Judy Bach - Life Spirit Award Honorees - 2024

For 88 years Judy Bach has maintained a healthy lifestyle for herself while pursuing her lifelong calling of introducing others to the importance of sport and exercise. She was drawn to Ludington after her college graduation by her love and respect for water, which continues today, but her true passion is creating opportunities for everyone to participate in sport and exercise activities, especially for women prior to 1972. As a Physical Education teacher in the Ludington schools for over 30 years, she was an inspirational role model, instilling in her students the values of an active lifestyle. She also created an informal intramural program on Saturday mornings, open to any students for any activity they chose. When Title IX was finally passed, although not a basketball player herself, Judy stepped up to be LHS’s first girls’ basketball coach, so the girls would have an opportunity to compete. Also, during the 70’s and 80’s, Judy organized night exercise classes and open volleyball games for adult women, sometimes having up to 150 participants. Because of her strong advocacy for water safety, she has taught swim lessons to 1,000’s of Mason County residents; from Triathletes attempting to improve their swim times to those who with a fear of the water. For many years Judy led and participated in the H.E.L.P. Ministries long distance bike ride fund raiser. She says a serious bike fall a couple of years ago has caused her to “hang up her wheels”. Now-a-days Judy can be found participating in beach sweep activities, playing Ping Pong at the Senior Center or the first to show up at the pool every weekday morning for her 6:00 am swim. Judy’s lifelong passion, her dedication to teaching and her countless hours of volunteerism, all centered around sport and exercise, make her the 2024 choice for the recipient of the Mason