IT has been 20 years since former rivals Edenhope and Apsley merged to become a unified front.
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Edenhope-Apsley Football Netball Club celebrated the milestone at the weekend with a day of festivities, which included a dinner, live music and guernsey auction.
The Saints also hosted the Swifts on Saturday.
Club president Carolyn Middleton said the anniversary gave members a chance to celebrate and reflect on the past 20 years.
"It was a celebration to acknowledge that we are still together after 20 years and are still strong. People were catching up, telling stories and sharing memories," she said.
"We're still growing together and still very much a family club. We want ensure that the club is still around for future generations. The club really is the hub of the town, as all football netball clubs are in isolated areas.
"We wouldn't be able to do anything without the volunteers and their dedication over the past 20 years, so I want to thank them for their efforts."
She said one of the club's highlights since the merger was when its senior football team was runner-up of the 2012 Horsham District league grand final, losing to Kalkee.
Middleton celebrated a significant anniversary of her own at the weekend when she was recognised for playing more than 500 netball games for both Edenhope and Edenhope-Apsley.
Wendy Cryer also celebrated 500 games for Apsley and Edenhope-Apsley.
"It was significant that we celebrated the milestones as we are two of the club's longest playing players," Middleton said.
Brief history of the merger
Formed in 1880, the Apsley Football Club originally competed in the Kowree Naracoorte Football League from 1937.
Later this would become the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League, where Apsley competed until 1999 when they merged with the Edenhope Bombers.
Edenhope first voted in favour of the merger, before Apsley came together on February 22, 1999, and voted for amalgamation with near unanimous approval.
Before the merge, Edenhope wore the red and black Bombers colours while Apsley wore black and white.
When the clubs first merged, they wore Port Adelaide colours as it was one of the few spare neutral guernseys in the KNTFL.
It was only when they crossed to the Horsham District league in 2007 that the club chose to be the Saints.
The club acknowledges the history of both clubs and supports both communities by playing at two grounds for their home matches.
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