Glen Cove Polish National Home honors heritage

For nearly a century, the Polish National Home of Glen Cove has been a cultural anchor for the city’s Polish-American community. This October, it will once again take its place in New York City’s Pulaski Day Parade, showcasing the pride, heritage, and traditions that have bound generations together.
Leading the contingent will be this year’s Miss Polonia, Julia Jon, 23, a Glen Cove resident and Baruch College finance student. Jon graduated from Glen Cove High School and the Paderewski Polish School in Glen Head, where she deepened her connection to her family’s heritage.
“What it really means to me is just my nationality is not that popular,” Jon said. “To be in a neighborhood that has a Polish heritage and a lot of Polish community is an honor to have your roots within the city you live in and have it recognized.”
For Jon, the role is also about visibility. She noted that Glen Cove has thriving Italian and Hispanic communities, but Poland’s smaller population makes it more important to celebrate and preserve its culture. “It is exciting to be known and put out there as a symbol of representing Poland,” she said.
Joining her will be Edward Podsiadlo, this year’s Grand Marshal. Born in Kraków, Poland, Podsiadlo immigrated to the United States in 1976, settling first in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where he became president of Polonia Greenpoint for 14 years. He moved to Long Island in 1986 and has been a member of the Polish National Home of Long Island since 1982.

Former marshal Margaret Dochnal, who now serves as the organization’s financial secretary, explained that the Miss Polonia selection process has changed over time. In earlier years, the title was awarded through a pageant, but in the past decade, the community shifted to a nomination system.
“All these Polish girls, they’re all friends. They don’t want to compete against each other,” Dochnal said. “The committee now selects one young woman each year who has contributed to the Polish community.”
Miss Polonia’s duties include attending the parade’s fundraising banquet — now held in New Jersey — where honorees from Polish communities across the tri-state area gather in white dresses and sashes, and marching down Fifth Avenue on the first Sunday in October.
The Polish National Home has a long history in Glen Cove. On Aug. 31, 1922, 25 residents met to purchase the former St. Patrick’s Church on Hendrick Avenue. With only $615 raised in contributions, they sold 50 printed bricks from the old church at $100 each to meet the $6,000 price tag. Chartered on Nov. 21 of that year, the home became a haven for immigrants, helping them adjust to life in America, become citizens, and find community.
Today, the organization works closely with the Paderewski Polish School, offers scholarships, and hosts cultural celebrations.
“We want to keep traditions alive for younger generations,” Dochnal said. “Some families pass them on well, some don’t — so we help make sure they’re not lost.”
The Pulaski Day Parade will take place on Oct. 6, marching from 35th to 54th streets in Manhattan.