Official European Kevin Sorbo Fanclub

Lindsey
These are my thoughts on Collectormania 12. I can't believe its all over and we are
all back to normal!

'Collectormania 12 - October 2007

I had a really great time at Collectormania 12, meeting old friends, making new ones, spending time chatting, laughing, eating, not much sleeping (strange bed and noisy neighbours!), and meeting Kevin. This was the third time I have met Kevin and he was absolutely lovely all weekend, and these are my moments with him, - 3 autograph signings, l photoshoot, and the fanclubs meeting.

On the first day, Friday, Kevin wasn't there when I arrived and I was told he was on a break, come back in about 20 minutes. I don't know if it was 20 minutes or not but when I next looked Kevin was there talking to the assistant with no-one in the queue, so I thought I would take the opportunity. He looked at me as I walked up, and I glanced at him with a bit of a grin, then I turned to choose a Hercules photo for Kevin to sign. When I got to him Kevin said that he knew me and where was the last time that we met. I said it was at the London Expo and we had a bit of a conversation about it. I asked how he was and he said he was very tired as he had only arrived at quarter to nine that morning. I said "jet-lagged", Kevin said yes and that he would probably wake up at 1 in the morning. I said "oh partying", Kevin said no, that he would be sleeping, and he and the guest next to him laughed. Me too! Kevin signed my photo, I gave him Hannelore's love and thanked him for remembering me. Kevin smiled and said "see you tomorrow night?" (at the meeting). I beamed, nodded, said yes, and off I went a very happy lady, and very impressed with Kevin's memory.

Saturday - I went again to the autograph table, this time choosing a photo of Dylan. When I got to Kevin he didn't look up straight away, but said my name checking it was spelt 'sey' at the end. (it had already been written on a piece of paper). I asked if he had slept well. He looked up, recognised me, said hallo taking hold of my fingers on one hand shaking them slightly and smiling. Needless to say I returned the hold and the smile! Kevin said that he had slept well, that he had left early yesterday and gone to the gym, that there was a cancellation space for a massage which he had taken, and had promptly fallen asleep!! I said he would get another hour tomorrow because of the hour going back. Kevin remembered about the hour, but had originally thought it was next weekend. I asked if I could have a photo, Kevin leant across the table, putting his arm around my shoulders, (heaven!), and an assistant took the photo. Thank you Kevin.

I took my signed photo and left, once again a very happy lady. Saturday evening was the meeting when Kevin very generously gave an hour of his time for us all to meet him. It was an excellent hour. He answered all our questions fully about his new films, Hercules, Andromeda, other programmes, and golf, and made us all laugh. At the end some members gave him presents which Kevin opened, and then he posed for quite a few photos with all of us. I think Kevin was with us for about one and a half hours in the end, and it was a wonderful time. It was a shame when it came to an end and he had to go.

Sunday - I didn't realise I was going to go for another autograph but when I got to the centre and after talking with another lady, I thought 'yes I am!' This time I chose a photo of Kull. When I reached Kevin, the assistant couldn't read my name as it had ended up a squiggle when it was written! , so I spelt it out. Kevin looked at it and said it was 'Lindsey', and that it looked Japanese upside down, at which I giggled. While he was signing my photo I said thank you for the meeting last night, it was lovely. Kevin looked at me, nodding, and saying yes, that it had been a great time. The assistant asked if I wanted a photo; I wasn't going to say no, so once again I had Kevin's arm round my shoulders. More heaven! After I left I looked at my photo - Kevin had written on it 'all my hugs'. I was thrilled to bits. Then it was the photo session. Heidi, Regina and I were there early (about an hour!) as we knew the queue would be long and we needed to leave to get to Heathrow in time for their flights home. I think Heidi was at the front of the queue to start with, but when we were called over she pulled me to the front, with a lot of giggling, and thats where I had to stay!!! It was lovely having the photo with Kevin, he smiled at me, I gave him a huge grin back, he put his arm round my shoulders asking me how I was, I said I was fine, thank you, and put both my arms round him. Two photos later, Kevin looked at me, smiled again, I said "thank you, its been great", then that was it and it was time to go.
Thank you Kevin for a really great weekend, for the opportunity to chat, have photos taken, for your generosity of spirit. Thank you for coming over in the middle of filming, we all really appreciated it, and hope to see you again very soon.
Lindsey

"A collection of other memories from Collectormania 12"As well as all the special moments that I had with Kevin, I also have good memories of the weekend of time spent with old and new friends and here are some of them:
meeting up with Heidi, Claudia, Theresa, Regina, Mariola,all of whom I had met before and we all recognised each other (!) and there were hugs all round. Meeting Anne, Christine, Jenny, and Jonathan& nbsp; and Julie for the first time; having a great time and lots of laughs with all of them.

