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Employee Spotlight: Get to Know Alee Rogan
How long have you worked at Chelsea Groton?
I have been working at Chelsea Groton for 3 years.
Being of Polish descent, what is your heritage?
My mom and aunt have always mentioned how they believe Polish people are often hard-working, which I would consider to be part of my heritage. My grandfather owned his own shoe repair store in downtown Mystic and even had shoe repair equipment in his own garage. He was constantly working and I see this trait in my mom as well; she is task-oriented and enjoys checking off "to-do" items, which is something I also relate to.
What brought your family to the United States?
My family came to the U.S. in pursuit of better lives and better work opportunities as is often the case for immigrants. My great-grandmother travelled to the U.S. by boat when she was 16. I can't imagine how she must have felt making such a long journey as a teenager.
Of the holidays that Poland celebrates, what is the most memorable to you?
Poland is predominately Catholic/Christian and so Christmas and Easter are popular holidays. I know that my grandmother would serve thin white wafers at Easter (similar to communion wafers). It was tradition to express wishes for good health and wealth as these wafers were passed around.
What types of foods are indigenous to your culture?
Some popular Polish foods are kielbasa, pierogies (dough filled with cheese, meat and cabbage, blueberries, etc.), beet borscht (soup), gołąbki (stuffed cabbage), sauerkraut, and chruściki, also known as Polish angel wing cookies that are dusted with powdered sugar.
What is something many don't know about Poland?
I was fortunate enough to visit Poland about four years ago. I volunteered at a camp with a predominately Polish staff and group of campers. One interesting thing was how they often ate foods Americans typically eat for lunch for breakfast. I remember eating lunch meat and cucumbers in the morning which took some adjustment. Sometimes they'd also put spreadable cheese on their toast, sugar on their potato pancakes, or a thick blueberry sauce on their pasta.
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