76 Years of Documented Polka Radio in Reading & Berks County
From the early Polka Party to Captain Jack, Pan Stefan, Kaz’s German Bavarian show, Walter the K and the voices keeping the music alive today.
For generations of Berks County families, Sunday mornings meant church, a home-cooked meal, visits with relatives—and the bright, unmistakable sound of polka music floating from the radio.
From a documented WEEU Polka Party listing in 1950 to today’s AGEs Polka Party, local radio personalities have preserved a beloved connection to family, music and heritage.
Before Captain Jack: Polka Music on Reading Radio
Long before Jack Walters became a familiar Sunday morning voice, polka music was part of the cultural life of Reading and Berks County. Polish, Slovak and other Central and Eastern European communities preserved their traditions through churches, social clubs, fraternal societies, family gatherings and dances. Polka bands performed at weddings, parish festivals, picnics and events sponsored by organizations such as the Polish Falcons and Slovak Catholic Sokols.
As radio became part of everyday life in the twentieth century, it offered a new way to hear familiar music. Reading’s stations included WRAW, established in the 1920s, and WEEU, which began broadcasting in 1932. WHUM joined the local broadcasting landscape in 1946. Although the first local polka broadcast has not yet been identified, a 1950 newspaper timetable now documents a named program on WEEU.
The earliest Polka Party broadcast identified in this research appears in WEEU 850 AM’s Sunday radio timetable at 1 p.m. The next scheduled program, Melrose Show, begins at 1:30 p.m., indicating a half-hour listing. The timetable does not name the host or tell us when the series began.
Another Polka Party Reference in 1954
Four years later, the April 18, 1954 Reading Eagle again identified a Polka Party broadcast on WEEU at 1 p.m. This later article specifically called it a Slovak program and mentioned it in a story about friends and neighbors arranging gifts and greetings for Christine Stoudt, a young Reading Hospital patient.
Because the station, title, day and hour match, the 1950 and 1954 references may describe the same program. The surviving clippings do not prove uninterrupted broadcasts across those four years, nor do they identify its host or original starting date. They do establish that the name Polka Party was used in Reading at least twenty years before Jack Walters launched his own show in 1970.
Ben Varishone and WRAW
Another earlier personality was Ben Varishone, who hosted a polka program on WRAW for years. In a June 27, 1983, Reading Eagle interview, Jack Walters remembered Varishone’s show and explained that it eventually disappeared from the airwaves. When Walters returned to Reading, listeners asked him about starting another polka program.
A 1959 broadcasting industry directory identifies Varishone as WRAW’s commercial manager, and his name appears in connection with a late-1960s Joe Pienta Orchestra recording recognizing regional polka broadcasters. His exact hosting dates remain unconfirmed, but his importance as a predecessor to Walters is documented by Walters’ own recollections.
John W. “Jack” Weglinski Becomes “Captain Jack”
John W. Weglinski, widely known as Jack Weglinski and professionally as Jack Walters, was born June 27, 1945, and grew up in Reading. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1963, where he met his future wife, Mary Ann Witkowski. The couple later raised two children, Christopher and Lisa.
The Wedding Announcement That Confirmed His Name
The Reading Eagle announced the marriage of Mary Ann Witkowski and John W. Weglinski in a story headlined “Mary Witkowski Exchanges Vows With John Weglinski.” Their wedding took place on September 12, 1964, with a nuptial high Mass at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Reading and a reception at the Elks Home.
John was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Weglinski of 334 Roosevelt Avenue, Muhlenberg Park; Mary Ann was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Witkowski. Both were Central Catholic High School graduates. At the time, John was serving with the U.S. Army at Fort Carson, Colorado, and the couple planned to reside in Colorado Springs.
This contemporary wedding announcement, together with the 1974 business registration, confirms that John W. Weglinski was the name used in formal records. Jack Weglinski was the name by which he was commonly known, and Jack Walters was his broadcasting and entertainment name.
