HR0310 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0310 LRB099 11411 MST 32311 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Maria Bronny Ciesla on the occasion of her retirement from her position as President of the Polish Museum of America; and

WHEREAS, Maria Ciesla is in her tenth year as President of The Polish Museum of America (PMA), a volunteer position; under her leadership, extensive renovations occurred at the PMA, including The Paderewski Room, The Stephen and Ann Kusmierczak Art Gallery, the new gift shop, the new entry way, and a new rare books collection room; fundraising with new and innovative methods increased dramatically; membership tripled; increased awareness occurred of the PMA, not only as a museum but as a source for academic and general research; an increase in the number of events and exhibits took place; and she oversaw the modernization of the reporting systems; she has continued to help the museum by becoming the Treasurer; she and her husband are life-members of the PMA; and

WHEREAS, Maria Ciesla was born in a displaced persons camp in Butzbach, Germany; she came to the United States with her parents in 1948, and her family first settled in Chicago, before moving to west central Illinois; she received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1969 from Rosary College (now Domnican University); she became active in Chicago's Polish-American community and has remained so for 47 years; and

WHEREAS, Maria Ciesla has held offices in organizations such as the Chicago Intercollegiate Council and the North Edgebrook Civic Association, and she has served on the St. Mary of the Woods School Board, on its Parish Council, and as a founding member of the St. Mary of the Woods Fine Arts Council; she served as President of the St. Mary of the Woods Altar and Rosary Society, the Loyola Academy Mother's Club, the Mother's Association of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition - both of the Illinois Division and as national President - the Polish American Scholarship Fund, the Legion of Young Polish Women, and the Polish Women's Civic Club; she is a board member of the Lira Ensemble and was a long-time panelist on the Ovarian Cancer Panels of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs through the Department of Defense; in 1982, she was named as an "Outstanding Young Woman of America"; she received the Community Service Award from the Council of Educators in Polonia and the Northeastern Illinois University Office of Alumni Affairs, and she and her husband, Richard, were the 2009 Award of Merit recipients of the Advocates Society, comprised of attorneys of Polish heritage; and

WHEREAS, Maria Ciesla is also a Life Member of the Polish Arts Club and a member of the Polish-American Librarians Association and the Polish American Historical Association; she received the bronze Gloria Artis medal from the Republic of Poland for her contributions to the cultural life of the Polish-American community; she was honored as one of the 10 2012 Outstanding Women in Non-Profits by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and she was honored by the Keep On Keeping On Foundation as its Woman of the Year for 2012, which raises funds for equipment for physically challenged young people; in May of 2012, she received the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit, the highest civilian honor awarded from Polish President Boleslaw Komorowski, on his visit to Chicago for a NATO Conference; and

WHEREAS, Maria Ciesla was a piano teacher for 35 years; she has been married to Richard Ciesla, who is also active in Chicago's Polish-American community, for 46 years; they have 4 children and 8 grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Maria Bronny Ciesla on her retirement as President of the Polish Museum of America and wish her the best in all her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Maria Ciesla as an expression of our esteem and respect.