Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving raising funds for charity
The social scene with Margot Thomas
OVER 80 expat Canadians and friends joined Canadian Ambassador Karine Asselin for a Thanksgiving celebration, organized by The CanadaPLUS Foundation at the Golden Tower Hotel on Saturday October 8.
Proceeds from the event go to organizing the Foundation’’ annual Charity concert, Carols by Candlelight .
O Canada The Canadian National anthem was sung in English by Miroslava Herrera lead singer in Afrodisiaco, the group that earlier this year received the Silver Seagull award at Latin America’s most prestigious music festival, the Viña del Mar in Chile .
Quebec singer and artist Germaine Corchesne sang the French version.
Both singers were accompanied Panama’s traditional musical stringed instrument the mejorana played by Gustavo Salamin.
The Ambassador was joined by Captain Paul Dempsey from a visiting Canadian government delegation in the ceremonial slicing of the turkey.
“Panama” the Musical
The diners were also privy to the unveiling of a newly created musical “Panama” written by Rob Brown and Yolanda Van Der Kolk which will be rolled out in Panama later this year ahead of a major launch in Toronto.
The musical is set in 1927, during the “flapper” era, when Panama had a thriving night club industry and a local song writer had her eyes set on New York.
Rob went on to conduct an auction to raise funds for the staging of Carols by Candlelight, Dec 3
Auction items included return flights to Toronto and Montreal donated by Copa Airlines, A Sony Camera, Canon printers, A gift basket and magnum of a newly launched champagne from Felipe Motta, and a pair of tickets for Jungleland Panama exploration.
Door prizes were donated by Avatar Indian restaurant, Rincon Aleman, Golden Tower Hotel and a painting by Germain Courchesne.
