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Polka parties draw growing crowd on Fridays in Girard
GIRARD
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A weekly Polka jam session draws a growing crowd Friday nights at Kuzman’s Bar in Girard.
Peg Wilkes of Austintown and Ray Flere of Girard said they enjoy the free entertainment and the polka culture they appreciate so much.
“We are all polka lovers,” Flere said. “It’s a dying breed, so we like being with them [other polka lovers].”
Wilkes said she liked to see the friendly atmosphere of other polka fans and polka players.
“They all seem so happy. They [people in the band] love what they’re doing,” Wilkes said.
Summit Jammers, the 11-person band performing Friday night, took its name from its origin, the Summit Cafe in Niles.
After the death of cafe owner Tom Butcher, the band had to relocate and ended up at Kuzman’s.
Chuck Esposito, Summit Jammers member, said he’s so thankful for Kuzman’s and to be able to continue playing the polka music of his Slovenian culture.
Many in attendance expressed how appreciative they were to have polka music events to come to on a weekly basis.
“We like the music and we like to dance,” said George and Helen Giron of Girard.
Dance lovers George Heffner and Pat Daugherty come together over a distance every Friday just to see and dance to the happy polka beat.
Heffner comes from Baltimore to meet up with Daugherty of Newton Falls to continue to celebrate the music that brought them together.
They met at the Slovene Festival, a three-day polka fest in Enon Valley, Pa., in 2006 and have been dancing together ever since.
Daugherty said she picked up dancing of all kinds in 2001, shortly after she retired.
“You know, she [Daugherty] is just a terrific dancer,” Heffner said.
Esposito said he encourages young people to come and get involved in Polka jams.
“We can teach them how to do the polka and to carry on this tradition,” Esposito said. “Whoever wants to come in and join us, can.”
Polka jam sessions are on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. at Kuzman’s and are free to join.