- eating fish and chips in Witherspoons with Christine, Mariola, Jenny, Jonathan, and Peter and losing my precious autographed photo of Kevin as Hercules down the crack at the side of the bench, much to mine and Jenny's consternation! A waiter came to clear the table and waited until I had retrieved Herc; he gave me a big smile and was probably very relieved that he didn't have to take the bench apart!. In fact poor Hercules had a mishap earlier because not long after Kevin had put his autograph on the photo I had dropped him (I think it was too much excitement!!) and Jenny had picked him up, dusted him off and given him a cuddle and told me where I could buy a plastic sleeve to protect him. I think I was close to not getting my photo of Herc back because Jenny thought I wasn't looking after him properly!!

- the plan for collecting Kevin for our joint fanclub meeting not quite happening as expected! Claudia and Christine were going to collect Kevin at 5.45 to bring him to the hotel for the meeting. Christine had gone over earlier on her own so that she was already there. Claudia arrived at the hotel to give Peter Karl's videocamera to do the filming of the meeting, then she left to go back to the Centre to meet up with Christine and Kevin. Ha! Christine reappeared saying that Kevin had left at about 4.30 to go back to his hotel to freshen up for the meeting - she had not seen Claudia in passing but had left lots of messages with Security in the hope that she would find out what was going on. I tried to ring Claudia but without success - I don't think she had her phone with her at that point. Mariola arrived then and we all waited in the hotel lobby to see who would turn up first - it was Kevin! And didn't he look gorgeous! And instead of us looking after him he took a turn at looking after us!! Mariola had left her bag on the chair which Kevin spotted, then Christine dropped her scarf on the floor which Kevin rescued.
Thank you Kevin for looking after us, we certainly needed it! In the meantime Mariola and I were still trying to get hold of Claudia but we gave up. Claudia reappeared probably about 15 minutes after the meeting started. Kevin laughed when he saw her and asked where had she been. Claudia said she has been at the Centre looking for him. Kevin teased her saying that he had been there at quarter to six! Later Claudia told us that she had spoken to a very nic e Security guard called Stewart who had given her the information that Kevin had gone.
- taking all of Friday and most of Saturday to work out how to ring Claudia on her mobile - finally getting it right with Christine's help who knew how to do it. The first time I rang Heidi on the mobile number she had given me I got a very nice sounding English gentleman!!
- going to a different Witherspoons with Peter and Christine after the meeting to get something to eat. Deciding that we couldn't cope with the noise (it had a wooden floor and you couldn't hear yourself speak at all) and sneaking off after the waitress had brought us the menu, to go and find a quiet Pizzahut where Peter and Christine both enjoyed some wine with their meals, and I had two very large cups of tea. We walked Christine home to the B&B, and the next day she told us that she had been told off by the owner of the B&B because she hadn't rung him to ask for a lift home and he was worried about her walking about in Milton Keynes on her own - which impressed us all. - a very happy ending after the photoshoot with Kevin when we took group photos of each other which will give us good memories of a wonderful weekend.
There is a lot more I could share. Having my photo with a dalek, and the Tardis and a cardboard cutout of David Tennant and a cyberman; Peter getting Tom Baker's autograph, surprising himself I think because he isn't an autograph collector!
I remember that it was a long way to walk through the Centre to the outside where our hotel was and that maybe Collectormania wasn't quite as good as London Expo because there weren't any guest talks but it was quieter ( remember the wrestling?) and I had a whale of a time, thanks to Kevin and all of you - so thank you very much. Until next time!
Lindsey

Peter
COLLECTORMANIA MILTON KEYNES 2007
(From the outside looking in)
By Peter Foxall

Let me introduce myself; I am the husband of Lindsey Foxall, who is a dedicated member of the Fan Club, which is entirely my fault. I am not a member, but I do belong to other clubs - Maidstone Harriers and the Trail Running Association. I am also the editor of the British Spartathlon Club news letter. As you can see my hobby is running. I have done races in Greece, one of them is the Olympian Race which starts at Ancient Nemer , where Hercules completed one of his legendary labours, the slaying of the Lion of Nemer, and finishes at the ancient Stadium of Olympia, where legend says that Hercules was one of th founders of the Ancient Games.

I have always liked Sci-fi, including Dr Who, which first started in the 1960s. All the time I have known Lindsey she has liked Sci-fi. A few years back I noticed that a new Sci-fi TV series was about to start, which I suggested we watch, called Andromeda.
(Big mistake!). Next thing I knew Lindsey had joined the Kevin Sorbo Fan Club and was buying Andromeda tapes from Play.com and Amazon.com as if there was no tomorrow.
She then went on to collect all of Hercules and is currently collecting all of his new films,
and everything else that Kevin has been in that she can get hold of!

I have been with Lindsey to the Andromeda Convention at Heathrow in 2004, London Expo at the Excel Centre London Docks 2005, and Collectormania this year.
I found that Kevin Sorbo is a nice bloke who is willing to put himself out to meet and greet his fans, and does not put on airs and graces.
At the Saturday evening meeting Kevin spent over an hour talking about the films he had worked on recently, the one he is filming at the moment and the ones that are in the pipe line, which I found interesting.

