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Category Winners:
Kids
No entries!!! Something to work on for next year!  
Groups
The Learning Council -  Sweet Grass Gift Certificate
Classic Cars
Julie Finley Ridinger – Rio Bravo Gift Certificate
Antique Tractors
Dave and Joyce Heisey – Berg Harvest Gift Certificate
Political
Delta County Democratic Party -  Big B’s Gift Certificate
Business
Big B’s – Root & Vine Gift Certificate 
Animals
Women’s Surface Creek Riding Club – Paonia Books Gift Certificate
Overall Winners
 1st The Learning Council - $150
2nd Women’s Surface Creek Riding Club - $75
3rd Paonia Clown Band  - $50

2023 Cherry Days
For the Love of Paonia — Grand Marshal, Judy Livingston

By STU CARLSON Staff Writer, High Country Spotlight
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As a descendant of one of the original founding families of Paonia, Judy Livingston has championed the local schools, library, and, most recently (if you consider the last fifty years recent) the museum. Her dedication to preserving the history of the town she loves is her selfless gift to the past, present and future residents of Paonia. 
Judy’s grandfather, Joseph Kemp, came to the valley in the late 1800s, where he and his wife proceeded to raise eight children, while he worked in the packing shed. He eventually took a position as the town clerk, and the Kemp family grew to become one of the prominent families of Paonia. 
About a week before Judy was born, Dr. Gould of Paonia realized that she would enter the world as a twin – sisters as it turns out – and the girls’ mother was sent to Delta for the birth. Judy and Jody were raised in Paonia, where they eventually attended high school. Their large extended family included their cousins Terrance and Dennis McKenna, who would become well-known pioneers in the study of and advocacy for psychedelic plants. 
Following high school graduation, Judy took business courses at Mesa College, where she met Laddie Livingston. They soon married and moved to Gunnison, where Laddie finished a degree in education. After a brief stay in Moab and Cedaredge, the two would wind up back in Paonia in the early 1960s, where they proceeded to have a family of their own. 
It wasn’t long before Judy became involved in the local PTA and other community organizations. As a staunch supporter of the library, she also embraced the efforts to create a museum that would help preserve her family’s history and that of the town she loved. The museum, originally championed by Wally Eubanks, came together in the 1970s and was located in the library’s basement – now home to The Learning Council. 
Judy took on more and more responsibilities at the museum. Eventually, the opportunity to move the historic Parks home from Midway and the schoolhouse from Bowie (a gift from Adolph Coors)  prompted a move of artifacts from the library building. The new museum(s) found a home next to the North Fork River on Grand Avenue, where Judy would spend countless hours setting up displays of donated artifacts and cataloging thousands of photographs which detail the history of Paonia. 
Judy Livingston has since become synonymous with the museum. While she has had help from her daughters, and many others along the way, when the brass tacks are revealed, Judy is the North Fork Historical Society and Paonia Museum. She has recently rescued several stacks of boxes filled with the original town newspapers, both the Paonian and the North Fork Times, and is determined to preserve this treasure trove for future generations. 
Judy’s thoughts on safeguarding the history of Paonia? “It’s a big deal! It’s critical to keep our history available to people in the valley.” Folks around town, who know the service and dedication she has given to the preservation of the past, think she is a pretty big deal herself, and while Judy is humbled, honored, and a little mystified to have been asked to represent this year’s Cherry Days as Grand Marshal, it’s a surprise to no one else. 


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Pictures provided by Tamie Meck 

The route is Grand Ave to 3rd street turning down Oak St. to Town Park.

Parade Entries that would make a six-year-old smile -- step right up!