The Gloria Coles Flint Public Library was a go-to resource for Dick and Kathy Saunders from the time they were students at Flint Junior College. By their own admission, they both came from rather impoverished settings and had meager resources. The Library was a wealth of information, and they found people there with the time and desire to help them.
That lesson stuck with them, and they continued to use the Library as a source of information and assistance. When they purchased an old rundown house, the Library provided them with the knowledge to renovate it and create a livable home. When they accrued extra cash, they found information at the Library about how to successfully invest it. When they took up hobbies such as canoeing and wilderness backpacking, the Library provided information so they could do it wisely and safely.
Dick and Kathy made sure they passed their love of the Library on to their son. They would turn him loose in the children’s section, and he always chose books on light, heat, and anything to do with physics. It was no surprise that after receiving three college degrees in science, he became a pharmaceutical engineer.
Kathy served on the millage committee that helped the Library secure the funding needed to separate from Flint Board of Education governance in 1999. After that, she volunteered her time on the Library Board of Trustees, helping to structure policies that would support the fledgling organization’s leadership and staff. She worked tirelessly to advance the Library as well as other nonprofit institutions. In honor of her significant contributions, she was inducted into the Genesee Regional Women’s Hall of Fame in 2012. Later that same year, she also received the Libby Award from the Flint Community Foundation for her work with women and girls, and in 2022 received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Mott Community College.
Dick chose to name this stair in honor of his beloved wife to permanently recognize her dedication, accomplishments and achievements. It is a fitting tribute that future generations will both literally and figuratively ascend on the foundation of community service so lovingly built by Kathy Saunders.