He also told us about his golf, the fires in California, and watching films with his children.
All the ladies were hanging onto his every word.I was videoing the meeting and, through the lens of the camera, Kevin looked tired; this was not surprising as he had flown into the UK Friday morning and was at Milton Keynes before midday; Kevin was then due to fly back to the USA Monday morning
ready to be back at work on Tuesday.

As to Collectormania, you only really need to come for the day to get your signed photos, buy from the stands, and then go home. I think the format at the London Expo worked better.
You had all that you got at Collectormania, but you also had an area where the guests came to give a talk and also answered questions from the floor. From my point of view all the ladies from the fan clubs, who came from all over Europe to be in Milton Keynes to meet Kevin, left happy having had time with Kevin, talked to him, and had their photo taken with him.
I hate to admit this, but I also enjoyed the weekend and left clutching a signed photo of Tom Baker, the fourth Dr Who.

Regina
What is a typical "Regina-journey" ?
Mostly one that has to be planned on rather short notice; during which something doesn't work out as it should, and which finally turns out to be quite fantastic.
This time it was like that once again. Three weeks before Kevin is at the Collectormania in Milton Keynes, the good news is told to me by Heidi from the OEKSFC, and she asks whether I could fly there.
It is the weekend from October 26th to 28th; no problem to get off from work at Friday - it is our national holiday.
But: In my town there is no travel agency, I don't have a computer - so Claudia books the tickets for me (I even have special wishes) and Heidi the hotel room. Many, many thanks for this! The telephone wire between Lower Austria and Berlin must have been smouldering sometimes. Unfortunately it will be a journey without Hannelore, because she has to stay at home for reaasons of health. If would have been nice if she could have been with us!
So I'm supposed to meet Anne (webmaster of the OEKSFC) at the bus station at Terminal 1 in Heathrow and travel with her by bus to Milton Keynes. I also get the information that Anne doesn't speak English.
I have to drive from Terminal 4 to 1, while waiting for the train I decide to call Anne by mobile phone: A little delay, and I'd had to wait for my suitcase for half an eternity. But I can't tell her that I'm on my way - I only hear "You dial an incorrect number" all the time. Did I make a mistake in writing down the number? No, only no idea how to pre-select in England.
In the meantime the handle of my handbag tears off (small wonder, as crammed as it is!). Finally I arrive at Terminal 1 and find the bus station - but where is Anne? Nobody is waiting there with the club lanyard.
That means to get half of the personnel moving on search for Anne or women that look like her, ask, if their name is Anne. Meanwhile two busses start to Milton Keynes; the second handle of my handbag comes off; my mobile phone doesn't ring (Anne has my number, too) - Help!
Fortunately I can call an English number, and I leave a message for Heidi at the reeption of the hotel.
In the meantime Anne has learnt how to pre-select, and so - oh miracle - my mobile phone suddenly rings. It takes a load of my mind when Anne speaks - to my surprise from Milton Keynes! She had waited and waited for me, had had the same problem with the phone and succeeded in buying the ticket on her own and find the proper bus. She does speak a little bit of English.
Now off to the ticket desk - the next bus will leave in 45 minutes, is delayed, is finally announced and I have to run to get it.
With a few hours delay I arrive at the hotel, too, about 8.30 pm, where I am greeted cordially by Heidi and Anne. I get to know Anne for the first time, I enjoy to see Heidi and Claudia again.
Anne is a congenial roommate, but rather tired we fall into our beds soon.
Next day we set off to the huge mall in the middle of which the Collectormania is held.
It's different from the FedCon or RingCon, as there are no panels, the stars only write autographs for hours, in addition there are photo sessions and many, many stands for dealers.
Most important for us is, of course: When will Kevin come to give autographs? Everything is perfect - we're at his stand right at he time the first tickets with numbers for him are distributed. We - Anne, Heidi and I - are among the first.
Now we have to wait for Kevin.
In the meantime once in a while we meet fans that are known to us already, like Mariola and Lindsey with Peter or Christine. And encounter new faces like Jenny, who hands around a lovely card for Kevin, on which we write our greetings and autographs for him.
