florida and a tenth grade student at S.S. Seward Institute High School Florida, a high honor student, and player on the school’s soccer and softball teams. Kim is the daughter of Alex and Christine Kocot of Warwick, a ninth-grade student at S.S. Seward Institute High School Florida who enjoys the cheerleading and does gymnastics. Also introduced were two Little Miss Polonias, Morgan and Casey Jashembowski. Morgan is the daughter of Frank and Kathie Jashembowski of Middletown and a third-grade student at the Otisville Elementary School. Casey Jashembowski is the daughter of Donnie and Jodie Jashembowski of Middletown and a fourth-grader at Otisville Elementary School. Both girls carry the Jashembowski gene and love to polka. The committee has arranged for bus transportation to the parade. To be included in the trip, call Stanley Kocot at 651 -4265.