Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 77

D14 Asbury Park September 23, 1987 Band leader has been playing Polish music for over 50 years By GRETCHEN SCHMIDHAUSLER Press Staff Writer cores of newspaper clippings, photographs, programs and ticket stubs spanning Stas Jaworski's 50 years in music are neatly tucked away in several large albums. For Jaworski, those scraps of paper are much more than souvenirs detailing past performances. They represent a half century of making people happy. Music in general and a good polka in particular are Jaworski's passions. "Dance music has so much life.

When you're on the stage playing a polka and you see the people really enjoying it, you feel very alive," said the Berkeley Township resident. Jaworski, 69, was born in Rhode Island, but his parents returned to their native Poland when he was 3 years old. The results of his 18 years abroad are a lingering accent and a broad musical background. He organized and played in his first band at the age of 16 and has been involved in various musical endeavors ever since. Jaworski was drafted in 1940, the year after his family returned to the United States, but not even World War I1 could discourage him from pursuing his love of music.

While stationed in Panama, he studied at the Panama Conservatory of Music. He also found time for opera while in Europe. "When I was stationed in France I sang opera, and many people couldn't believe I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army," he said. "I don't sing opera now that's a lot of work, although I think I could still do some operatic numbers." His operatic achievements were recognized in 1949, when he was chosen to represent New Jersey at the Milwaukee ENGAGEMENTS STRATTON-LITTLEFORD LACEY TOWNSHIP Richard T.

and Barbara A. Stratton, 104 Cactus Drive, have announced the engagement of their daughter, Linda Lee, to David C. Littleford, here. He is the son of Ernest and Lorraine Sloan, 173 Route 539, Manchester Township. Miss Stratton, a graduate of Lacey Township High School, attended Ocean County College, Dover Township.

She works for Ocean Orthopedics Associates, Lakewood. Her fiance was graduated from Manchester Township High School. He works for Sambol Construction, Toms River. SILVA-CANGRO DOVER TOWNSHIP Raymond and Yvonne Silva, 273 Constitution have announced the engagement of their daughter, Carol, to Eddie Cangro, son of Angelo and Ruby Cangro, 369 Birch Bark Drive, Brick Township. Miss Silva attended Toms River High School North.

She is a jewelry consultant at Macy's, Toms River. Her fiance is a graduate of Brick Township High School and the ITT Technical Institute, Portland, Ore. He works for the N.J. Transit Rail Operations Diagnostics Center, Hoboken. Stas Jaworski, Berkeley Township, dance at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Opera Festival.

This, he said, was one of his biggest thrills. In 1950, he formed a 10-piece orchestra, which became the core group for his work in later years. Jaworski and his orchestra also appeared on television on Channel 13 from 1958 to 1959. His wife, Mary, a singer, often appeared with the band. Although none of the original band members save Jaworski remain, the Stas Jaworski Orchestra is still active.

One of the highlights of his career will lead the Stas Jaworski Orchestra in New York, in conjunction with Pulaski was being asked to perform at the annual dinner dance at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, in conjunction with Pulaski Day. This year, the orchestra has been invited back and is scheduled to play at the event on Sunday. "When he heard we were playing at the Waldorf again, one of my sons said, don't take these fancy jobs take a good Polish wedding where we get to eat two Jaworski said. In recent years, the Stas Jaworski STEVE Park Press a performance at the annual dinner Day on Sunday. Orchestra has included his musical sons, Peter, Oceanport, an electrical engineer, and Stanley, an Air National Guard lieutenant colonel who is stationed in Pennsylvania.

The band has played at a variety of functions, including dinner dances, political fund raisers and debutante balls. "But the band is not necessarily Polish; we have the United Nations in this band," Jaworski said. Polkas and ethnic music from his own background tend to dominate his Bigoted mother doesn't know best 'As a 79-year-old male, I protest your advising that 22-year-old girl to marry Sammy against her mother's wishes. Who else is more interested in the girl's future happiness than her own mother? And who is better qualified to advise in this matter? Sammy can find happiness with another mate, and the girl can find happiness with another man. She should consider the risks involved, and let her head rule her heart this time.