For us it gets serious, when Kevin appears at his autograph stand. Anne detects him. Oh, his hair is longer again (almost like at times of Hercules) and a beard. I think, he looks good.
And then we already may step up to Kevin. There are many photos to choose from, to my joy also from Kull. On such a one I don't have an autograph yet, so I take the conqueror.
So few fans before me - that is really nice, it is still quiet around Kevin.
And then I stand in front of him already, and he asks how I am and where I come from. "From Austria" doesn't suffice him, he wants to know it more precisely. I tell him that vienna is near and are a little bit surprised when he reaches back into a box and puts the DVD "Walking Tall" on the table. "This is available in German, too", he says. At this I point backwards and tell Kevin that I already got it from Heidi. Another surprise follows: He wishes me a nice day - in German. And what exactly did I answer, in German, as well? "Danke schön!" Or something else? Why do I forget this in my excitement?
But this I keep in memory: I still stand in front of the table, when it's Anne's turn. She suddenly doesn't find her ticket anymore, and then her cry for help "Heidi!" rings through the room. But everything is found again, and she gets her autograph as well and another one for her husband at home.
Then also her wish for a photo with her and Kevin is fulfilled. He lets himself be photographed by me and Heidi. (At other stands there hung a sign that "posed photos" are not allowed.)
After lunch and a comfortable rest in the hotel THE hour of this day approaches!
Around 18 pm we arrive at the Holiday Inn hotel, where Lindsey has rented a room for a club meeting with Kevin.
Because not only members from the OEKSFC are here, but members of the OIKSFC as well, we have one whole hour at our disposal. Super!
The room fills up, and suddenly Kevin is there. He sits down at a table opposite to us, and questioning starts at once: About the Westerns he shoots, about riding lessons, Michael Hurst etc. etc. There are so many, that the hour just flows by - it could easily have been 120 minutes long.
And, who knows how many photos have been made? The cameras have been in continous operation.
Kevin also chats with Thomas, Céline's little son, and at the end we give him our presents which he accepts delightedly and for which he thanks cordially.
Anne, who can't be with us anymore on Sunday at the photo session, gets an opportunity for a gorgeous snapshot with Kevin
And all of us together are allowed to make several group photos with him in the anteroom.
Before the farewell he thanks us again, and I am delighted that we are so fortunate to be allowed to experience Kevin so directly. This is now the fourth time for me, and it is wonderful! How many fans may watch their favourite actor on the screen only?
Thank you, Kevin, for this hour!!!
Heidi, Anne, Claudia, Mariola and I finish this evening off cozyly and merrily with a delicious meal.
On Sunday around noon Claudia and Anne leave us as they have to go back to Germany. A pity that they have to say farewell already. Heidi and I go back to the Collectormania. We can still look forward to an encounter with Kevin: the photo session.
We meet Lindsey and walk as early as possible to the place where the queue for the session will line up, because afterwards we'll have to go towards Heathrow immediately. So we have to wait for a while. Shortly before the beginning we may line up in a sinuous line in front of the booth where the photos will be taken. Then the first ones are let in. Lindsey almost at the front, only one man is before her, then I and Heidi.
Kevin receives us with a beaming smile. Then the session starts. The man, Lindsey, and I already.
I enjoy photo sessions. THE chance to be quite close to Kevin! This is possible now for the third time - wonderful!
Kevin asks how I am. LIKE THIS I can only be well. Unfortunately the photographer has finished soon, and I have to leave. Kevin still tells me something - what is it? Alas, I don't understand it fully.
And the session already continues with Heidi.
Lindsey and I would have liked to watch a little more, but the stewardess sends us away.
The photos will be ready 2 to 3 hours later - too late for the three of us. So Heidi asks Christine to pick up the photos and send them on to us. We leave her envelopes and she looks yet for whom she will have to search on the photos. Than you, Christine, for your trouble!
Lindsey and her husband Peter take Heidi and me by car to the airport . Many thanks for this again, it was an agreeable drive!
Heidi stays with me for a while in Terminal 4, then we too have to say farewell.
So one more typical "Regina-Journey" comes to an end.
The hope stays that there will be a reason soon to ee each other again!
Perhaps at the FedCon 2008?
Regina Ziegler
(translated by Heidi Stolte)



