The president of the Southern Tier Iris Society, Dorothy Stiefel, was presented with the Historic Iris Preservation Society’s (HIPS) Distinguished Service Award at the HIPS Meeting on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at the American Iris Society’s National Convention in Austin, Texas.   In addition to serving as the head of the Southern Tier Iris Society, maintaining the Region 2 Archives and publishing the Region 2 Newsletter, Dorothy also finds time to do the Publication Sales for HIPS. 

If you’ve ever checked out an issue of Roots, Journal of the Historic Preservation Society, you will find a page of the publications that HIPS has for sale. Dorothy maintains the collection, has copies made, and fills orders for irisarians on a regular basis.  She also spends hours at the AIS National Conventions at a table featuring HIPS materials and publications for sale.  This is a valuable service for HIPS members and other individuals interested in Historic Iris.

2008 HIPS Distinguished Service Award

The award was a complete surprise for Dorothy.  It certainly is nice to see her receiving recognition for some of her efforts.   If you see her, make sure you congratulate her on this national honor.  Sometimes we forget just how much she does to promote iris. She is the driving force that keeps the Southern Tier Iris Society on track and it’s amazing how much one person can do.  Where she finds time to work, keep her gardens going and take care of her horse, Bonnie aka fertilizer producer extraordinaire, and all the stuff she does for the American Iris Society is tiring to even think about.

Dorothy and the award plaque

If you see her, make sure you congratulate her on this national honor and let her know how much we appreciate all she does.