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The Party on September 15th

The background music you're listening to is Elvis singing with his daughter, Lisa Marie, Don't Cry Daddy in duet.

Legends: Conceição Campos, Paula Silva, Carlos Silva and friends.

When the Board of Directors of this Fan Club arrived at Roxy Romeo Bar, in Alhandra, it was a total surprise - we found what we call initiative in action. The owner of the bar had placed a giant Elvis poster outside the bar, as well as a big ad announcing our party. The owner, Mr. Francisco, is a big fan of the 50's and 60's rock'n'roll and welcomed us and supported our party since the beginning.

After having decorated the place with Elvis stuff, the first members and their friends started to arrive, as well as some people of the area, moved by curiosity and also by what they had read on Correio da Manhã's newspaper (go to Press). We had a planned programme and tried to follow it as best as we could, considering that some people were late.

Legends: Serafim Cortizo, on a karaoke session. / The poster outside the building. / Mara Antónia Pereira, winner of the auction.

Each member received an offer at their arrival, inside Elvis kept singing his songs and, with the room pratically full (there were still people on their way), we began the event around 04.30pm. Elvis 100%'s President, Carlos Santos, got up on stage and welcomed everybody. Then, the Vice-President, Célia Carvalho, did a brief speech on the catastrophe occurred on the 11th September in New York, saying that Elvis 100% Fan Club was solidary with the victims and their families, having sent an email to Graceland expressing our feelings. She added that if Elvis was still alive, he'd already be doing something to help; as for us, in a very candid way, we thought that the best way to pay tribute to the victims of the catastrophe would be playing America The Beautiful sang in the beautiful and felt voice of our idol... silence fell in the room and Elvis sang. At the end, the applause by everybody showed that the tribute feeling was common to each person present.

Legends: Fernando and Cleber, from Brazil. / Victor Rodrigues. / José Rodrigues and Virgínia Rebelo.

Life goes on, though, Elvis got us together on that day and it was time to celebrate in the name of the King. We started off with a karaoke session, with every participant receiving a big hand of applause; footage on the report SIC did on Elvis 100% on 16th August followed (go to Press). Then Elvis sang Don't Cry Daddy and immediately after he sang the same song with his daughter, Lisa Marie. A brief previous explanation on that footage was given: on 16th August 1997 Lisa wanted to pay tribute to her father and thank his present fans on the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis in a duet with Elvis, helped by the great technologies (something similar to what Natalie Cole did with Nat "King" Cole and Unforgettable). The presentation of that footage was only possible due to the fact that two members of Elvis 100%'s board of directors were present in Memphis on the night Lisa showed the world that wonderful piece of techology. It was a big surprise for all the present people in Roxy Romeu that afternoon.

    
Legends: Carla Vieira and Carlos Silva. / Paulo Quintino. / Serafim Cortizo and Délia Barros.

The moment to start the contest "Who Wants To Be Number One Fan?" had arrived, every member participated - all of them real "brains" when it comes to Elvis culture. The "fight" was so strict that we had to make a casting vote. Carlos Silva was the winner and he got a video tape of the King, in second and third places were Fernanda Ramos and Victor Rodrigues, both winning an Elvis CD. Always with Elvis singing in the backgroud, we proceeded with the auction of a beautiful Elvis portrait in the 70's. Many wanted to take it home, but the portrait ended in the hands of Mª Antónia Pereira who, at the end of the auction, sighed, "I'm glad it's over!"

Legends: Maria Manuela Pimentão and Fernando Pimentão. / Miguel Santos. / Tito Seixas.

A live performance followed. Carlos Santos performed, among other things, some of the best Elvis medleys, followed by more Elvis footage, this time a selection of That's The Way It Is 2, where it's always impossible to remain indifferent to the charisma of our idol.

Legends: Fernanda Ramos. / Dionísio Cintrão. / Isabel Lousada. / Fernando Pinto and Falina Pires.

During all these events, our booth of Elvis articles for sale almost ran out, members contributed to our charity campaign towards Casa de Betânia (go to Charity) - we thank you in the institution's and Elvis' name, since it's in his name that we're all acting and we're going to hand out the collected donations at the end of this year. To end our party, nothing better than inedit footage of In Concert 1977.

In order to improve our events, we have collected everybody's opinion on all the aspects related to the party. The final result was 100% positive. Every given suggestion for our next event (already in preparation) will be put into practice. Two of the aspects that least pleased the members was the hot weather and fact that they didn't win the contest. Among members and admirers present 34 people were at Roxy Romeo (not counting with the ones living in Alhandra). We hope to double this number on our next event, so we can get to know each other better and share Elvis. We need to thank all the present people, especially those who came from faraway and, even before some trouble (as Victor Rodrigues, from Tábua, who had an accident and, even so, was the first one to arrive!) showed up just the same. Throughout the day the comments by the present people didn't go on unnoticed and incited us to go on. Thank you so much to: Falina and Fernando Pires, Paulo Quintino and Bruno Quintino, Miguel Santos (from Leiria), Carlos Silva and Carla Vieira, Mª . Antónia Pereira, Dionísio Cintrão (from Santarém), Virgínia Rebelo and José Rodrigues (from Entroncamento), Isabel Lousada, Cleber and Fernando (Brazilian singers), Fernanda Ramos, Serafim Cortizo, Fernando Pimentão and Manuela Pimentão, Tito Seixas and Luís Seixas and Délia Barros. We'd also like to give a special welcome to São Campos and Paula Silva, who became members on that day, as well as their friends, Joaquim Amadeu, Fernanda Maria, Carlos Alberto, Luís, Cláudia and Ricardo. Our thank you goes to Mr. Francisco and Jimmy for all the help given in the logistic aspects surrounding this party.

Legends: Francisco Romão, owner of the Roxy Romeo.

We hope to count on you for future events and we hope that those that couldn't come on the last minute might come as well: Manuel Monteiro, Humberto Ladeira, Celso Ladeira, Nelson Anjos, Filipe Tavares, Lu Ribeiro and Isabel Gonçalves. Lu Ribeiro placed a phone call to wish us to have fun and also to say hello. In the name of everyone present on the party when we delivered her message, we also say hi. Also received was the message of Patrícia Ramos, who couldn't be present because she lives abroad, but wanted to say that she was with us in thoughts. We hope you can all meet personally on a next opportunity.

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