The Kiwanis Club of Statesboro, at its 65th Anniversary and Awards dinner Thursday, named Steven Sanders the 2024 Kiwanian of the Year.

It was a posthumous award, since Sanders died Aug. 30, just age 47. A banker with Synovus Bank in Statesboro, he had served as the Kiwanis Club’s treasurer for several years.

Announcing the award, Bob Marsh, who a year ago was named 2023 Kiwanian of the Year, described Steven Sanders in simple, honest terms.

“A family man who adored his son and wife, he was a humble guy,” said Marsh. “He was always ready to pitch in and do what needed to be done, a behind-the-scenes guy, not looking for credit.”

A life-long resident of Statesboro, Sanders had graduated from both Statesboro High School and Georgia Southern University. At Georgia Southern he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. He was employed with Synovus for 18 years and was a member of the Georgia Bankers Association, serving as a Georgia Banking School chief grader.

“He was very active in volunteer work in Bulloch County, serving on the board of the Boys & Girls Club and the Bulloch County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board,” Marsh noted.

Sanders taught a Sunday Bible class at his church, Old Fellowship Baptist Church, where he also served as finance officer.

And “he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his son,” Marsh noted.

Steven’s wife, Kristie Sanders, their son Dalton, who is now 19 and a sophomore-to-junior studying construction management at Georgia Southern, and Steven’s mother, Patti Sanders, attended Thursday night’s event to accept the award.

“We are so thankful to the community and to the Kiwanians here in town,” Kristie Sanders said after the meeting.  “The support that we’ve received from the community has just been incredibly overwhelming. We’re super grateful for everything everybody has done for us, the love they’ve shown, the support they’ve shown us.”

Steven Sanders had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early June 2024 and passed away in hospice care less than three months later. Synovus named the lobby of its downtown Statesboro branch the Sanders Lobby in memoriam.

Besides serving as Kiwanis treasurer, he was a dedicated volunteer with club projects. “He spent the whole week up here with the fair, the rodeo,” Kristie Sanders said Thursday evening in the Kiwanis Community Building.

Outstanding Kiwanians

The club also saw nine of its members receive “Outstanding Kiwanian” awards, presented by Kiwanis district Lt. Governor Chris Wiggins, who is also a Statesboro member. This award requires perfect attendance for the most  recent six months, sponsorship of a new club member during the  year, active participation in a club committee, attendance of at least two interclub events during the fiscal year and otherwise being in good standing with the club, division, district and Kiwanis International.

Those nine Outstanding Kiwanians are Bill Anderson, Lynn Bennett, Earl Cashon, Kasey Hagan, Byron Mullican, Jim Thibodeau, Trish Tootle, Bobby Turner and also Chris Wiggins.

Legion of Honor

One Statesboro Kiwanis member, Jeff Akins, received his second Legion of Honor Award. These are first presented after 25 years of service and every five years thereafter, so Akins now has credit for 30 years’ service.

42 perfect years

But among the several local Kiwanians receiving perfect attendance awards, Horace Harrell still rides in advance of the peloton, with 42 years credit for perfect attendance.

This story will be expanded with a little more information in an upcoming edition.