Anne
Collectormania 2007
October 26th -28th in Milton Keynes, UK


Where shall I start this report, now that I'm back home after my weekend adventure?

Most suitable right in Milton Keynes, for this will certainly be the most interesting part of it.

After a very adventurous journey from Munich to Milton Keynes I arrived rather tired and exhausted at the Travelodge Hotel. Regina and I had been supposed to meet in Heathrow, but unfortunately we missed each other. I hope that no emergency occured, for I couldn't reach her by mobile phone, neither anybody else, actually.

Heidi and Claudia come to my room and we greet each other cordially. Now we try to reach Regina by mobile phone - ahhhh, it's done - and, yes, she is still in Heathrow and tries to find me, like I had done so desperately. Now that in the meantime I safely arrived here, Regina can take the next possible bus to Milton Keynes and reunite with us.

Afterwards I call Klaus at home and tell him that I arrived safely and everything is alright, I would call him again next day.

Now finally it's time to relax. We sit tgether, and Claudia and Heidi report that they had already met Kevin, he had been a little grumpy and tired, because he hadn't slept much. Suffered from jetlag and had been held by customs for two hours in the morning. My, poor Kevin.

Late in the evening Regina arrives. She is tired, but relieved. We greet each other friendly and I take her baggage to bring her to our shared room. Regina still unpacks, while we talk, and I discover with joy that Regina is a very dear and agreeable roommate. We decide to go to sleep soon. Tomorrow will be an exciting and thrilling day.

It takes a long time for me to fall asleep. Unfamiliar surroundings, unfamiliar bed ... tomorrow I will meet Kevin... Eventually I finally dozed off.

Saturday morning Regina and I awake at the same time. A glance at the clock - 5 am - criminy! Much too early still. Must be the clock change. We turn round again and sleep for another hour.

Exactly at 8 am, as agreed, we stand in front of Claudia's and Heidi's room and set off to Middleton Hall, where the Collectormania is held.

When we leave the hotel, an icy cold wind hits me. Shivering I shut my leather jacket, and we set off. We have much fun on the way and laugh a lot. Because I will meet Kevin for the first time, I'm very nervous and excited, much to the amusement of my dear comrades. After about ten minutes we arrive at Middleton Hall. A huge mall with a sheer endless shopping mile. Right in the middle the Collectormania has been set up. Curiously we look around. Many stands with DVDs, photos and everything the heart of a fan desires. We approach the autograph booths, where the stars write their autographs. All tables are still vacant, though endless queues already form in front of the tables of Michael Shanks and Chris Judge. Kevin Sorbo's table is still empty. Like at the job centre we have to draw numbers, according to which we get access to Kevin's table later on. Heidi, Regina and I have the numbers 5, 6 and 7 - mine is number 6. As Kevin isn't here yet, we decide to go for a walk among the stands. When we are back and I look around the corner, Kevin is just entering through the door, stretches and sits down. Oh heaven, he looks good.

"Kevin is here", I say to Regina and Heidi, and we line up. Right before us there is a young man who takes his time with Kevin, and I have the opportunity to watch the proceedings quietly. Now Kevin's table is free, and nobody is coming. The steward or bodyguard... whatever... glances at us questioningly, and so we now decide to go to Kevin, who is looking at us expectantly.

Before we finally reach Kevin's place we pass a table with many photos for autographs. I choose the one I like best and ask whether I might get an autograph on a picture I brought with me. The young man in charge of the photos nods, however I have to pay for this, too. No problem, I had reckoned with this. I pay and sort out all slips of paper I'm holding in my hand, including the pictures... what a chaos. In the meantime Regina has arrived at Kevin's table and talks with him... hey! German words from Kevin's mouth ... quite clearly Kevin is speaking in German with Regina. Regina speaks English rather fluently, nevertheless she is greeted by Kevin in German...
now, there is room for hope.
In the meantime Regina has finished and it's my turn... yes, if it would have been as simple as that. Suddenly everything has vanished. My file with the pictures, my receipt for two autographs, nothing is to be found anymore. Impatiently the lady who attends to Kevin during the con glances at me. I get more nervous as Kevin has noticed my action in the meantime and is watching me curiously. His face shows an amused grin, one eyebrow is lifted quizzically. Blimey! Where is this darned little slip of paper. Desperately I cry "HEIDI!" She has been behind me all the time, but now she seems to be swallowed by the ground. I cautiously look to Kevin, whose grin is getting broader.... oh shame, I would like best to sink into the floor... oh, and quite suddenly this daft slip of paper has reappeared and my pictures already lie on the table in front of Kevin.... how did this happen...? Most queer, Kevin's attendance doesn't want to see my slip of paper anymore... my nerves flutter, as well as my stomach. Totally unnerved I turn to Kevin, who grins at me and then asks me quite nice and friendly: "How are you?" Suddenly my nervousness is blown away. Calmly and totally familiar I start to talk to Kevin, in fact in English, like it had never been otherwise.

(Why does he let labour me in English, while he talked to Regina in German before...? can't believe it)

I tell him that I come from Munich, at which Kevin smiles delightedly. He says to me that he has lived in Munich, in Schwabing. He also names the street, but, as I have a very bad memory for street names, I forget it at once.

I nod. "Yes, I know", I confirm, and after a few further words Heidi is suddenly standing beside me ... now, ..where has she suddenly come from???

Heidi explains to Kevin that I am the webmaster of his European fan club and designed the homepage and look after it. Kevin looks at me with a friendly and approving smile and says something like: "You're doing a great job." Suddenly I'm quite shy again and mumble a timid "thank you". Now I turn to the pictures I'd like Kevin to sign. He signs the beautiful Kull-photo with

"To Anne, all my Love"

... wowhhhh, , I'm speechless at first. Then I show him the collage that I had tinkered together with Klaus. It depicts Kevin as Hercules in an episode in which he participates at a drinking competition and is very hangoverish afterwards. In front of him stands an empty bottle, "Ouzo Hercules". I eyplain to Kevin that my husband Klaus would like to have this signed by him. Kevin looks at the picture quite some time, and his face shows an amused smile. He considers shortly and writes smirkingly:

To Klaus, I`ll take one more Beer

I read it and think merrily: Oh, dear Kevin, you'll get your beer this evening alright. For I have brought for him a bottle of wheat beer, which he likes so much, and a heart from the Oktoberfest. I thank Kevin and pack my things. Cautiously I ask, "Kevin, may I make a photo with you?" He looks at me friendly, "sure", he says and gets up. Ufffzzz... if until now I had to look down to Kevin, the moment he gets up this changes abruptly, for now I have to look way up. Kevin is huge. He leans across the table and puts his arm around my shoulder, and, like a matter of course, I put my arm around his waist. He feels great. Regina and Heidi both take photos and take their time with it. But eventually this nice moment ends. Kevin and I disengage, I thank him once again and say good bye with:

"see you later!"

Kevin nods and smiles.

Now it's Heidi's turn. With her it's going much smoother. She wants to have a photo with Kevin, too. Friendly as Kevin is, he gets up anew and takes Heidi into his arms. This time Regina and I do the photographing.

Content with the world I leave Kevin's table together with Heidi and Regina. Now I notice that my knees get softer and softer. Only now I become aware of my first contact with Kevin. Laughing we stroll to a bench and sit down. We are gleeful and psyched.

Some time later Claudia, Lindsey and her husband Peter join us. We greet each other cordially.

Chatting excitedly, we stroll through Middleton Hall, until it is 11 am and we walk again to Kevin's booth for to meet the members of both fan clubs. The queue of visitors in front of Kevin's table has grown immensely in the meantime. I read the numbers 150-300, and there is nothing to be seen of Kevin, he is totally hidden. What a good fortune that we have been here this early in the morning. Now we wouldn't have been able to spend so much time with Kevin.

Heidi, who is representing Hannelore, who has been taken ill to our very great regret and can't travel, informs the group, that the meeting with Kevin has been postphoned by one hour. Most of the "girls" present know each other, and because I can hardly understand what they are talking about, I peek over to Kevin's table. But the queue of the waiting fans has become thicker and thicker, and there is nothing to be seen from Kevin.

Gradually the group disperses. Regina, Heidi and I want to look for something edible, and we discover an Italian restaurant. We decide to eat here. Afterwards Regina and I want to go back to the hotel, as we both are rather tired. We arrange to meet at 17 pm in Heidi's and Claudia's room for the meeting.

Back in our room we sprawl on our beds and chat excitedly, and all of a sudden it is shortly before 17 pm. I decide to call Klaus at home, because I'm not sure if I would be able to manage this later. Fantastic, I'm lucky and reach him at once. Proudly I tell him that I'd got the autograph for him and that we are about to meet Kevin. We say goodbye, tomorrow we'll see each other again at home at the airport. Now I really can enjoy the following hours. I have reached Klaus, everything is okay ... exactly as I want it.

We prepare for the meeting. Thoroughly I check Kevin's present, the wheat beer with the corresponding glass and the heart from the Oktoberfest. Everything is properly packed, so I can start. Claudia and Heidi are ready, too, and we set off laughing and in good humour.

We arrive early at the Holiday Inn and have time enough to decorate the room nicely. Oddly I'm absolutely calm. No nervousness, no fluttering of the stomach. I'm looking forward to seeing Kevin. Claudia leaves us for to pick up Kevin at the Collectormania. Meanwhile other fans are arriving.

It turns 18 pm, and very slowly the fans which sat in the adjoining room before come to join us.

Heidi, Regina and I have placed ourselves in the first row. Heidi, as representative for the club, has the seat opposite Kevin, then Regina and I sit down.

Everybody is chatting exitedly, until the room suddenly gets quiet. Noone had heard Kevin come, but everybody had felt it. Kevin has such an incredible charismatic vibrancy, that he gets all attention at once when he enters a room. Kevin greets us with a friendly charming smile and sits down at the table... he looks rather tired.

I notice Heidi is getting nervous, and give her an encouring wink. "You'll manage."

After a short introduction and greetings from Heidi Kevin now starts to report, about his movies, the new offers he has. He reports very humorously and charmingly. Everything is going well for him at this time, which all of us are glad about. Now we may ask the questions we have for him. It is very difficult for me to follow Kevin's reports because I can hardly understand him. Therefore I concentrate on photographing and try to get as many pictures as possible. Finally I manage to get rid of my question for Kevin. I ask him about his work with the horses, his riding lessons and how he had coped with these. Kevin looks at me friendly and begins to talk. Actually he takes care with his pronounciation so that I can understand him without difficulties. Yes, he had had much fun with the horses, he had been riding every day.

One of of the fans asks him if his body-hair that he had had to shave off completely for his last movie has regrown in the meantime. Kevin throws a naughty smile to the fans and pulls his sweater down so far that we can catch a glance at his hairy chest... Everything is as it should be once again.

