Albin Obal Hall Dedicated at Felician College
|
12/21/2005
|
The Main College Building at Felician College was renamed and dedicated to Albin D. Obal at a ceremony on December 15. A long-time friend of the Felician Sisters and staunch supporter of the College, Obal currently serves as chairman of the Felician College board of trustees.
Obal developed a special friendship with the Felician Sisters in 1928 when he was three years old. He wandered away from his home across the street from the convent in Lodi and found himself in the Sisters’ chapel, fascinated by the beautiful stained glass windows and vivid images on the altar. One of the Sisters brought him back to his worried parents, and Obal never forgot his connection with the Felician Sisters.
“Albin Obal has been part of the spirit and life of Felician College for many years, sharing his bounty with the College at a level beyond measure,” said Sister Theresa Mary Martin, President of Felician College. “He does an incredible amount of good.”
The dedication ceremony included a video presentation and a tribute in song by Irma Obal Lucca, Obal’s daughter. Family and friends delivered accolades and best wishes, including messages from New Jersey Governor Richard J. Codey, Senator Paul A. Sarlo, Assemblyman Fred Scalera, and First Lady of Poland Jolanta Kwasniewska. Mariusz Handzlick, Polish Ambassador to the United Nations, praised Obal as “a man of outstanding standards. He is equally known for his exceptional entrepreneurial and philanthropic work.”
Following in the footsteps of his father, an immigrant from Poland, Obal learned the art of brickwork and masonry. In 1947, he started his own contracting business in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. He built homes and eventually developed Midland Enterprises, a highly successful business responsible for building some of New Jersey’s most impressive housing and development projects.
Obal lends his support to many civic and inter-cultural programs. He served as chairman of the American Center of Polish Culture in Washington D.C. for more than 10 years, promoting Polish culture and a positive image of Poland in the United States. Obal has been honored on many occasions; including the Officer Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and the Order of Polonia Restituta for outstanding support of the American Center of Polish Culture in 2003. He was received by President Lech Walesa in the Presidential Palace in Poland and received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Felician College.
One of his favorite achievements is organizing and funding “A Summer of Dreams” vacation for disadvantaged Polish children in cooperation with the First Lady of Poland. The children, age 12 to 15, spend a week at Felician College during their tour of the United States.
Obal and his wife, Irma, have four daughters, Beverly, Charlene, Irma, and Elizabeth, who passed away in 1997; and two grandchildren, Alexandra and Bradford, who is a student at Felician College.
“Our purpose in life is to help others. We are important to each other,” Obal said as he addressed the audience. An oil painting and dedication plaque will be placed in the lobby of Obal Hall, which houses the John J. Breslin Theatre, Business Center, cafeteria, classrooms and administrative offices.
|
