Jim Mislak Awarded
High PNA Honor
- PostEagle
- August 7, 2017
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BALTIMORE, MD – The successful surprise tribute remained so until the very last second for an astonished James ‘Jim’ Mislak – Past President of Polish National Alliance Council 21 here on June 10, 2017. He was honored with the PNA’s prestigious Silver Legion of Honor Award in appreciation for his “Many Years of Dedicated Service as a PNA Commissioner and Council 21 President.” (photo: PNA National Secretary Charlie Komosa & Honoree Jim Mislak)
The Award augmented the Council 21 Recognition Plaque for his “25 Years of Dedicated and Faithful Service as President of Council 21, 1991 -2016,” during which Jim also served as President of Lodge 238. Jim began his PNA membership in 1987 during which time he was elected as Lodge 238’s Financial Secretary for 8 years, in addition to being an on-going Delegate.
PNA National Secretary Charles Komosa traveled from the PNA national headquarters in Chicago to personally present the Silver Legion of Honor Award and Certificate, co-signed by President Frank J. Spula. Komosa recounted his years of friendship and cooperation with Jim on many different important issues. Council 21’s President Maksymilian ‘Maks’ Bondyra, and V.P. Richard Poremski, both voiced many accolades in recounting Jim’s “dedicated and faithful service” to the PNA.
In the main, it was much appreciated how Jim’s steady hand was able to stabilize, and then gradually increase over the years, the Council’s then-precarious finances. Another major coup was Jim’s adroit maneuvering and almost-miraculous success in preserving and improving the Council’s massive 4-stories tall masonry building for the benefit of the present and future PNA fraternity.
Eighty family members, friends and guests attended the celebration and dinner in the Council’s Great Hall, with much merriment and comradery, and danced the afternoon and evening away to the music of the Lenny Adam’s Polka Band.
The entire affair was a most fitting tribute to Jim – a noted PNA luminary – who is a man that garners our utmost gratitude and respect, being of unimpeachable character and integrity … and to whom we salute with a heartfelt “Sto Lat James E. Mislak”!
In photo: L-R Maks Bondyra, President of PNA Council 21; Charlie Komosa, PNA National Secretary; Honoree Jim Mislak; and Richard P. Poremski.
By Richard P. Poremski
Polish American Journal
Washington, DC Bureau
June 27, 2017