CICERO SOCIETY LODGE 825
CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

Chicago, Illinois - The Cicero Society Lodge 825 in Cicero, Illinois celebrated a milestone as other Lodges has done by celebrating their 100th year on Sunday, March 2, 2008 at the Mayfield Banquet Hall in Chicago, Illinois. There were 200 members and guest in attendance.

Lodge 825 was organized in 1905 and later chartered by the State of Illinois in January 1907. The Lodge was called "The Adam Osinski Society Nest 49 of the Polish Falcons of America and Group 825 of the Polish National Alliance". Two men Adam Osinski and Leon Mieczynski a division in the Falcons. In 1888, a second "gniazdo" (nest) was formed to service the South Side of Chicago. The Cicero Society was proud to have honored Adam Osinski as the first Lodge president and shared beginnings with the Polish Falcons.

In October of 1920 the Society purchased a building from St. Dionysius Parish which stood at the corner of 48th Court and 29th Street. It was then known as the Falcon Hall. Then in the 1960's the Polish Falcons split its union with the Lodge and the name of the Lodge was then changed to the Cicero Society Lodge 825 of the Polish National Alliance and the hall was renamed the Cicero Society Hall.

Over the years, the Lodge and Hall has seen many events from the community and the PNA as well, until February 9th, 1975 when the hall was destroyed by fire. The lodge moved quickly and bought the building on the corner of 31st Street and Laramie Avenue which was the Lodge's new meeting hall, until it was sold in 2000.

On this day (March 2nd), the lodge remembered all the people and families that work hard to keep the Cicero Society Lodge active to this very day. A tribute to six Lodge Presidents namely, Wladyslaw Chojnacki, Andrew Jadach, Frank Tomaszkiewicz, Adam Tomaszkiewicz, Heken Tomaszkiewicz and Cecilia Tomaszkiewicz and the other officers throughout the years were strong leaders of the Lodge. The families of the lodge officers were also instrumental in keeping the PNA Youth Camp another strong asset of the PNA. There was a check given to the camp President Marian Grabowski from the lodge as a token of appreciation.

Guest attending the anniversary included: PNA President Frank J. Spula with his secretary Bozena Sztukowski, Vice President Paul C. Ordrobina with his wife Janice, Treasurer Marian Grabowski, National Directors, Anna Wierzbicki, Christine Domalewski, Arthur Trybek with wife Judy and Cecilia Tomaszkiew, who is the current President of Lodge 825; Commissioners of District 12 Barbara Wesolowski and Roman Bucon with wife Anna, Commissioner of District 13 Irene Hercik, Former Commissioners of District 12, Jean Binkowski, Joseph Calka and Anna Kokoszka, plus other guest and dignitaries were introduced.

The last part of the banquet, a 29 minute film documentary by Michael Tomaszkiewicz was presented depicting the history and activities of the lodge. The film was another tribute to the members of Lodge 825. The Chairman of the banquet Melanie Tomaszkiewicz gave out gifts to her committee members as a thank you for their assistance.

Story and Photos by:
Robert M. Jadach

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