March 1, 2022: Paczki Day

WHEREAS, every year, Michiganders across our state line up at the crack of dawn at bakeries, big and small, to buy paczki on "Fat Tuesday" or as it has also come to affectionately be known, "Paczki Day"; and,

 

WHEREAS, "Fat Tuesday" is for many Catholic Michiganders an opportunity for one last sweet indulgence before the 40-day period of Lenten fasting in advance of Easter; and,

 

WHEREAS, paczki (pronounced POONCH-kee) are traditional Polish pastries-made with a rich, sweet yeast dough, filled with jams, preserves, or custards, and topped with a light dusting of sugar-that have captivated the hearts and stomachs of people across Michigan and the nation; and,

 

WHEREAS, paczki come in flavors that include apricot, blueberry, lemon, raspberry, and custard, among countless others; and,

 

WHEREAS, first brought over to America from Polish immigrants, paczki can now be found in bakeries across the nation; and,

 

WHEREAS, Polish immigrants and their descendants have made invaluable contributions to the state of Michigan and its history; and,

 

WHEREAS, the City of Hamtramck has since the early twentieth century been a home to generations of Polish immigrants and their descendants, with a thriving Polish cultural and culinary landscape that continues to flourish today; and,

 

WHEREAS, paczki are a signature creation of bakers across our state, whose hard work in the days and hours before "Fat Tuesday" ensures there are plenty of paczki for all Michiganders to enjoy;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of the state of Michigan, do hereby proclaim March 1, 2022, as Paczki Day in Michigan.