Soon-to-retire from the Town of Highlands Recreation Department, Cornwall’s Phylis Murphy had the table turned on her a little bit last week. Senator James Skoufis was hosting a senior citizen picnic at Munger Cottage, she was helping and all was going well.

Then, he singled her out by officially naming that day – September 29 – as ‘Phylis Murphy Day’ in the NYS 42nd Senate District.

“I knew nothing,” Murphy laughed later in the week. “I was going inside to serve food and (Recreation Director) Laura Kirby asked where I was going and said I should stay where I was. I had no idea.”

It was toward the end of picnic, and the fact that the attendees had already eaten their lunch and were fully engaged in what Skoufis was doing, made it even better. “These are my friends,” she said, noting she truly got a little emotional at the honor.

Skoufis and his staff recognize that Murphy, officially the ‘activities director’ for the town, is an important part of the lives of the community’s seniors.

“This honor was given to recognize the years of dedication to the Town of Cornwall’s seniors,” Skoufis said. “Phylis Murphy has been a devoted advocate for the senior community, an organizer of local events and out of town trips, and a friend. Every senior I spoke to told me Phylis knows every person’s name, and they counted her as a true friend.”

There were about 175 picnic-goers on hand.

Murphy retires on December 30. She’s also well known in the community – and it was noted on the proclamation that now hangs on her ‘Cornwall wall’ in her home – for other roles. She runs the Farmers Market, heads up the Independence Day Committee, is a member of the Lions Club, Rock Voices, Donahue Farm Committee, Hudson Valley Honor Flight and Meals on Wheels, and works for the Board of Elections.

She’s also the mom of six, and grandmother of four (with one on the way). Her favorite part of the day after receiving the proclamation from Skoufis? “Making sure every single one of my children knows that September 29 is now Phylis Murphy Day,” she says. “I made each of them read every word of the proclamation!”