A March 9, 1969, Reading Eagle feature offered a glimpse into the family’s Polish heritage. Maryann, then living with her family at 3332 Gray Street in Laureldale, appeared in the newspaper’s Cook of the Week column with her recipe for Grouch Kapusta, made with large lima beans and sauerkraut. The story described how she learned traditional Polish cooking from her mother and grandmother, both born in Poland. It also identified Jack as a former radio announcer known as Jack Walters, then working as a New York Life insurance agent.
Walters became interested in broadcasting while attending the University of New Mexico. He had originally wanted to become a newspaper reporter, but work at the college radio station led him toward broadcasting. After returning to Reading, he worked as a staff announcer at WHUM.
The Polka Party Takes Flight in 1970
Responding to listeners who missed Ben Varishone’s WRAW show, Walters approached WHUM management and secured sponsors for a new program. His Polka Party debuted in 1970 as a fifteen-minute Saturday broadcast from 10:45 to 11 p.m. It later expanded to an hour on Saturday evenings before shifting to Sunday mornings, 11:05 a.m. to 1 p.m.
That Sunday slot became a familiar part of life for many families. Listeners could hear traditional recordings, learn about dances and festivals, and feel connected to a community that shared their musical heritage. Walters welcomed audiences of Polish, Slovak, Czech, German and other backgrounds.
WHUM, WRFY-FM and Back Again
Hoping to reach more listeners in neighboring counties, Walters moved the program to WRFY-FM. The station initially offered a three-hour Sunday broadcast, but reduced the show to two hours after a consultant judged that polka music did not fit its contemporary format. The program was eventually removed. Walters approached WHUM’s new owners, who welcomed it back. Both changes had occurred by June 1983, though their exact dates remain unverified.
Jack Walters Productions: More Than a Radio Show
A Reading Eagle notice under “Fictitious Titles” recorded the filing of Jack Walters Productions at 2500 Girard Avenue, West Wyomissing. It named the registrant as John W. Weglinski and described the business as recording, producing, promoting, emceeing and leading polka music shows and bands.
The contemporary registration documents an organized entertainment venture encompassing Jack’s work beyond the radio studio. It appeared in the same year that his Polka Party reached WTAF-TV in Philadelphia. The name John W. Weglinski matches the groom’s name in his September 1964 wedding announcement. In everyday life and in his obituary he was called Jack Weglinski; on the radio and in entertainment he was Jack Walters.
Musician, Promoter and Fundraiser
Walters also played bass and performed with bands including Jack Walters and the Troubadours and Polka Spirit. His appearances took him around northeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and beyond, including a weeklong polka festival in New London, Connecticut. He established a Polka Squires fan club associated with his band and promoted Polish music and dancing.
A Packed Night at St. Mary’s Hall
Jack’s wife, Maryann Weglinski, later remembered a milestone in the Reading polka scene: Jack becoming bandleader of Polka Spirit and the group’s appearance on March 17 at St. Mary’s Hall. She recalled a packed hall and an unforgettable evening, describing it as a moment that changed the local music scene.
Maryann explicitly said she could not remember the year. She also recalled later gatherings called Polka Motion by the Ocean and Polka Spree by the Sea. Her Facebook remembrance offers a firsthand family perspective on Jack’s live musical career, but its assessment of the show’s historical impact is a personal recollection.
His broadcasts reached television, too. Polka Party aired on Philadelphia’s WTAF-TV, Channel 29, from July through December 1974 before financial and sponsorship difficulties ended the run. Walters also produced weekly polka shows for BerksCable.
Community service was central to his work. A three-hour Solidarity Radiothon raised approximately $13,000, an achievement Walters recalled with pride in 1983. His obituary later noted numerous awards from Reading-area organizations recognizing his charitable fundraising.