It is so warm suddenly... has anybody turned up the heating in the room?

Time is running, and Heidi informs Kevin that some of us brought gifts for him and we would like to give them to him. One of the girls rushes to him immediately. When she has finished and given her present to him, I reach under my chair and walk up to Kevin, armed with the paper-bag containing the wheat bear and the heart.

"Kevin, here is something for you from Munich, I hope you like it." I shortly hesitate, but then I reach into the bag courageously and put the heart around his neck. Now Kevin gets up curiously, and before he can say anything, I return to my seat. Inquisitively Kevin inspects the gingerbread heart and then glances quizzically into the bag that I had placed at the table in front of him. He discovers the bottle of wheat beer and pulls it out.
A delighted smile flits across his face, well, seemingly I have chosen the right present for him. Now one fan after the other comes to Kevin to give him their presents. His table soon looks like a Chrismassy table for presents. Kevin accepts his presents with a charming friendly smile. Time keeps running. We ask Kevin for a group photo, which he grants at once. Everybody leaves the room for to line up outside. Suddenly only Claudia, Kevin and I are left in the room... (at least that's what I believe). Claudia asks Kevin whether he would pose for a photo with me, because I couldn't come to the official photo shooting, I would already be on my way back home at this time. Kevin looks at me friendly. "Yes, of course, let's stand over at the jalousie." He puts his arm around me and pulls me gently towards himself. Claudia says something to Kevin which I can't understand, but before I know what happens to me Kevin turns me towards him, "what's this going to be" I think dizzily, and at the same moment Kevin hugs me with both his arms and holds me. What a magnificent prison!!!! I almost vanish in this hug. Claudia pulls the trigger... and the photo came out super nice... dizzily I disengage and are not even capable to say "thank you". Suddenly there are people standing in the room again, and Kevin moves towards the door.

Outside the fans already have taken position and wait for Kevin impatiently... He goes to them.

The group photos are in the camera, and Kevin comes back to the meeting room to gather his presents. In the meantime Heidi and are are tidying up already.

At the door Kevin turns round once more and looks at me. "You are going back to Munich tomorrow, already?" he asks. "Yes", I confirm. Kevin smiles, "then I wish you a good journey". "Thank you, the same to you", I answer. A friendly nod, then Kevin vanishes.

Still a little dazed I go about helping the girls in tidying up, and afterwards Heidi, Regina, Claudia and I decide to go somewhere to finish off the evening nicely together. On the road Mariola, the beautiful young Spaniard, joins us, and we spend a nice and merry evening in a pub with salad and beer.

On Sunday morning time has come for the first farewells. Heidi and Regina go to the Collectormania again for the official photo shooting with Kevin, while Claudia and I later go on the bus to Heathrow. We're on our way back home.

At the airport in Munich Klaus already waits for me ... as gorgeous and adventurous this weekend has been, but it is also great to come back home again.

Arrived at home, I unpack my things and tell Klaus my experiences. It was an adventurous, but great weekend, which I will never forget, neither the wonderful encounter with Kevin.

A big cordial Thank You to all those who contributed so that I could participate.
To Heidi, Claudia, as well as my roommate Regina
And, of course, to Kevin for a gorgeous evening

Anne Genstorfer

(übersetzt von Heidi Stolte)


Heidi
Collectormania 2007 - Heidi's memories

Friday, October 26th
My first encounter with Kevin didn't proceed too well. I was alone, Claudia had gone to arrange some interwiews which never came off.
Shortly after Kevin reached his booth, jetlagged, tired and after a very unpleasant journey to Milton Keynes, I had to introduce myself as substitute for Hannelore. This brought his smouldering anger to the surface again about the attempt to split the club meeting up in two half hours for each of his fan clubs, which had caused some agitation shortly before the event. I thanked him for the "words of power" he had spoken finally three days before to clarify the situation - about "I have one hour for both clubs together or none at all". He said he didn't want to talk about the clubs, but gave his consent for the distributation of a note that should inform the members of both clubs about the joint meeting on Saturday evening, and took one for himself. In the middle of the short talk Brandy, the agent for the Collectormania, interrupted, greeted Kevin and heard about his hardships to reach Milton Keynes. So I had to spend much more time at Kevin's table as I had meant to, but before he, somewhat nerved, pointed to the queue upbuilding behind me, I at least managed to tell him that Claudia would pick him up for the club meeting and would take him to the Holiday Inn, where Lindsey (many, many thanks to her!) had rented a room for us.

