At the Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Connect luncheon last Thursday, the main event was assistant city manager Roy Oliver giving the attendees an update on the Chason Park expansion project. Before Oliver took to the podium however, the Chamber made a point of honoring former city councilman Luther Conyers, awarding him with an honorary Chamber membership.

Chamber president Karen Tobin listed off Conyers’ achievements over the years that contributed to the Chamber’s decision. “Taking the oath of office on January 4, 1978, Luther H Conyers, Jr. served as a member of the Bainbridge City Council for 37 years, and at the time of his retirement in December of 2015, he was the longest serving councilman in the city’s history,” Tobin said. “Conyers’ contributions to Bainbridge,” she continued, “include the adoption of the combined Public Safety concept; development of a city-wide master plan to guide the expansion of water, sewer and storm water infrastructure.”

Additionally, Conyers’ participation and involvement with the Student Government Day Program, the Municipal Training Board, the Georgia Municipal Employees Benefit System Board of Trustees, the local Rotary Club and American Legion, and NAACP were all recognized. Conyers and his wife Gwendolyn, both being retired educators, are recognized as members of the Savannah State University Hall of Fame.

“I’m thankful for receiving such an award,” Conyers told the Post-Searchlight. “I had not witnessed that before, and it was a real experience for me. For someone to think that you have lived a life that’s worthy of recognition… was a great thing for me, and I do appreciate it, and I thank the Chamber for recognizing me as such.”