Polka Flight 1340 Arrives at WRAW
In 1985, WHUM moved the Sunday program from 11:05 a.m.–1 p.m. to 10:05 a.m.–noon. Walters felt the earlier schedule inconvenienced churchgoing listeners and affected sponsors. WRAW offered the more familiar 11:05 a.m.–1 p.m. slot.
On June 30, 1985, Walters aired his final WHUM program. On July 7, he debuted on WRAW 1340 AM as Polka Flight 1340, having previously used the name Polka Flight 1240 at WHUM. The aviation theme suited “Captain Jack,” who developed an interest in flying and later earned a pilot’s license.
Captain Jack’s Talk-Radio Adventure
Polka broadcasting was only one of Jack’s radio interests. In a Reading Eagle feature titled “Berks Trucker Lives Out Talk-Radio Fantasy,” Mark Abrams reported that Jack had won Philadelphia station WWDB 96.5 FM’s “Now You’re Talking” contest, earning an hour as guest co-host alongside Diane Raymond.
Jack was then living at 2500 Girard Avenue in West Lawn and working as an 18-wheeler driver for Wetterau Corporation, with routes through Virginia and New Jersey. He was still hosting Polka Flight 1340 on WRAW on Sunday mornings.
The contest involved listener votes and a competitive selection process. During his guest appearance, Jack discussed political and public issues and took callers, discovering that unscripted talk radio could be more contentious than a polka broadcast. The article also described his son Chris’s interest in current affairs—an intriguing detail given that Chris would take over the family’s polka program the following year.
A Son Takes the Microphone
On April 29, 1990, Jack passed regular hosting duties to his son, Christopher “C.J.” Weglinski, who had assisted with sponsors and occasionally co-hosted under the nickname “C.J. the DJ.” Jack planned to remain involved as producer while pursuing other business interests. For listeners, the family connection helped preserve a program they had enjoyed for two decades.
The Polka Radio Timeline
Documented moments in Berks County’s broader polka broadcasting tradition. These were not necessarily one uninterrupted program.
The 1 p.m. program is followed by Melrose Show at 1:30.
A community story identifies a 1 p.m. broadcast associated with gifts and greetings for a hospitalized child.
Their St. Mary’s Church wedding and his U.S. Army service at Fort Carson are documented in the September 13 Reading Eagle.
Walters later remembers Varishone’s longstanding program as a predecessor.
Begins as a short Saturday program, eventually becoming a Sunday tradition.
A fictitious-name notice describes John W. Weglinski’s polka recording, production, promotion and bandleading business.
Captain Jack moves his program from WHUM to WRAW.
Captain Jack appears with Diane Raymond on WWDB 96.5 FM while continuing his WRAW polka program.
Jack’s son succeeds him as regular host.
Kazimir “Kaz” Volkevich begins his WEEU tenure; his traditional European music program runs alongside the WRAW polka shows.
Smolky’s Polka Party is scheduled from noon to 3 p.m.
Pan Stefan’s Polka Party continues on WRAW.
Walt later confirms he was asked to continue the show following Milanek’s death.
After nearly 25 years at WEEU, Kaz discusses his German Bavarian Polka Show and cultural work on BCTV.
The tradition continues with Ellen Rohrbach, George Kazmierczak and Cindy Koretsky.
Smolky, Pan Stefan and a New Era
After C.J. Weglinski’s period as host, Reading City Councilman Mark J. Smolkowicz was announced as the new voice of WRAW’s Sunday polka programming. His Smolky’s Polka Show, also called Smolky’s Polka Party, was scheduled to debut on January 5, 1992, from noon until 3 p.m. He had already appeared on C.J.’s program.
Smolkowicz’s tenure lasted only several months. In June 1992, he resigned from the program following a guilty plea involving criminal charges. A June 16 Reading Eagle report identified his replacement as Stephen J. Milanek, known as “Pan Stefan” or “Mr. Steve.”
