This week's Patch Portraits series also features a chef bringing diverse flavor to Morton Grove and a rocker who builds a home for budding musicians in Wilmette.

Marzena Pisarczyk and her family decided to move to Chicago from Arizona in an effort to have more of a Polish community. Now in her work with the Des Plaines Park District, Pisarczyk has found a way to be very connected to her Polish roots.

Pisarczyk first started teaching dance and physical education at the park district, but eventually proposed to start a Polish preschool.

Earlier: Check out the entire Patch Portraits archive.

"It would be sad," said Pisarczyk. "We are so far from each other and then when my son or other kids can no longer speak their language they can not even communicate with their families."

In its second year, Pisarczyk's class has become quite popular with the kids, some of whom do not know Polish. It is held weekly on Thursdays mornings for an hour.