Reconstruction of Two School Sports Courts for Basketball and Volleyball at the 1st Vocational High School of Kalymnos
Together for Children reconstructed two school courts at the 1st Vocational High School (EPAL) of Kalymnos as part of the “Together in Remote Areas” program with the generous support of bwin.
At the island’s largest school and one of the largest in the Dodecanese, where the daytime, evening, and vocational training programs (IEK) are housed, 447 students will now be able to play and exercise safely on brand new basketball and volleyball courts.
The project includes the installation of a reinforced acrylic system on the court surfaces, their marking, and the replacement of the basketball backboards with new hoops and nets. Additionally, protective padding for the basketball hoops was installed, while new poles and a net were added to the volleyball court.
The “Together in Remote Areas” program aims to ensure equal access to quality education for children and young people living in Greece’s remote areas. Through this program, Together for Children and its partners support infrastructure development and the improvement of educational conditions in schools located in remote and isolated regions.
As Mrs. Errika Oikonomou, General Secretary of Together for Children, stated: “We work daily to offer equal opportunities to every child in every corner of Greece. With the valuable support of bwin, we are jointly providing the students of Kalymnos with the conditions for a safe environment for sports and play, essential for their physical, mental, and emotional health and development. We are delighted that, with bwin’s contribution, we have delivered more than 5,250 square meters of courts in various locations across our country to date, and we will continue!”
Ms. Ioanna Beriou, Director of Corporate Communications at bwin, mentioned: “At bwin, our goal is to support social groups in every corner of the country, helping in any way we can to improve their daily lives. In partnership with our strategic partner, Together for Children, we visited the remote and beautiful island of Kalymnos and fully reconstructed two courts. These courts are now functional, safe, and ready to host the island’s youth. After all, sports are at the heart of every social initiative we undertake, because through sports, children and young people learn to respect, compete, and strive. For us, all children should have equal access to sports, and we remain committed to our vision: to give these courts back to the community, where they belong.”
The director of the 1st EPAL of Kalymnos, Mr. Ioannis Iakovou, stated: “Today, we inaugurate these courts, renovated in August, which now adorn the yard of our school. These are two courts, for basketball and volleyball, that meet the latest and most modern standards applied to outdoor sports spaces. We are very happy because this is a very important project for our school, as well as for our entire remote city, where the heart of Greece beats. On behalf of the Teachers’ Association, the Parents’ and Guardians’ Association, and the students of the 1st EPAL of Kalymnos, I thank Together for Children and bwin, and I wish them continued success in their noble efforts.”
Watch a related video HERE.