Judy Livingston sets high goals for herself. While some people try to lose weight or buy a new car, Livingston thinks about how she can help rid the world of polio.
Livingston, who has lived in Clarkston since 1969, is not alone in this goal, and fortunately knows the right people to help turn thoughts into actions.
Since 1992, Livingston has been an International Rotarian and to this day has a perfect attendance record. That means she attends at least one meeting a week, every week, regardless of location or season.
‘I’m one of those anal people,? Livingston laughed. ‘I go to Rotary in Florida when I’m in Florida in the winter, or if I travel… It’s amazing. You get to meet people all over the place. It’s really a wonderful concept.?
Her Rotary work began after being invited by a friend to visit the Waterford chapter. Five years later, she was the club president.
All the while, Livingston worked as a Rotary counselor for exchange students, a job she continues to this day. In August 2004, she transferred to the Clarkston Rotary, where she worked as a youth exchange officer.
‘We have kids come from all over the world. What we feel in youth exchange is that if we met with these kids and have these kids living in our homes and our kids have lived in their homes, we’re not about to shoot each other or blow each other up when we know each other. We’re all just people, no matter what your color is or your religion is,? said Livingston.
Livingston also branched out to support other local groups such as SCAMP and Goodfellows.
In November 2004, Livingston, along with three other members of the Clarkston Rotary, traveled to India, one of the few countries left on Earth where polio still exists.
‘Rotary has been trying to eradicate polio since 1985 and there’s still polio in India, Nigeria and Afghanistan,? Livingston said, adding that every year groups of Rotarians travel to these countries to help immunize more children.
Livingston stressed that even though polio cases are mostly isolated to these countries, the disease still poses a threat to worldwide health.
‘We don’t have polio here, but… polio is only a plane ride away. If a carrier gets on a plane and goes to some other country that is polio free, they can take polio with them,? she said.
Though her work with the Rotary has taken Livingston to countries like Scotland and Spain, looking back, she said the trip to India was a life changing experience for her and she wishes more people could do the same.
‘You just cannot imagine the poverty over there,? she said. ‘If more people would get involved and volunteer their time, the world would be a better place.?
The cost of these kind of trips are paid for by the individual rotarians, and to help offset expenses, Livingston said she spent several days living with a Rotarian family in India.
‘It was really interesting living with the families. It was amazing,? she said. ‘Some of the business owners had beautiful homes, and then there’s people just living out in the fields and on the sides of road.
‘We just do not appreciate what we have,? she said. ‘There are a lot of people who don’t understand… we’re trying to help people.?
Livingston worked in Clarkston as an All State agent for 25 years before retiring, which according to her has not given her anymore free time.
She is now a ‘normal Rotarian,? but works as a district trainer and has helped 50 incoming presidents, assistant governors and club secretaries prepare for the new duties.
Outside of her duties with the Rotary, Livingston does not forget to enjoy the community she calls home. She served as a board member for the Clarkston Chamber of Commerce for two years, worked on the Concerts in the Park committee, organized the Fourth of July parade and is currently working on preparations for the Labor Day parade.
Looking forward, Livingston said she would like to return to India and continue Rotary work to eliminate polio, but already hard at work preparing for a different journey.
In March 2007, Livingston is planning to travel to Grenada on an eye glass mission.
‘There are some eye doctors in the club,? she said. ‘The rest of us go as helpers.?
‘The big projects (for the Rotary), besides still working on polio, are clean water ? because there are so many countries in the world where people just dying because they don’t have clean water ? and literacy, that’s a really big focus that they’ve had in the last few years.?
Livingston’s three children ? Keith, Michelle and Erin ? grew up in the Clarkston area and attended Clarkston Schools. Combined, Livingston has 10 grandchildren.