Members of the Polish Scholarship Fund are hosting a fundraiser this weekend which they said will help keep local polish heritage alive. The funds will help the non-profit in order to pay for scholarships for young college students.

Typically, the funding comes from the annual Polish Festival, which has been cancelled the last two years due to the pandemic. The Syracuse Polish Festival has been one of the more popular summer festivals in downtown Syracuse for more than 60 years, filling downtown with food, music and entertainment.

Unlike many festivals that returned this summer, organizers decided to hold off one more year, leaving funding for 10 scholarships to deserving college students in the local polish community low.

To make up for lost effects, the non-profit is holding a dinner this Saturday at the Polish Home. The "Pole of the Year," who is usually honored for his or her efforts to keep the polish heritage alive in the Syracuse community, will also be honored at the dinner.

Organizers said purchasing a ticket to the event or kindly making a donation will help keep a tradition alive.

"Ten, $1,000 scholarships. This is our main source of revenue. We really don't have any other means to do it here. And, we're an entirely all-volunteer organization, so none of us collect any funds from this," said Polish Scholarship Fund Secretary Don Dutkowsky.

The fundraiser will take place this Saturday and if you can't make it you're still welcome to support the event with a donation. Organizers said the event will include a turkey dinner with raffles and prizes.

You're also encouraged to learn more about the Polish Scholarship Fund or get involved. The fundraiser will take place this Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Polish Home in Syracuse which is at 915 Park Ave in Syracuse.

Tickets can be purchased before Friday at the venue or at the APR Travel Agency across the street.

For more information for tickets or to make a donation, visit polishscholarship.org.