Y
ears ago, when Jeanie and Scott Sanders asked their
young grandchildren about the gifts they received for
Christmas, they noticed the children couldn’t remem-
ber.
What they did recall, though, was the times that they spent
together at the beach and other locations.
That realization prompted the Daleville couple to start
shifting their resources and providing for their grandchildren
in new ways.
“I already was kind of thinking it, but when we talked
to them and realized they didn’t really remember what we
bought for them, it really inspired me more than ever,” she
said. “I knew that we wanted to provide memories for our
grandchildren – not just things.”
The decision has led to a number of adventures, with
“Gigi” and “Papa” taking the grandchildren on a variety of
trips both in Mississippi and beyond. One trip they took was
to Ocean Springs to explore the artistic contributions and life
of Walter Anderson. They also have gone to Paris, France and
to Southern California.
On some trips, the couple’s adult children have joined
them. But often, the pair travels with just their grandchildren.
“Sometimes we have ‘no parents allowed’ trips,” Jeanie
Sanders explained. “It is nice sometimes to take the grandchil-
dren by themselves. And we find that they really do respect
and listen to us. We have been able to enjoy that time togeth-
er.”
Jeanie Sanders warmly recalls a number of trips near and
far with her grandchildren – including an 18 and 22-year-old,
as well as a 5 and 10-year-old and three other grandchildren
www.meridianstar.com
“ … We wanted
to provide memories
for our grandchildren
– not just things.”
Jeanie Sanders
Opposite page: Jeanie Sanders of Daleville
and granddaughters Zoey Tucker (left), 10,
and Kinley Hollingshead, 5, relive a 2018
trip to Disney World through a picture
book. Several years ago, Sanders and her
husband, Scott, decided to provide mem-
ories for their grandchildren and “not just
things,” she said. The couple take their
grandchildren on trips in Mississippi and
other locales — including London and Paris.
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