Charles J. Burch, Vero Beach, Fla. What risks? The man she loves with all her heart happens to be short, poor and Jewish. The girl says he's a good person from a dirt-poor family, and he's working two jobs to put himself through college. I don't question the mother's interest in her daughter's future happiness, but she is far from qualified to advise her in the choice of a husband if she "hates" a man because he's poor, short and Jewish.

It appears that Sammy is the one taking the risk. He'll have a mother-in-law who's bigoted, snobbish and ignorant. 0. Are we losing our minds, or has "Eileen," our 39-year-old daughter, lost hers? Eileen never married, and has not lived at home for 21 years. She has just informed us that she is going to marry the divorced man she's been living with for the last seven years.

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(He and my mother divorced when I was a baby.) I gave him my address and phone number and waited and waited to hear from him, but he never called or wrote. I wrote him a letter telling him I wanted to see him again to establish a real father-daughter relationship with him. He wrote back saying it was impossible, and he did not want to see me again! Abby, I know it is his new wife's doings. I really want a father in my and this man is my blood father, and it is not fair for him to reject me. I feel so hurt and alone, and I really need a close relationship with him.

We live 2,000 miles apart, but that is no excuse. Please help me figure out how 1 can get him to see me and treat me like his daughter. I have written him countless letters, begging him to call or write me, but I have had no response. What should I do? Now that I have found him, I want him in my life. Rejected and hurt A.

You cannot force your father to be a "real father" to you if he chooses not to. It's sad, unfortunate and unfair, but he has made his feelings for now crystal clear. Accept this painful decision and do not pursue him. Abigail Van Buren's syndicated column appears every day except Saturday. VERTICAL AL BLINDS MICRO MINI BLINDS Woven Wood Pleated Shades 7 DAY DELIVERY DEAL WITH MANUFACTURER SAVE SLIDING DOOR SPECIAL UP TO 84" Vinyl We will beat any Fabric competitor's written estimate! Fabric VisA OPTIONAL VALANCE $22 Serving Monmouth Ocean Counties for 20 Years.

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Abby, we are retired and living comfortably on a pension, but we are not able to finance a $15,000 wedding. Please tell us what our obligations are in this case. Unable to oblige in West Texas A. Obligations? You have none. Your daughter's demands are not only unreasonable, they're outrageous.

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Patrick's Day dance a few years back. "I said to the man who hired us, 'What do you want with a polka band at an Irish and he said, 'I don't care what you play as long as you get me 500 We did. They really enjoyed themselves, too," Jaworski said. At the height of his career, Jaworski said he performed at 50 to 60 functions LEND A HAND EDITOR'S NOTE: The Volunteer Center of Monmouth County recruits volunteers for placement in nonprofit human service, cultural, health, civic and educational organizations. The Center matches the volunteer to the volunteer opening.

Each Wednesday, the Press publishes notices of a few of the Center's approximately 300 volunteer openings. For more information, call the Center at 741-3330 from 9 to 5 weekdays. The Center is located at 188 E. Bergen Place, Red Bank. TEACHER NEEDED.

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He also recorded about 100 Polish ballads and popular American tunes in Polish for Dana Records, Passaic. Though his music kept him busy, his primary source of income was his job at Reingold Breweries. "I don't think there's a hotel or ballroom in New Jersey that I haven't played in," Jaworski said with pride. Jaworski describes himself as semiretired and performs less frequently than in the past, but he has no plans to stop playing for the public. your own home.

An individual with clerical skills is needed for typing correspondence and performing general office procedures. Your assistance will benefit a mental health agency. SPRUCING UP. Help make this local theater as beautiful as it once was. A major renovation is taking place at a Red Bank cultural center, and you can become a part of it.

Volunteers are needed to do painting, carpentry and other renovations. You don't need experience. HELP CHILDREN. If you enjoy working with children, a Red Bank day-care center can use your help. Assist the classroom staff in meeting educational, recreational and health needs of children.

A program for handicapped children also needs volunteers. Hours are flexible any weekday. Does your public-service group need any help? "Lend a Hand" is an Asbury Park Press feature appearing Sundays and Wednesdays that lists organizations in need of volunteers in Monmouth and Ocean counties. If your group needs skilled or unskilled workers, write a letter listing the name of the group, what volunteer positions need to be fikad, a brief description of the job, and the address and telephone number of the group. Mail to: "Lend a Hand," Panorama Desk, 3601 Route 66, Box 1550, Neptune, N.J.

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