2025 ADS Region 4 Service Award: Lis Murphy at the Club Level

The Region 4 Service Award at the Club Level recognizes individuals (or an individual and his/her partner) who provide outstanding service to the local daylily community. Service requires a variety of activities and reflects service over a period of time, not just for one or two years.

Individual are nominated each year by December 31st and the final decision is made by a committee composed of the Director, Regional President, Regional Director, and immediate past Regional President. Committee members are not eligible nor are previous recipients. The award is presented at the following Region 4 summer meeting. [This award is not to be confused with the ADS Region 4 Service Award which is given annually by the ADS Board of Directors for ‘outstanding service at the regional level.’]

The 2025 Region 4 Service Award at the Club Level winner announced at the Region 4 Meeting held in Long Island, NY, is Lis Murphy, a member of the New England Daylily Society. Below is the nomination letter

I am writing to enthusiastically nominate Lis Murphy for the prestigious Region 4 Service Award at the Club Level. Lis has been an invaluable member of the American Hemerocallis Society (AHS) since 2011, demonstrating exceptional dedication and service to the daylily community.

Lis’s involvement with the New England Daylily Society (NEDS) has been exemplary. She served as the NEDS Newsletter Editor from 2017 through spring 2019, providing members with timely and informative updates. Her editorial skills and commitment extended to her role as the Region 4 Newsletter Editor from spring 2019 through spring of 2022, where her contributions significantly enhanced communication within the region.

Her expertise and passion for daylilies have also been showcased through her role as both a Junior Exhibition Judge and a Garden Judge, a position she has held for several years. Lis has not only volunteered countless hours to assist in setting up and clerking at several exhibitions throughout the years, but has also entered cultivars in the competition and provided daylilies for sale at the sales tables, contributing to the success of these events. Her generosity is further evident as she consistently donates daylilies to the annual May Sale, supporting the society’s fundraising efforts. Lis is also a regular contributor to the annual NEDS photo contest where some of her photos have been chosen as winners in the category.

In 2024, Lis served as the Exhibition Chair, demonstrating exceptional leadership and organizational skills. Additionally, a week later she hosted the NEDS picnic at her home, providing a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere for members. Lis also showed her compassion and sense of community by organizing a digging event at the home of two NEDS members who passed away, ensuring the legacy of the Buckleys’ daylilies continued.

Lis’s commitment to the daylily community extends beyond NEDS events. Lis belongs to a local garden club in Princeton, MA. In 2020, she opened her garden to the public and in fall of 2023, she applied and was thrilled when her garden was approved as an official Display Garden for AHS. She is a regular attendee at both Regional and National Conventions, where she actively participates and represents
Region 4 with pride.

Lis Murphy embodies the spirit of the Region 4 Service Award at the Club Level through her unwavering dedication, generosity, and leadership. Her contributions have had a lasting impact on the daylily community, making her a highly deserving candidate for this honor.

Thank you for considering Lis Murphy for the Region 4 Service Award at the Club Level.

Congratulations, Lis!