The Multiple District 308 Leo Forum is an event that is marked on every Leo’s calendar as it serves as a platform for all Leos alike from Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and – this year – even Philippines to gather and enjoy. After hearing all the fun stories from friends, you couldn’t imagine the anticipation I had to be able to attend my first Leo Forum.
This year’s annual event was held in Ipoh on the 11th June 2010. Along with 4 other Leos (Leo Sheng Wei, Leo Cindy, Leo Jia Yi, Leo Thin Sung), we travelled down to the Land of Great Food with excitement in the back of our heads. Before reaching the hotel, we stopped by at Funny Mountain stall to have their smooth-as-a-lady’s-skin tofu fah. Note: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! =D
This year’s annual event was held in Ipoh on the 11th June 2010. Along with 4 other Leos (Leo Sheng Wei, Leo Cindy, Leo Jia Yi, Leo Thin Sung), we travelled down to the Land of Great Food with excitement in the back of our heads. Before reaching the hotel, we stopped by at Funny Mountain stall to have their smooth-as-a-lady’s-skin tofu fah. Note: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! =D
The attendance for forum in the past has been positive, thus it was hardly surprising to find a vast amount of Leos already gathered at the hotel, surrounding the lobby with a sea of colourful Leo vests. The cheerful mood all around only heightens our excitement. We were disappointed at first to find out that we will be staying at a neighbouring hotel (Read: Downgrade =P) and not being able to collect the hotel keys, but they were just minor setbacks. It’s quickly overshadowed by the fact that we were going to ‘debut’ our new vest – Navy blue with golden yellow piping. The colour combination looked brilliant and the moment Leo Sheng Wei showed to us, we fell in love (With the vest, not him =P).
Prior to the opening ceremony, the hall was filled with booths, which we err… duly visit. Not wanting to give in to the RM2 fried rice lunch; we decided to ‘escape’ and went to the famous Foh San Dim Sum restaurant. The shop was about to close when we arrived, but even with the limited selection of Dim Sum dishes, we were quite satisfied.
By the time we got back to the hotel, the opening ceremony was over and we got our keys. Yay! After half a day of driving, we retreated to our rooms to rest and freshen up. In the evening, we went to the main hotel to have our dinner (This one we paid for, so our kiasu-ness made us bear with the ‘delicious’ mixed rice. Seriously though, it’s actually not that badlar!). Right after dinner, we went out for dessert hunting. (By now you must be asking, “Hey! What happened to the forum?!” tsk tsk tsk. We are a anti-social social club, whatever that means!)
With Leo Jia Yi’s “Perak Food Guide” book, we headed to Indulgence which was a rave among foodies and critics alike. Located in an old bungalow, the ambience of the restaurant is definitely one you could use to floor your perfect date. But of course, we were more impressed by the food, especially the oh-so-perfect Tiramisu. It was literally 7th heaven/cloud 9/insert-ridiculous-expressions that we decided to skip the closing ceremony on Sunday morning to come back for more indulgence. Well, more of that later.
We started the 2nd day of forum early as “early birds get the crispy roast pork”. We headed to a nearby market to try the delicious delicacy made by a friend’s family. Hey! You’ve never been to Ipoh if all you’ve eaten is forum food! =P
After breakfast, we arrived at the main hall in time for the banner parade. After the parade, we were treated to some speeches and presentation. In the afternoon, we attended the District 308-B1 sub-forum. We are pleased to announce to you that the club has bagged 8 awards this year. Congratulations to all the winners as well as they rightly deserve them for the efforts put. The awards were:
- Outstanding Club Award – Leo Club of KL Unity
- Outstanding Club President – Leo Tan Eong Xien
- Outstanding Club Secretary – Leo Yap Wei Keat
- Outstanding Club Treasurer – Leo Teh Tze Yoong
- Outstanding Leo Member – Leo Chai Hooi Jett
- Special Project Award: Leos Serving Together with Lions
- Special Project Award: Community Service Project
- Special Project Award: Leo Bulletin Award
We would like to also take this opportunity to congratulate our sister clubs, Leo Club of SMK Jinjang and Leo Club of SMK Sultan Abdul Samad on their respective achievements.
That night, we were treated to a banquet dinner, with the theme “Oscar Night” at Florex Restaurant. The first thing we noticed was the stage’s size. The stage was huge, complete with mock Oscar balloon monuments. I guess the organizers were serious about the theme. It helped that everybody dressed at their best efforts to look like celebrities; it was indeed an Oscar night. True to its hype, the dinner was held in a grand fashion, with an 8-course banquet dinner and entertaining performances. The highlight of the event was the presentation of the top awards, of which the all recipients were delighted to be Oscars winners. Congratulations to them as well!
One of the segments that struck a chord in everybody’s hearts was the slideshow of the Dragonboat Festival in Penang. It was a fitting tribute to the Leos and students who lost their lives in the tragedy. Nobody deserves to go through such a traumatic event, however it was a reminder that life could be so short. We paid our respects with a moment of silence.
After the dinner, we went for a mini-celebration from other Omega Leos. After the formal event, it was time to let our hair down. Overall, he Leo Forum was a great event for all Leos alike to gather and celebrate the achievements of the past year. It was a great opportunity for us to not only get to know members from other clubs, but also strengthen the bond of our own members.
Roar!
Xien