Stephen “Pan Stefan” Milanek (1960–2009)
Milanek was already familiar with the show, having worked alongside Smolkowicz and Smolkowicz’s father, Joe, since January 1992. He continued the Sunday broadcast under the name Pan Stefan’s Polka Party. Baseball coverage occasionally affected the schedule.
Born in Reading, Milanek owned Milanek Insurance Agency in Shillington. His obituary recorded an eighteen-year association with WRAW while conducting the Pan Stefan Polka Show. He belonged to the Polish Melody Dancers, Polka Star Dancers, Slovak Catholic Sokols, the Polish American Heritage Association of Reading and Berks County, and the Polish Falcons of Berks County.
A February 26, 2004, Reading Eagle entertainment listing advertised polka music featuring Milanek and Walter the K, documenting their connection years before Walt hosted his own program.
Milanek died on July 23, 2009, at Reading Hospital at the age of 49. His death left an important vacancy in local polka radio—but someone who had worked beside him was ready to keep the music playing.
Kaz Volkevich and WEEU’s German Bavarian Polka Show
Two radio stations. Two Sunday traditions.
While WRAW carried Sunday polka programs, WEEU also made room for traditional European music through Kazimir “Kaz” Volkevich’s German Bavarian Polka Show.
Kaz was a familiar radio voice who promoted German, Bavarian and Alpine folk music alongside polkas and other traditional European styles. His program reflected the overlap between Berks County’s Polish and German cultural communities, where live music, dancing, neighborhood clubs and festivals helped carry traditions across generations.
His broadcasting history is especially well documented in an October 7, 2014 episode of BCTV’s Polish American Connection, hosted by Tom Gajewski. In that interview, Kaz said the following January would mark 25 years at WEEU, placing his arrival there at approximately January 1990. He also recalled working at another station before WEEU, but did not identify it; the exact start of his radio career remains unknown.
At the time of the 2014 interview, his German Bavarian Polka Show aired on WEEU 830 AM every Sunday from 10 a.m. until noon. The same BCTV broadcast separately advertised WRAW’s polka show from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The two programs therefore served audiences on different stations at overlapping times, not as a single chain of successive hosts.
From the Radio Studio to the Reading Liederkranz
Kaz’s work extended beyond the microphone. He helped arrange live bands and polka dances, supported the Polish-American community, and worked with the Reading Liederkranz on German and Alpine entertainment, including its Oktoberfest celebrations. Tom Gajewski described his work on behalf of both communities and recalled Kaz’s involvement with events and fundraisers connected with the Polish-American Heritage Association.
During the 2014 program, Kaz discussed a particularly memorable honor: the Liederkranz had named its music and dance hall “Kaz’s House Happy Music Hall” in recognition of his contributions. He also recalled recognition from Polish-American organizations and certificates of appreciation connected with his cultural activities. The program discussed a Pennsylvania Senate citation as well.
For Kaz, the reward was the spirit and camaraderie of the people he met through music—not simply the recognition he received.
His story adds an essential dimension to Berks County broadcasting history: Sunday ethnic music was not limited to the succession of WRAW hosts. Through WEEU, Kaz connected audiences with Bavarian, Alpine and German traditions while his fellow broadcasters kept Polish and other polka styles on the air elsewhere on the radio dial.
Source: Polish American Connection, BCTV, October 7, 2014, interview with Kazimir “Kaz” Volkevich. Dates and recognition are attributed to the participants’ recollections; the cited interview does not establish when Kaz’s WEEU program ended.
Walter the K: From Cotton Street to the Radio
Walter W. “Sonny” Kazmierczak Jr., affectionately known as “Walter the K,” was born in Reading and grew up in a Polish-American family. As a boy living in the 1500 block of Cotton Street, he walked to St. Mary’s Church at 12th and Spruce Streets, where he served as an altar boy. On the walk home, he remembered hearing polka music from neighborhood homes.
