Gościszów became the firefighting heart of the Gmina and City of Nowogrodziec on May 30, 2026. The Municipal Firefighter’s Day celebrations were held that day, combined with the 70th anniversary of the Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna in Gościszów and the ceremonial blessing of the fire station and the statue of St. Florian—the patron saint of firefighters.
The celebrations began with Holy Mass at the parish church in Gościszów. The service was led by the parish priest, Fr. Piotr Żukowski, and the dean of the Nowogrodziec deanery, Fr.Krzysztof Słabicki. The prayer was an opportunity to give thanks for the firefighters’ daily service and to jointly mark the anniversary of the OSP unit. The solemn character of the event was emphasized by musical accompaniment prepared by the Nowogrodziecka Orchestra.
All Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna units operating within the municipality took part in the celebrations. The invited guests included representatives of the State Fire Service, local government, the clergy and local communities. Also present was the mayor of Nowogrodziec, Joanna Świder, together with members of the Municipal Council.
One of the important parts of the ceremony was honoring firefighters for their commitment and many years of service to fire protection. The Gold Medal “For Merits to the Fire Service” was awarded to firefighter Ludwik Torba. The “Model Firefighter” badge was awarded to Mateusz Kojder, Jakub Śliwa, Przemysław Wołoszyn, Grzegorz Jakubowicz and Bartłomiej Kafla. Years-of-service medals and numerous expressions of thanks were also presented to firefighters actively serving in their units.
A special expression of recognition for the firefighters came in the form of letters of congratulations presented by the mayor of Nowogrodziec. They went to the most committed firefighters representing OSP units from Czerna, Gościszów, Gierałtów, Nowogrodziec, Nowogrodziec-Osiedle, Wykroty and Zebrzydowa.
The honorees were:
OSP Czerna
– Paweł Mierzwa,
– Marta Wiatr,
– Józef Mandziuk.
OSP Gościszów
– Damian Szewczyk,
– Łukasz Jadach,
– Daniel Szewczyk.
OSP Gierałtów
– Gabriel Winnicki,
– Mateusz Zazulak,
– Łukasz Wrzeszcz.
OSP Nowogrodziec
– Kamil Malinowski,
– Łukasz Teper,
– Sławomir Sobucki.
OSP Nowogrodziec-Osiedle
– Grzegorz Ostański,
– Krzysztof Oko,
– Mariusz Nieratka.
OSP Wykroty
– Piotr Roman,
– Władysław Kret,
– Rafał Kojder.
OSP Zebrzydowa
– Tadeusz Bram,
– Piotr Fila,
– Henryk Czyż.
The event also highlighted the importance of all OSP units operating within the municipality. Mayor Joanna Świder presented each of them with a financial award in the form of vouchers for purchasing firefighting equipment. The support is intended to help the firefighters further improve their operational readiness and provide effective assistance to residents.
One of the most moving moments of the celebrations was the oath-taking ceremony for new members of the Youth Fire Brigades operating alongside OSP Nowogrodziec and OSP Wykroty. The young firefighting recruits officially joined the firefighting family, declaring their readiness to uphold the traditions of volunteer firefighting and develop their rescue skills.
Another important part of the program was the ceremonial blessing of the OSP Gościszów fire station and the statue of St. Florian. The blessing was performed by Fr. Krzysztof Słabicki and Fr. Piotr Żukowski. For the local community, it was a symbolic culmination of many years of work to develop the unit.
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of OSP Gościszów, Mayor Joanna Świder thanked the firefighters for their dedication, professionalism and readiness to help seven days a week. She emphasized that the Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna units in the Gmina and City of Nowogrodziec are among the most important rescue forces in Bolesławiec County and protect residents’ safety every day.
After the official part of the celebrations, participants met at the “Parkowy Dwór” village community center, where the firefighters from OSP Gościszów had prepared an anniversary dinner. It was a time for memories, conversation and bringing together the firefighting community and local residents.
The 70th anniversary of OSP Gościszów was not only an opportunity to celebrate the unit’s rich history, but also an expression of gratitude to all the female and male firefighters who watch over the safety of the local community every day. The event showed the important role played by volunteer firefighters and the strong bonds connecting them with the municipality’s residents.