Sobiech honored for humanitarian outreach

PINE ISLAND — The Pine Island Chamber of Commerce will recognized Ed Sobiech of the Green Valley Onion Company in Pine Island this Sunday for his sense of community spirit.

Over the past five years, his company has donated 500,000 pounds of produce to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley for distribution to the hungry throughout the region.

The chamber will present Sobiech with its “Certificate of Appreciation for Humanitarian Outreach” at its annual social at the PLAV Pavilion in Pine Island this coming Sunday.

Green Valley Onion Company grades onions from the region for sale to supermarkets. Those that are imperfect or too small are usually sold to processors.

Rather than sell to processors, Green Valley Onion Company decided to donate them to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.

Sobiech has been recognized by City Harvest in New York City and the Hudson Valley Food Bank for his contributions of onions over the years.