PRESENT FROM THE FIRST DAY

Without any exaggeration, from the first day of Apollon’s founding, the members of the Limassol team extended a helping hand to their fellow human beings. In addition to the various charities in which they were engaged, they provided free medicines to the proven needy members of the National Popular Associations, since at that time many people had a hard time and could not even have the essentials.

At the same time, they helped financially to pay the tickets of the needy students, since they wanted to pass the message that everyone should be educated and get the absolutely necessary through learning, so that he could progress as a person and be able to form a good character that would helped him integrate into society.

Moreover, something that many may not know is that from the first days after the foundation of the “Legend” a very wide meeting was held for the election of a committee that took care of the construction of a church in the parish of Agios Ioannis, a parish that is one of the largest , if not the largest, in Limassol and where thousands of believers come to receive God’s blessing.

However, they were not satisfied only with these, since from time to time they held various events for the entertainment of the members of the association. For example, the trip to Greece in September 1954 -the decision was made on June 2- with 60 people to register, but also an excursion to Macheira around mid-June (every month there were excursions to archeological sites and the countryside for mutual acquaintance) . Also, a program of excursions had been prepared for the establishment of Agriculture Local Associations.

As it is understood, the action of Apollon was multifaceted and a few months later in February 1955 the administration proceeded to the organization of the first carnival dance in the REKAL cinema, something that was to be established as an institution by the “blue and whites” many years.

Year after year and as much as the obligations of the members of Apollon allowed it, due to the priority given to the National Liberation Fight of EOKA, since our team was essentially the National Fortress of Limassol and not only, the social work of the “blue and whites” opened its horizons and covered all spectrums.

After expanding into the field of sports, participating with great success in the inter-club track and field competitions that took place in July 1955 – Apollon finished first in the standings -, but also organizing a five-kilometer cycling race on a public road, as well as a table tennis championship. Having at the same time the goal of creating basketball and volleyball teams, our team proceeded to held various seminars.

One of them took place in May 1958, with the doctor Gaston Schiza giving a successful lecture on “Youth and Sexuality”, developing his subject scientifically and in a simple style, resulting in the applause of the audience, which had flooded the room. More follows in the next section…