Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America
Związek Podhalan w Północnej Ameryce | |
The seat of the ZPPA along Archer Avenue just northeast of its intersection with Pulaski (picture taken before remodeling project has begun) | |
| Abbreviation | ZPPA |
|---|---|
| Established | 1929 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Highlander Home |
| Location |
|
General Secretary | Krzysztof Zółtek |
President | Jan Król |
Vice-President | Marzena Kostelic |
Vice-President of economic affairs | Wiesław Siuta |
Vice-President of cultural affairs | Karolina Strzelec-Stafiera |
Publication | Podhalanin |
| Website | zppa |
The Polish Highlanders Alliance of America (Polish: Związek Podhalan w Północnej Ameryce (ZPPA)) was founded in 1929 in Chicago as an organization that unites all other Góral organizations in the United States. Most of Chicago's Góral community is concentrated on Chicago's Southwest Side along Archer Avenue where the headquarters, also known as the Highlander Home (Polish: Dom Podhalan) is located.
The Highlander House is styled as a Carpathian chalet in the traditional Zakopane Style of Architecture. Located at 4808 S. Archer Avenue in Chicago, the structure underwent renovation under the eye of famed artist Jerzy Kenar in 2005. In 2012 the Highlander House was upgraded with state of the art audio and video equipment.
The ZPPA is a nonprofit organization run by an executive board. The members of the current (voted September 2024) board are:
- Jan Krol - president
- Marzena Kostelic Predki - vice president
- Wieslaw Siuta- vice president of economic affairs
- Karolina Strzelec Stafiera - vice president of cultural affairs
- Malgorzata Stopka - vice president for the East Coast
- Krzysztof Zoltek - general secretary
- Mateusz Staszel - financial secretary
- Beata Firek - treasurer
- Jan Greczek - marshall
- Jozef Fryzlewicz- Secretary of Records (minutes)
Chicago's Góral community publishes its own quarterly newspaper Podhalanin, in addition to transmitting radio programs such as Gawędy, Poezja i muzyka góralska, or Na góralską nutę, broadcasting from WPNA 1490 AM. The Polish language Chicago area daily Dziennik Związkowy publishes a section titled Kronika podhalańska (transl. The Highlander Chronicle).