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 .

[caption id="attachment_64854" align="alignleft" width="228"] Miroslava Herrera and Gustavo Salamin[/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_64855" align="alignright" width="269"] Germain Courchesne, (left) singing O Canada in French as Miroslava and mejorana player Gustavo look on[/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_64856" align="alignleft" width="195"] Rob Brown cpnducted a lively auction and did a curtain raiser for the musical ""Panama"[/caption]

“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

[caption id="attachment_64857" align="alignright" width="268"] Prizes and auction items galore[/caption]

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.