The Oakwood woman has been traveling ever since, and urging others to do the same.
“Travel is a great way of getting out of your comfort zone,” said Saunders, who has visited 46 countries around the world, many of them a number of times. “The surgeon general has said loneliness is an epidemic in this country and travel broadens you. You may make friends in new places.”
She should know. Her traveling companions and the people she’s met along the way have been enriching her life for decades.
Getting started
When their own children were teenagers, Saunders and her husband, Dr. Richard Baer, began crisscrossing the country in an AirStream travel trailer.
“We went to the national parks — Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier,” she said. “I feel everyone ought to cross the United States by car. You can’t really get to know our country by flying over it. They were wonderful trips, fabulous. You talk to people in remote areas and find out why they settled in those places.”
After her first husband died at the age of 49, she married her high school sweetheart, Tom Saunders. The two had been out of touch for 30 years.
“He died after only six years of marriage, so I was widowed twice before the age of 52,” Saunders said. “I’ve been single half my life but it has allowed me to do all of this travel.”
From 1986 through 1991, Saunders became involved in people-to-people trips to the Soviet Union through Crosscurrents International Institute. From 1992 through 2007, she was the Dayton Art Institute volunteer Development Director for Travel, responsible for planning and executing the Art Trek Travel Program. More than 125 art-focused trips took participants to art museums, gardens and historical sites throughout the United State and around the world. Often she tied the excursions to an exhibit at the museum.
“So, for example, when we had an Egyptian show, we went to Egypt.”
She said one of the challenges of leading a trip is dealing with the unexpected. One of her museum trips to the Great Estates of the Hudson River Valley of New York was scheduled to return from LaGuardia airport on September 11, 2001. “After our travel agent chartered a bus to drive us home the next day, I had to figure out what to do with the group until we could travel again,” Saunders said. “Although all of the historic estates were closed, we discovered that both the gift shop and cafe at the Culinary Institute of America were open. The group was delighted to go there.”
In 1997, as a founder of The Miami Valley Episcopal Russian Network, Saunders helped create a parish partnership with St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Sablino, Russia, an impoverished village 30 miles from St. Petersburg. The organization, which began at St. Pauls Episcopal Church, included 11 Episcopal churches, Annunciation Greek Orthodox and St. Paul’s Orthodox Church.
Over a period of 20 years, Saunders visited Russia 20 times. She and other members of her organization carried suitcases of toys and clothing to Russia, sent $250,000 worth of medical supplies to the regional hospital there, transformed a dilapidated parish house into a youth community center and helped to build a new church.
In December of 1997, one year after the Dayton Peace Accords were signed, Saunders was invited to join an historic tour to Sarajevo as part of the first civilian trip permitted to travel to Bosnia.
“Representing the people of Dayton, we went to see first-hand the results of this tragic civil war and to extend a hand of friendship to the people there,” said Saunders who has also been an active volunteer with Dayton’s International Peace Museum. “We stayed in people’s homes. We were warned to stay on paved streets and sidewalks since land mines had not yet been completely cleared.”
She said scores of buildings were destroyed and most were pock-marked by bullet holes.
“What I learned is that the world is small and getting smaller all the time with global communication,” she said. “You read the newspaper differently when you’ve been to those places and know something about their history and politics. Our lives are becoming interconnected. I’ve learned that people are so much alike all over the world. We just want to live in peace and friendship and live our lives free of stress.”
Saunders enjoys every part of the travel process — the planning and anticipation, the trip itself and then, afterwards, the memories and the opportunity to relive the experiences.
Helping to preserve those memories are the mementoes which surround her in her cozy living room: jade and cloisonne from the Silk Road of China, porcelains, stack dolls and wooden serving pieces from Russia, masks from Africa, rugs from Morocco and Finland and pillows from India.
“Don’t be afraid to travel,” Saunders said. “You’ll get a new perspective, learn about the culture, food, clothing and music from other traditions. You’ll grow and become more adaptable”
She said there are many travel options. “You can go with a tour or organization. You can visit friends in other cities. You can follow your passion by going on a ski trip or a garden tour. Just GO while you are mobile and able. And be curious, travel with an open mind.”
Other advice
Interesting travel is just one of the “secrets” to Saunders’ longevity. She agrees with the experts that it’s important to get plenty of exercise, eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and veggies and get enough sleep.
“Don’t smoke, don’t abuse alcohol, see your doctor regularly and manage your chronic health conditions. ”
She is proud to be a “professional volunteer” and has devoted many years of service to organizations ranging from the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Dayton Council of World Affairs to Planned Parenthood and the Junior League.
She served as a docent at the DAI for more than 15 years.
Saunders has been honored as one of the Dayton Daily News Ten Top Women and as a YWCA Woman of Influence.
More tips from Saunders
• Maintain a loving relationship with your family and cultivate a close social network. Although I am alone much of the time, I am never lonely because I have family and friends I can call at any time.
• Keep your brain active. Read the newspaper. Go to concerts and lectures. Read good books, play bridge, work crossword puzzles and take life-long learning classes. Collect or research a subject of interest to you or find a new hobby.
• Maintain a positive attitude towards life. Don’t take to the easy chair and say that life is over. Engage and embrace new experiences, practice gratitude, set goals, challenge negative age stereotypes and surround yourself with positive people.
• Research has found that faith and regular church attendance add years to your life but is unable to pinpoint the reason. Perhaps it is the sense of belonging while being with friends on a regular basis.
“Remember, it isn’t where you live, it’s what you make of it.”
About the Author
