On Tuesday, 28 October, participants in the ball at the Community House in Kraśnik Dolny were able to admire a gallery of students’ artwork displayed in the lobby by the main entrance. The decorated hall created an atmosphere conducive to having a good time. Appetizing smells of sandwiches and cake wafted from the buffet set up in the lobby, while the high-quality sound system lent by Mr Paweł Kindzierski guaranteed the proper delivery of spoken words and music. But the participants themselves contributed the most: there were almost one hundred of them, in costumes and cheerful spirits. All this made the celebration a great success, and the two-hour ball passed very quickly.
Of course, much of the credit went to those leading the individual parts of the rich and carefully prepared programme. There was time both for the Rosary, led by the parish priest, and for various dances and games, such as the Belgian dance and Zama Zama. There was plenty of laughter when participants presented the names of the saints they were representing through their costumes. Each participant had to do this by spelling out the saint’s name in syllables and using various gestures. During the ball, prizes were also awarded for the best artwork, and the Saint and the Saintess of the Ball were chosen for the most original costumes.
An art competition was organized at the school. Students had to make a picture of a chosen saint and prepare the costumes in which they would appear at the ball. The competitions were decided and the winners selected during the ball. In the art competition, in the younger age group, grades I–III, first place went to Roksana Borzyszkowska, second to Oliwia Greniuk, and third to Łukasz Decyk. In the older group, grades IV–VI, Gabriela Mierzwa won, ahead of Eliza Różnicka and Gabrysia Smusz. The competition for the most original costume representing a saint was won by Kornelia Szostok and Patryk Miżdal.
The quiz conducted by catechist Jacek Rozpędowski also aroused considerable emotion. Although the questions asked were not among the easiest, the participants rose to the challenge and demonstrated a good knowledge of individual saints.
The entire event was organized on a grand scale. Cooperation was established with the primary school in Kraśnik Dolny, parish priest Roman Borecki, Father Damian Ziembikiewicz, the Municipal Centre of Culture and Sport, the instructor at the Community House in Kraśnik Dolny, village head Wacław Gardyński, and the organizing committee, which consists of women from Kraśnik Dolny and the surrounding villages.
At the end of the ball, the organizers expressed their gratitude to everyone who had contributed to organizing the celebration. Then everyone present sang together Saint John Paul II’s favourite song, “Barka”. And that is how the first All Saints’ Ball in Kraśnik Dolny came to an end. What remained were photographs, the participants’ memories, comments on Facebook, and the hope that this extraordinary event would continue in the following years with ever-growing numbers of participants.
The organizers sincerely thank Krystyna Myszkun, headmistress of the Primary School in Kraśnik Dolny; catechist Jacek Rozpędowski; parish priest Roman Borecki; Father Damian Ziembikiewicz; and Paweł Kindzierski. They also thank the sponsors of the All Saints’ Ball: Jan Cołokodzi, the Municipal Centre of Culture and Sport in Bolesławiec with its registered office in Kruszyn, and the village head of Kraśnik Dolny, Wacław Gardyński.
Małgorzata Malinowska, Jacek Rozpędowski/ii