a community honors its philanthropic leaders
Bev Livingston's enthusiasm for the new church that St. Monica's is building next to its old church at 1660 Paseo comes not only from her position as the church's communications chairperson, but from her role as a parishioner. As other church congregations have moved out of the inner city, St. Monica's prepares to dedicate its new 750-seat building in October 2001.
Among other duties, Livingston heads the church's "Back in the Day" campaign, the goal of which is to tie the new church to the redevelopment around 18th and Vine just as the original church served that neighborhood in its 1920s and '30s heyday.
"We're excited about our efforts to preserve the history of the area," Livingston says. "The church will lend to whole-community revitalization." One connection the church has to the community's musical past is the uplifting, gospel-choir mass it offers at 10 o'clock on Sunday mornings.
Livingston has always been drawn to people, from her early days as director of the Greater Kansas City YMCA to her time as an insurance broker with Mutual Benefit Life to her current ownership of BL Associates, a public relations consulting firm. Along the way, she raised two children, Kenya and Lance. She became involved with Mothers Against Drunk Driving in 1994, after Kenya was killed by a drunk driver. Livingston soon became chapter president and eventually rose to Missouri State Chairperson of MADD. Her efforts in Jefferson City have helped push through the legislation that will lower the state's legal blood-alcohol limit from .10 to .08.
Livingston is especially passionate about young people. She encourages the parishioners at St. Monica's who are just graduating from high school and college to become involved in the church at the highest decision-making levels. "People say the next generation will provide the leaders of tomorrow," she says. "I want them to be the leaders of today."