Polish festival in Austintown puts spotlight on heritage

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

D’Ella Heschmeyer of Liberty admitted that when she was younger attending and dancing in Polish heritage events, she was “just doing what my mom told me.”

Now, a Cardinal Mooney High School junior and member of the Living Traditions Folk Ensemble based in Brecksville, D’Ella said she realizes how important her Polish heritage has become to her.

Speaking Sunday at the ninth annual Polish-American Heritage Day at St. Anne Catholic Church, organized and founded by her mother, Aundrea Cika Heschmeyer, and Angela Messenger of Canfield, D’Ella said she has immersed herself in her Polish heritage.

She visited Poland in 2010 with her family and, among other things, visited the family farm there. In the summer of 2014, D’Ella visited Poland independently and studied there for four months. At home, she has studied Polish and Hebrew.

“My heritage is a part of who I am. When you know where you come from, you know where you are going,” D’Ella said.

While D’Ella’s dance troupe was performing Sunday at another Polish event, helping the local Polish-American Heritage Day, sponsored by Youngstown Polish, were members of Echoes of Poland of Toledo celebrating its 50th anniversary by performing for the first time in the Mahoning Valley.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com