His mother took him to dances at St. Mary’s, and he recalled the crowds at events sponsored by the Polish Falcons and the Slovak Home. Those memories stayed with him throughout his life.
Walt graduated from Reading High School in 1952, served in the United States Navy and spent 35 years at Carpenter Technology. He gave more than six decades of service to the Slovak Catholic Sokol organization, receiving the Frank Petruff Award. He also assisted United Way fundraising and volunteered for more than twenty years with the Reading High School Marching Band’s Band-Aids.
Walt Explains the Handoff
During a March 2023 interview on BCTV’s Polish American Connection with host Tom Gajewski, Walt provided the missing link in the broadcasting history. He explained that he had been helping Steve Milanek. After Milanek died, Walt was asked to take over the program. He accepted because he did not want the Sunday polka tradition to disappear.
Generations of broadcasters changed stations and microphones—but kept the same music, memories and sense of community alive.
Under Walt, Walt the K’s Polka Party aired live on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In the 2023 interview he estimated that a typical program received forty to fifty phone calls, including song requests and birthday or anniversary wishes. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas were especially busy.
Internet streaming brought listeners from well beyond Pennsylvania. Walt remembered calls connected to military personnel overseas, another reminder that a local radio show could reach a faraway audience.
His granddaughter Ellen Rohrbach and Cindy Koretsky helped on alternating Sundays, while Jonathan Lumnichuk sometimes filled in. Walt emphasized that he was proud to broadcast live.
In March 2024, the International Polka Association honored Walt for more than 45 years of supporting polka music, including fourteen years as a WRAW and iHeartRadio polka host.
Remembering Walt (1935–2025)
Walt and his wife, Erma (Kleinsmith) Kazmierczak, shared 66 years of marriage. Even after moving into assisted living, he remained connected to the show, sometimes calling in. A tribute written after his passing recalled a final broadcast hosted by his granddaughter Ellen in celebration of his legacy.
Walter Kazmierczak died on August 22, 2025, at the Residence of Village Greens in Sinking Spring, at age 90. His life joined a love of polka music with decades of volunteer service and family devotion.
Captain Jack’s Later Life and Legacy
After leaving Reading, Jack Walters settled in Florida. Alongside his broadcasting years he had worked in insurance and trucking, including driving for IGA stores. In Fort Lauderdale he became the owner-operator of A to Z Vacuum and Ceiling Fan Store until retiring.
A Vietnam veteran, he supported the Wounded Warrior Project and participated in fundraisers benefiting wounded service members. He returned to celebrate the fiftieth reunion of Central Catholic High School’s Class of 1963 in 2013.
On October 24, 2013, Jack Weglinski—Captain Jack to generations of listeners—died from heart failure at Boca Raton Regional Hospital at age 68. He was survived by his wife, Maryann; his children, Christopher and Lisa Marie; his grandson Anthony Arroyo; and other family members.
Jack’s obituary remembered the many awards he received for charitable fundraising and his work promoting local dances. For listeners who spent Sundays with his program, his legacy was also deeply personal: a familiar voice, a treasured song, and a sense of belonging.
AGEs Polka Party: The Tradition in 2026
More than seventy-five years after the documented 1950 WEEU Polka Party, the music can still be heard on local radio. As of November 2026, AGEs Polka Party airs on WEEU Gold on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The hosts are Ellen Rohrbach, George Kazmierczak and Cindy Koretsky. Ellen and George are Walter the K’s grandchildren, and Cindy is their aunt. Through this family connection, Walt’s enthusiasm for the music continues into another generation.
AGEs Polka Party
WEEU Gold · 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Ellen Rohrbach · George Kazmierczak · Cindy Koretsky
Like the earlier shows, the program centers on traditional music and the community of people who love it. WEEU Gold’s program information pays tribute to Walter the K and Pan Stefan Milanek, acknowledging those whose dedication helped keep Berks County’s polka tradition alive.
