Dragon Boating: A Busy Time Ahead!

Text by Laurel Sherwood, Canadian Dragons Representative

With the cumulating race events right around the corner for the Canadian Dragon Boat Team, practices have been getting more intense and the excitement is booming. The first of these upcoming races is the Singapore Dragon Boat Regatta which is a mad dash of 300 meters. With both Men’s, Women’s, and mixed boats entered in this race we are hoping to walk away with some great results, amazing memories, and maybe even some hardware. Following the Regatta we have also entered boats in to the Sava Sprint Race, the American Thanksgiving Challenge, and the German Maneuver Cup.  November is going to be a busy month.

Since the competitive season will be wrapping up soon, this is a great time to come out and try a practice. With one of Singapore’s top dragon-boat coaches calling the shots, and with a great mix of Canadian and non-Canadians alike, not mention a whole range of experience levels, you’ll fit right in! Come out and try us on for size and you’ll see that we’re more than just about getting our paddles wet. From the rewarding ‘cold one’ on the beach after practice, to pub crawls, Frisbee games and more, there’s something for everyone.

If you want more information about joining the team, check out our website at www.canadiandragons-sg.org.

Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration

By Franca Ciambella

To no one’s surprise all of the guests at the annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner had a look of wonderful satisfaction on their faces after dining on 10kg turkeys with all of the traditional trimmings and accompaniments.  Hosted at the American Club, and held on the auspicious date of the tenth day of the tenth month in the year 2010, the event saw a sell out crowd of more than 200 persons.  The warm colours of yellow and maroon that adorned the room made everyone feel as though they were back in home in Canada on a beautiful autumn afternoon.

Under the watchful supervision of volunteers from the Canadian International School, about 45 children took part in the arts and crafts, face painting, and tattoos that had been organized for them both before and after the dinner.  Proceeds were raised via a lucky-draw to benefit Boys’ Town, a Singapore-based charity that helps boys from troubled families or from families who unable to keep them at home for financial reasons.  Lucky winners enjoyed prizes that included weekend getaways, wine hampers, brunches and teas, donated by the Fairmont Hotel, the American Club, Rochester Cafe and Neem Teas.

Finally, a tag placed secretly under a plate at each table helped to identify who would be the carving chef for that table. The reward for such a daunting task was not only getting to wear the chef’s hat and apron, but also bringing home the lovely table floral arrangement. His Excellency David Sevigny, Canada’s High Commissioner to Singapore, his wife, Mary Broderick as well as their daughter Laura, enjoyed the meal and agreed with everyone else in saying it felt just like a Thanksgiving in Canada.


Many thanks to the Thanksgiving organising committee and the American Club for hosting such a great event.

Your Smile has an Economic Value

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Many of you would no doubt have read articles on smile makeovers through teeth whitening, veneers, dental implants and orthodontic treatment. However, not much has been written about the financial value of a great set of teeth.

The National Bureau of Research in the USA published a paper in 2008 about the Economic Value of Teeth.
According to the report, women who grew up in areas where there was water fluoridation earned 4% more than those who did not live in such communities. This was particularly evident in families with a low socioeconomic status.

The premise of the research was the fact that people with bad teeth or missing teeth had more trouble finding jobs. The conclusion was that employer and consumer discrimination were the likely factors where the women’s oral health affected their earnings.  This could possibly be due to a less attractive physical appearance, especially for front-line positions, but also due to the perception that bad teeth equated to poor health or poor personal hygiene.

There are certain professions where one’s appearance (and thus, one’s teeth) is placed at a premium e.g., celebrities, broadcasters, etc.  Nevertheless, a great smile is also helpful for other positions, whether they are customer service related or at the senior corporate level.

Don’t let obstacles such as anxiety or financial circumstances hinder you from seeking solutions to dental problems – there are always ways to address these issues one step at a time, in manageable bites ...


Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For details, send an enquiry via http://www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Annual Carpet Auction

By Janey Schueller

An enthusiastic group showed up for the Annual Carpet Auction on October 24th at the Fairmont Hotel. Amidst the beautiful colors and patterns, guests busily took note of their favourite carpets during the cocktail hour and settled in for an educational carpet talk from Edmund Rajendra of Eastern Carpets.  Edmund and fellow host Shakur answered questions from the group and then got down to business. Exquisite hand-woven carpets were auctioned off at discounted prices and with the 'surprise' gifts rewarded throughout the afternoon, no one left disappointed!  Many thanks to Eastern Carpets for their outstanding hospitality and we look forward to their next live auction at the Maple Leaf Ball in April.  If you can't wait until April, do stop by Eastern Carpets, located at Raffles City Shopping Centre, #03-31 and mention CAS!