The origin of the Social Committee for Saving the Sacred Sculpture in Chotów dates back to 1979. Then Pat Ćmielewski from faraway Australia came to the country of her husband, Alek. While visiting his mother's hearth in Chotów, she noticed an unusual figural sculpture. As she grew fascinated by the discovery, she got interested in the works of Paweł Bryliński.

     During the next visits she encouraged the family to trace Paweł Bryliński's sculptures which present the Passion. The last visit in 1999 resulted in the desire to establish a social committee for saving this precious family heirloom and the monument of folk sacred sculpture at the same time.

     The originator of the committee and the author of the memorandum is Alek Ćmielewski, the great grandson of Wawrzyniec Olejnik, the founder of a sacred pole in Chotów. The sacred pole in Chotów, which was carved by Paweł Bryliński and founded by Wawrzyniec Olejnik in 1849, is the last preserved pole chapel of the most outstanding author of folk sculpture in the Ostrów area - "Master of Masanów".

     The Committee under the patronage of Scapular Holy Mother in St. Nicolas's parish in Gostyczyn was created to preserve and restore this wayside folk monument, which is a testimony to the culture and faith of our ancestors.

Membership of the Committee between 1999 and 2002:

Honorary Members:	Bożena Budzik, the mayor of Nowe Skalmierzyce Fr. Canon Edward Wawrzyniak
Honorary Chairman:	Fr. Parson Michał Pacholczyk
Vice - President:	Michał Chmielewski
Vice - President:	Councillor Jerzy Wojtczak
Secretary:	Ewa Chmielewska
Members:	The Olejnik family, the progeny of Wawrzyniec Olejnik, the founder: - from Australia Patrycja Ćmielewski and Alek Ćmielewski   (the originator and the author of the memorandum of the   committee), his representative in Poland Czesław Dybizbański - from Chotów Kazimiera Olejnik - Kujawa and Tadeusz Kujawa
The community:	Józef Wojciechowski, the village representative of Chotów Karol Pietrzak, the village representative of Gostyczyna Tomasz Ławniczak, the headmaster of school in Gostyczyna

    In 2002 the Committee extended the scope of its activities and took care of the whole creative legacy of Paweł Bryliński and other manifestations of the folk culture of southern Wielkopolska. Since then the name of the organization has been "The Social Committee for Saving the Sacred Sculpture of Paweł Bryliński."

    In the same year, on the occasion of the consecration of the reconstruction of the pole in Chotów, a book "Saints at the Polish Crossroads - Southern Wielkopolska" was published. The title of the book became the name of the project which has been carried out by the Social Committee until today.