Columbia Beach Resort: A Year in Review of Giving Back

As the year comes to a close, Columbia Beach Resort is reaffirming its unwavering
commitment to charitable endeavours and investment in its local community. in its local community.
Inspired by how the resort has been mindfully built into the contours of the landscape,
integrating sustainably with its environment, Marketing Manager and Charity Liaison, Anthea
Vikis, feels spirited in the same vein to action Columbia’s unique brand of hospitality with
heart in alternative, far-reaching ways that transcend the bounds of the resort and guests’
immediate experience.

“Being a large organisation, we recognise our inherent power to make a meaningful
difference,” Ms. Vikis explains. “Our impulse to help is truly heartfelt: we believe in
championing sincere symbiosis, and we value being recognised as a beacon within the world
of luxury hospitality as much as being recognised as a beacon of service and support.”
Gazing ahead to the New Year, Columbia is looking back at a collection of its most
significant initiatives that came to fruition in 2023.

Blood Donations

Giving blood is one of the most immediate and profound ways that people can help those
with medical needs, in many cases preserving and extending a life.
Every year, Columbia spearheads two blood donation drives that take place in June and
December respectively, with each occasion resulting in significant participation from staff.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Supporting the fighters, admiring the survivors and honouring the taken, Columbia called to
action its staff members to ‘Wear it Pink’ on October 20th for a photoshoot dedicated to breast
cancer awareness month, with particular support being lent to Europa Donna Cyprus’ efforts
and endeavours.

The Anti-Cancer Society

Columbia also works closely with The Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society, which cares for people
with cancer, providing them with palliative care services, as well as supporting their families
and caregivers, and informing the wider public about cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment
and relief.

In supporting this local charity, guests are given the option of donating €5 at the end of their
stay, or – indeed – making a larger donation should they choose.

Movember

Focusing its attention on men’s health, Columbia’s staff members grew their moustaches to
represent men’s physical health and vitality, and advocating for men’s mental health, with a
sizeable donation given to the Movember Cyprus charity.

Children and Families

Every year, Columbia Beach Resort sponsors The Dancing Queen Foundation’s “Don’t
Drink and Drive” Walk., along with providing vouchers to their annual theme party. The
Dancing Queen Foundation is a non-profit organisation established in honour of the late Dr.
Yiota Demetriou, a schoolmate of Anthea’s, with a mission of positively impacting the lives of children and teenagers, making a difference in their quality of life and psychological well-
being.

Each year in Cyprus, the ‘Heart Day’ initiative comes to fruition in support of child
development centre, ‘To Alma’, which provides childhood intervention services and supports
families of children with diagnosed disabilities. This year, local charity Learning Refuge –
has been tasked with mosaicking Columbia’s heart.
Finally, each Christmas, Columbia contributes presents and food to the children aided by
Limassol’s ‘Paidiki Stegi’ (Children’s Home), even organising a magician show last year in
bringing a little extra joy and laughter.

Donations

Further to donating sheets, towels, pillows, blankets and duvets, as well as crockery to a
variety of local charities every year (including Archangel Michaels Hospice, Caritas, The
Learning Refuge, and various animal shelters), and making significant food donations to
Friendship Circle, Columbia has recently launched a new initiative, whereby guests who want
to lighten their load when returning home have the option of donating their unwanted items,
which Columbia will distribute accordingly to the collection of charities with which it works.

Additional Ongoing Initiatives

Now fully integrated within Columbia’s DNA, and inextricable from its identity, the resort
continues to nourish and nurture a collection of important projects and initiatives, including
the Columbia Cat Care Project, being a member of SLH’s Considerate Collection and the
first ever Resort worldwide to be a part of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network, as well
as honouring the conditions of its Green Key Award, and embracing a unique ecological
solution for bottled water by partnering with Minoa’s plant based packaging.