Tuesday 2 September 2014

EPFCA at 10 - Take 4

After watching G.I. Blues at our local drive-in at the tender age of 6/7, I became a hardcore Elvis fan. My first LP was G. I. Blues which I still have. My first 7-single was Elvis. My first CD and DVD was Elvis. Elvis has always been part of my life.

In 2004 ETV started showing all the old Elvis movies and I was seriously hooked again, feeling like the little girl of all those years ago.

At around that time Annemarie and Nicolette drove around handing out flyers advertising the Elvis Fan Club at different libraries. Not coming to Somerset West Library where I work, a friend from Strand Library sent me one. It took a couple of months before I phoned, not knowing what to expect as some Elvis fans are real weirdos! And then another couple of months before I went!

Well, what a great surprise. Here I am 7 years later and still a member. We are like one big happy family enjoying Elvis once a month.

My highlight was definitely in 2007 when 4 of us went to Memphis for the 30th anniversary of Elvis’ death. There were 75,000 fans. Driving through the gates of Graceland for the first time, was such an emotional experience for me. Walking through Elvis’ house, touching things he had touched (not allowed, but I did!), wow. Then standing by his grave – words just cannot describe the way I felt.

Thank you EPFCA - happy 10th birthday and here’s to the next 10 years!
 Jackie van Schalkwyk © EPFCA

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