More Than Seventy-Five Years of Music and Memories
From the Polka Party listed on WEEU in 1950 and the Slovak broadcast mentioned in 1954, through Ben Varishone’s years on WRAW, Jack Walters’ celebrated broadcasts, C.J. Weglinski, Mark Smolkowicz, Pan Stefan Milanek and Walter the K—and alongside them Kaz Volkevich’s long-running German Bavarian show on WEEU—the story of polka radio is also a story of Berks County itself.
The stations, announcers and technology changed. Some programs ended and others began. Yet the songs continued to evoke wedding receptions, parish picnics, family dinners, neighborhood dances and the voices of loved ones.
What survives is larger than any one broadcaster. It is a shared musical heritage—and the people who believed it was worth passing along.
What Do You Remember?
Did your family listen to WEEU’s early Polka Party, Ben Varishone on WRAW, Captain Jack, C.J., Smolky, Pan Stefan, Kaz or Walter the K? Did you attend one of their dances, call in with a dedication, or hear the radio playing while Sunday dinner was being made?
Share your memories with GoReadingBerks. Together, we can preserve this special chapter in Berks County history.
Historical Sources & Notes
- Reading Eagle, November 12, 1950 — Sunday radio timetable lists Polka Party on WEEU 850 AM at 1 p.m.
- Reading Eagle, April 18, 1954 — Slovak Polka Party on WEEU at 1 p.m.
- Reading Eagle, September 13, 1964 — “Mary Witkowski Exchanges Vows With John Weglinski,” documenting his name, wedding and Fort Carson Army service
- Reading Eagle, March 9, 1969 — Maryann Weglinski, Cook of the Week, Barbara Cunnius
- Reading Eagle, September 30, 1974 — “Fictitious Titles” notice for Jack Walters Productions, naming John W. Weglinski
- Reading Eagle, June 27, 1983 — “Berks Takes ‘Polka Party’ to Its Heart,” Mark Abrams
- Reading Eagle, July 1, 1985 — “Polka Flight Finds New Base at WRAW,” Mark Abrams
- Reading Eagle, February 5, 1989 — “Berks Trucker Lives Out Talk-Radio Fantasy,” Mark Abrams
- Reading Eagle, April 27, 1990 — “Polka King Will Turn Over Reign to His Son Sunday,” Mark Abrams
- Reading Eagle, January 4, 1992 — “Smolkowicz Will Host ‘Polka’ Show,” Mark Abrams
- Reading Eagle, June 16, 1992 — “Councilman Resigns as Radio Show Host”
- Reading Eagle, June 19, 1992 — “Smolkowicz Should Leave Voluntarily”
- Reading Eagle, February 26, 2004 — Steve Milanek and Walter the K entertainment listing
- Maryann Weglinski, Facebook remembrance, March 17, 2022 — Polka Spirit debut at St. Mary’s Hall (year unspecified)
- Obituaries of Jack Weglinski (2013), Stephen J. Milanek (2009) and Walter W. Kazmierczak Jr. (2025)
- BCTV, Polish American Connection, March 2023 — Tom Gajewski’s interview with Walter the K
- BCTV, Polish American Connection, October 7, 2014 — Tom Gajewski’s interview with Kazimir “Kaz” Volkevich about WEEU’s German Bavarian Polka Show and Liederkranz honors
- International Polka Association — Walter Kazmierczak recognition, March 2024
- WEEU Gold — AGEs Polka Party program information
Historical note: The November 12, 1950 radio timetable is the earliest specific local Polka Party listing documented in this research; it does not establish the first-ever Berks County polka radio broadcast. The matching 1950 and 1954 WEEU listings suggest—but do not prove—a continuing program, and the connection between that WEEU show, Ben Varishone’s WRAW program and later broadcasts is not established. This article traces a broader broadcasting tradition, not a single uninterrupted show. Some individual hosting dates remain approximate.
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