Singapore American • August 2014
T h e A m e r i c a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f S i n g a p o r e ’s
www.aasingapore.com
MCI (P) 178/01/2014
Since 1958
August 2014
S TA R T - U P S
independence day celebration 4-5
Independence Day Celebration: A Sparkling Good Time By Sharika Kaul and Julianne Fu
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travel
14-17
start-ups
25-30
Independence Day Celebration
1,4-5
American Association
6-7
CRCE & Business
8-9
Community News
10-13
Travel
14-17
SAN Contributors
18-19
Living in Singapore
20-23
Singapore Start-ups
25-30
Food & Dining Health & Wellness
s an American in Singapore for the first time and an international student returning from America, we found a big piece of home at the AAS Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, June 28. The weather was perfect as the AAS members, vendors, and security marched across the grass to transform SAS’s field into a red, white and blue extravaganza of carnival games, bouncy castles, music, and tantalizing food and beverages that would make the founding fathers proud of this great American holiday. Just as the staff put the finishing touches on their respective booths, music from the live band rose into the air and crowds adorned in patriotic colors began to file into the venue. We began the afternoon handing out tickets and all-day bouncy castle bracelets to excited families and beaming children. Everyone could smell cheeseburgers cooking and hear the enthusiastic shouts from the Wheel of Fortune (Kids Wheel included this year!), signaling the commencement of the day’s festivities. Although the Fourth of July traditionally celebrates the independence of the United States, this event was also a great way for expatriate families and Singaporeans to take a break from the everyday grind and enjoy a day of games and good food together as a community. As families rolled in early to steal a spot on the grass for the fireworks show, the field soon became a sea of blankets as families unwound and laughed throughout the afternoon and evening. The adults got a chance to mingle, and the children compared their hastily stuck American flag tattoos with one another and leaped away on the three bouncy castles sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce. Fathers leaned back in their chairs to enjoy the fans and shade, sipping Brewerkz beers and Café Iguana margaritas and admiring each other’s golf prizes, while hungry attendees feasted on American favorites from Smokey’s BBQ, The American Club, FairPrice Finest and Hoe Brothers Catering. As we walked across the field to take pictures of carnival gamers trying their luck at Throw Can, Basketball, Horseshoe, Game Set and Roll, and the Wheel of Fortune, we came across a sea of smiling faces that made us want to ditch our volunteer t-shirts and try our own arms at the Dunk Tank. But when we made our way over to the Wheel of Fortune, we found ourselves screaming with excitement and high-fiving the lucky winners whenever they landed on a Lucky Draw or SKII Skin Care prize. Some of the participants were so determined to win one of the fabulous Wheel of Fortune prizes, they played the game six times and walked away with vouchers for Chili’s,
The Butcher, Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill, and Club Kyo. As the clock grew closer to 8pm, participants were itching to land on a Lucky Draw for a chance to win: a 3-5 night Royal Caribbean Cruise, a stay at the Telunas Private Island, 18 holes of Golf and deluxe rooms at Palm Resort and Golf and Country Club, tickets to the 2015 George Washington Ball, rooms at Svarga Loka Wellbeing Retreat, and three different prizes by Frasers Hospitality Singapore and Capri by Fraser Hotel Residences. The formal ceremonies for the night began at 8pm, when SAS alumna Theresa Ellsworth sang the Singaporean Anthem and the American National Anthem, followed by great speeches from AAS President Glenn van Zutphen, SAS Board Vice Chair Devin Kimble, and Admiral Cynthia Thebaud. As American Ambassador Kirk Wagar took the stage next, he reminded fellow Americans that “when we’re abroad, we remember those things that make us American better than when we’re at home,” but also emphasized with his own international background that all nationalities make this a joyous Independence Day celebration. As these thoughtful words were met with booming cheers from the audience, bursts of kaleidoscopic colors lit the sky in shades of red, white and blue, ending the ceremony in the true American way. The hard work of the AAS staff and volunteers was captured in one moment when we saw our co-worker shed a few tears over the speeches and stunning fireworks spectacle. As the evening came to an end, the excitement continued when the most anticipated event of the night was announced: the Lucky Draw. With crowds near the stage in the hopes of walking away with the extravagant prizes offered by our sponsors, we noticed the same zealous Wheel of Fortune participants crossing their fingers as AAS President Glenn van Zutphen and AAS General Manager Toni Dudsak drew names. It was a wonderful finale to see previous game goers sprint forward to claim their prizes. At last everyone helping with the event began to clean up. But that did not deter the last few groups of carnival goers from tossing Frisbees, dancing, and enjoying drinks before calling it a night. Just as with last year’s celebration, this year’s Independence Day was thoughtfully planned and executed by the devoted AAS staff, volunteers, and security. But the attendance and overall spirit were above and beyond our expectations. We would like to thank all those who came out to celebrate this year’s Independence Day, and extend a very special thank you to everyone who made this event possible!
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Sports
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Whats Happening
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Members Discounts
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