Saturday, October 27th
I had been rather unhappy about this first encounter, which had prodeeded so unlike to any I had experienced with him before, so I decided to speak my mind, when Regina, Anne and I went to him for autographs on Saturday morning.
Certainly Anne's desperate cry for help had cheered everybody up (if not poor Anne herself, however, but she managed so well!).
At Kevin's "How are you?" I answered that I had been a little sad, because to my mind I had taken the blame yesterday for something that hadn't been my fault, as I had tried to get both of his clubs together for the meeting from the start. While he wrote some kind words on a gorgeous photo from "Meet the Spartans" that Anne had brought to be signed for Hannelore, he gave me a very special, humorous, slanting, reevaluating glance - friend or foe? - that I tried spontaneously to return, but I had to laugh halfway through the effort. When, during the photo that was taken with Kevin and me by Anne, I even got a friendly and encouraging massage of the nape of my neck, I was consoled and the world looked much brighter.

A short time later we learnt that Brandy had sentenced Kevin to stay one hour longer today, as he had been late yesterday and had left earlier, tired as he was. At this Kevin has been overheard to curse heartily. So we had to try to inform as many members as possible about the delay in a kind of pyramid system.

Jenny had wanted to have a photo taken with Kevin, her, her son Jonathan and me, so the three of us went to Kevin's table in the early afternoon. Again he posed willingly for the picture - unlike most of the other actors present. Thank you, Julie, for this photo! I like his smile on this photo very much, and on the Kull-picture I'd chosen he wrote "TO HEIDI! SEND YOU WARM HUGS AND KISSES!" (Perhaps one day I'll muster the courage to claim those promises???)

Claudia, Anne, Regina and I met at our hotel for the last preparations for the meeting of the clubs with Kevin, which included the application of various cosmetics by some of us, as well as decisions about who should carry the many presents for Kevin Claudia had brought - Hannelore, the chocolate decorations on the sweets you sent to Kevin and Sam where only slightly damaged - , the table-decorations and the large box of cookies that Claudia had also brought to sweeten the meeting (no wonder that she had forgotten to pack her pyjamas).
It took loads of my mind, when Claudia announced her willingness to moderate the meeting - as a neutral person, not belonging to any club - but matters should turn out differently.
We called for a taxi, Claudia left at the Holiday Inn to hand over Karl's precious camera to Peter who had offered to videotape the meeting, then went on to pick up Kevin at the Collectormania.
Anne, Regina and I decorated Kevin's table in the Sycamore room nicely with Claudia's miniature Halloween pumpkins (we didn't find the two blinking ones, which was probably as well, as the flashlights of the cameras later were hard enough for Kevin to bear).
At 5.50 pm the room began to fill, and I had still several tasks to tackle.
I had promised to Lindsey to collect a contribution of 1,50 GBP to the rent of the room, which I had announced to all of the OEKSFC-members beforehand. To my amazement I now learnt that a second room had been rented in the same hotel, which caused some confusion.
Then Tracie (appointee for the OIKSFC), whom I met for the first time during this weekend, and I quickly agreed about some rules that would make it possible for the members of both clubs to enjoy the meeting in equal measure. Group photo with Kevin and both clubs together? Agreed. A photo with Kevin and the two ladies that spent the time of the club meeting, to my utter amazement, in the rented room next door? Agreed. Exchange of the videotapes that Peter and Kristina from Finland would take? Tracie, Peter and Kristina agreed (unfortunately, there wasn't time enough to ask Kristina for her address! Can anyone help with this?). Unlike to previous meetings of the OIKSFC, at which only one official photographer took pictures - would all fans be allowed to use their cameras? I would ask Kevin about this (he later agreed, though he might have regretted it, as almost everybody wanted to preserve his or her own special memories with the camera, and the flashlights didn't stop).
After those hectic minutes I looked forward to lean back - now Claudia would take over. But when Kevin came, right on the minute, he was alone!
Later we learnt that he had managed to shake off his shackles one hour earlier, had left the Collectormania to freshen up in his hotel, so he had missed Claudia (who arrived about 20 minutes later at the Holiday Inn).
I confess that I experienced some moments of panic when I realized I would have to go through the meeting alone, activating the last reserves of my English. But everything went well, the atmosphere was friendly, Thomas G. did a great job in cheering us all up further and Kevin, who had to my mind looked rather tired at the beginning, seemed to relax more and more during the meeting. In my excitement I didn't catch much of his answers, so I hope the videotapes will be available soon!
When it was time for handing over the presents for Kevin, the table in front of him filled rapidly. At the end he left with eight bags filled with presents - those bags looked astonishingly small in his hands.
Kevin gave us much time for the group photos. They show a lot of very happy ladies that are very grateful to Kevin for this evening.

Sunday, October 28th
Lindsey, Regina and I had to queue very early for the photo session, as Lindsey and Peter would be so kind as to take Regina and me to Heathrow. Without their kindness I would never have heard Kevin's last words for me, so thank you once again!
The fans were chased through the photo session like chicken, but still Kevin found time to smile at Regina, Lindsey and me, when he saw us waiting there. When it was my turn, he said to me in telegraphic style: "Good job. Nice meeting. I had a great time!"
I thanked him from the bottom of my heart, compared those words to our first encounter, two days ago, and was very happy.

Heidi Stolte

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