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Maria Kiczma was President of the Ladies’ Circles’ Central Board between 1971 and 1983, and a great volunteer who was very involved in work for the Polish Alliance of Canada, mainly of the affiliated Ladies’ Circle organization.
She was born in Lwów, where she went to school, spent her youth, and got married. She lived in her beloved Lwów until 1944, but after the death of her mother, she moved to the Zakopany area with her husband Piotr. In the final captures of 1944, she was expatriated to Germany, where she went through a difficult period of uncertainty about the fate of her close ones.
After the end of the war and an extensive search, she found her husband, and together they lived in the Wildflecken camp. Her daughter Danuta was born there. In June 1948, her husband went to Canada, and half a year later (January 1949), Maria and her daughter joined him. The beginning of immigration together was not easy. However, just a year later, Piotr Kiczma incorporated his own company P. Kiczma Construction, and Maria ran the office.
In Canada, they had a son named Leszek. After her husband’s death in 1966, Maria closed the company and began to work in a realty agency, in which she was involved for 13 years.
In 1958, she sponsored from Poland her husband’s family, as well as her sister Michalina, her husband and their two children. They were all active members of the PAC, and along with Maria Kiczma, Janina Harasymiec was one of the most devoted alliance volunteers. For four years, she was Vice-president of the PAC Head Executive Board.
In 1957, Maria Kiczma became a member of PAC Branch 2’s Ladies’ Circle and, the next year, she was elected into the Ladies’ Circle’s board. In 1960, Maria joined Branch 2 of The Polish Alliance of Canada. She became a member of the management of the Alliance Hall and Credit Union. However, she preferred work in the women’s organization, so most of her volunteer work was concentrated in the Ladies’ Circle.
In 1962, she became Vice-president and, a year later, President of PAC Branch 2’s Ladies’ Circle. She filled the position of President with great dedication and success until 1971.
For 12 years, she was PAC Branch 2’s delegate to the Canadian Polish Congress Hamilton Division; during a certain period, she was even a member of the Canadian Polish Congress Division’s board. She belonged to the Millennium Committee and participated in the fundraiser for this Committee’s Fund. At an Assembly of The Alliancer’s shareholders in 1973, she was chosen for the Press Management.
The most important step of Maria Kiczma’s Alliance work was being elected President of the Ladies’ Circles’ Central Board in 1971. She filled this position for twelve years. As President, she participated in nearly all undertakings and work of the PAC Head Executive Board. She worked very generously and charitably. Successes pleased her and problems worried her, but she tried to solve them continuously. She was always ready to help anyone who asked for aid.
When a new President was chosen during the XXII Ladies’ Circles’ General Assembly, the delegates gave Maria Kiczma a large bouquet of flowers, as thanks for her devoted volunteer work, and wished her success in her personal life and in future volunteer work.
She returned to PAC Branch 2’s Ladies’ Circle as its Recording Secretary. She was also Director of the PAC Head Executive Board and curator of The W. Reymont Foundation, of which she was also Recording Secretary for a few years.
Maria Kiczma has belonged to the “Symfonia” Choir for over thirty years. She was very interested in organizational life in Hamilton. The attempts taken on by the direction and educational body of the Polish High School in Hamilton to name it “Orleta Lwowskie” are particularly close to her heart. As a native of Lviv, she fully supports this beautiful idea and believes in its success.
She peacefully passed with family by her side on June 24, 2011, at Joseph Brant Hospital in her 90th year.
Maria Kiczma has received many diplomas and awards in recognition of her accomplishments in volunteer work for The Polish Alliance of Canada, the Polish community, and Canada.
