March celebrates International Women’s and Women’s History Month. The Democratic Party has done much in recent years to support women in politics both nationally and locally. Our local Democratic Club is no exception. Five of the seven members of the Club’s current Executive Committee are women and a large number of its active club members are women. One of the most active of these women is long time club member Cynthia Saunders and she is our featured member this month.
Cynthia was recruited in a rather odd way to come to Chestertown. The Washington College Lacrosse Coach was at her high school in West Chester County New York with a mission to recruit both lacrosse and academically talented students offering both scholarships to take a chance on a small college on Maryland’s rural Eastern Shore. It was a tough first day for this New Yorker who begged her father not to leave her here. But she promised him she would give him six weeks and the rest is history. Cynthia loved her time at Washington College, the outstanding professors, the town and its proximity to major cities for an occasional change of pace. She married, had a baby girl and after her husband completed law school returned to Chestertown. This has been her home ever since.
Life always provides twists and turns. Early on she divorced and became a young single mother working in conflict resolution and other social services for Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties. Her Republican upbringing was also tested at that time when the 1969 Kent State shootings, a.k.a. May 4th Massacre, occurred. She changed parties and her Democratic roots started to take hold. At first she was busy working, being a mom and volunteering as an historically dressed walking tour guide for the town Tea Party Festivals. Her love and knowledge of the history of Chestertown continues to grow and expand in volunteer work for the Historical Society and other organizations in the county. Always a lover of books and learning, Cynthia works hard as a leader for the Friends of the Library. Environmental endeavors such as the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and the Eastern Shore Heritage all have given Cynthia a true sense of place.
It is this sense of place, of knowing what to cherish and protect while not being stuck in the past. Using the past to embrace new ideas to shape the county’s future. It is what attracts people to the Chestertown area and led her to political activism to uphold that vision. Cynthia feels it is key to who should lead our towns and county. She saw this in Mary Roe Walkup when she was County Commissioner. Cynthia supported her and worked on her campaign. She saw the same vision in Margo Bailey and was Treasurer for Ms. Bailey’s mayoral campaigns. Anne Hoon and Jan Graham inspired her and strengthened Cynthia’s belief in the Democratic party and the role for women in the party. Today Cynthia works tirelessly at the Information booth each Saturday. This past year’s presidential election was a highlight for her. Cynthia also compiles a slightly off-beat humorous political blog that kept and continues to keep her readers in good spirits.
Cynthia reiterates that women are a key to our county’s future — women who are not afraid to fight for this sense of place, a vision to honor and preserve the past but willing to solve the current problems with solutions of today. Those are the qualities we need to cultivate when looking for candidates to run for the local office. Cynthia admires not only women of her past history, but those who share this vision now. Crystal Woodward from Queen Anne’s County, Heather Mizeur running for Congress, Allison Galbraith, former candidate for District 1, and Republican Dawn Jacobs, Mayor of Rock Hall. She doesn’t agree with Mayor Jacobs’s political positions on many topics, but as Cynthia states, she put herself out there, ran, and won. It is her idea for the blueprint for candidates in 2022.
Those of you who hear from her regularly will have noted this quote concerning:
“the American Rescue Plan, passed on March 10, 2021, on Joe Biden’s 50th day in office:
First they ignore you,
Then they laugh at you,
Then they fight you,
Then you win.
………………..Gandhi”