Grohoski, Kuklis awarded for citizen and youth achievement

William Grohoski and Sovanny Kuklis will be honored as Citizen of the Year and Youth Achievement winner respectively by the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce this weekend.

William Grohoski was born in Goshen. The oldest of three children, he grew up on the family farm in Durlandville (in the Goshen area) where onions, celery, and lettuce were the main crops.

He was drafted into the Army in May of 1966, Basic at Ft. Jackson, SC, then 24 weeks at the Army’s Signal Center & School at Ft. Monmouth, N.J. This was followed by a year in Vietnam.

Upon return from Vietnam in 1968, he went to work for Agway, managing Fertilizer Blend Plants. In 1971, Bill managed the Agway Branch on Pulaski Highway. In 1988 he took those skills and began working at West Point supervising the Pest Management program and retiring in 2015.

Grohoski joined the PLAV in 1985 at the insistence of Fred Pason (a former C of C honoree). He then joined the Drowned Lands Historical Society in the late 1970’s. He was one of three original Members of what became the DLHS. At that time, they took their road show to various local schools and presented fourth graders with the history of the black dirt and the people who cleared the swamp and began to farm it.

Grohoski was named Black Dirt Historian by the Orange County Legislature, July 2, 2023.

Sovanny Kuklis has consistently demonstrated her commitment to the well-being of the community.

Her service includes volunteering at the Black Dirt Feast where she supported our Chambers annual farm to table event that celebrates the agriculture of the area and awards three high school students a scholarship. In addition, she has taken on leadership roles through programs such as the Wildcat Ambassador Orientation Training and New Student Orientation at Warwick Valley High school, helping guide and welcome new members of our school community.

Her efforts extend to conducting Greenwood Lake Student Tours, ensuring that students and families feel informed and supported. Her consistent willingness to dedicate her time and energy to her school and her community reflects on her strong moral character.

Both will be honored - and the Board of Directors installed - during the annual brunch at the Crystal Inn on Amity Road on Nov. 2 at 11 a.m. Tickets are $35 and include a full brunch, coffee, tea, and juice. They can be purchased at https://shorturl.at/sqD4U.