Huntsville's Polish-American Community (Polonia) represents several generations of Polish…read moreimmigrants and descendants. They've been meeting at this church since 1995, and I only joined in about five years back, though I had previously met and knew several members. They used to be very involved with the Slavic Night in partnership with UAH and others...alas, that celebration is no more, but it was one of the stepping-stones that led to my locating the group and joining in. Wednesday evenings during what are effectively school weeks (October through May), we all show up at about 7:00 p.m. (give or take) in the All Purpose Meeting Room. Everyone is invited to bring a friend and/or a snack or drink and it's not uncommon to find homemade Eastern European foods mixed in with Oreos. Have some Gołąbki with your Fritos®? Topics covered by the group have varied from Polish involvement in WWII to Christmas/Easter traditions to the history of this or that region or city to Polish language/grammar. It's total immersion, more or less, though I'd still like to find a dedicated language class/teacher/books one day. Good luck with that in this neck of the woods. This group offers some of the only Polish holiday events and celebrations available anywhere in the state and certainly in North Alabama. That's how I went from being taught how to make Pierogies to setting up TV interviews to celebrate Święconka, a centuries-old Polish tradition known as "The Blessing of the Easter Baskets," something they celebrate every Holy Saturday. The classes, meetings, and events expose even the most casually interested person to a dedicated group. They've had traveling guest speakers, welcomed visiting Polish dignitaries, partnered with other Polish groups in the area, and hosted Polish families and students. There's also been continually good interaction with the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library's "LearningQUEST" through the class, "Passport to Poland." It's all quite the experience! Very active, the group takes part in the International Festival of North Alabama, among many other community events, and hosts an early Wigilia, or Christmas Eve celebration, the first or second Wednesday in December. No one is allowed to bring meat (lots of fish; no MEAT), and if there's any drink, it had better be nonalcoholic or Krupnik...and it usually is. But everyone is encouraged to bring something Polish (or at least, Eastern European) that they made themselves. And, of course, somebody always kindly brings Opłatki to share! The Pączki someone always brings in to share before Lent kicks in are rarely homemade, but always eaten with glee. Publix or some such usually has them. This is a wonderful opportunity for newcomers of all stripes, but PARTICULARLY for newcomers with Polish heritage, no matter how many generations removed. Polonia HSV even celebrates departures with a Pożegnanie...and that can only mean more food!