I got this off the Otago Daily Times, a NZ paper:
Otago Daily Times, 14/6/2000
THIS office often receives inquiries from around the world asking for contacts for people or organizations. One request several months ago, from Josephina Johnson, of Idaho Falls, sought a contact for the makers of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy being shot in New Zealand. Our secretary was able to help and Josephina made contact with Peter Jackson and some of the actors.
IT has been the impetus for Josephina (miruvin@srv.net) to help organise a “world gathering” of Tolkien fans. The Tolkien Fan Fellowship Gathering will be held in Dallas, Texas, at Christmas 2001, the scheduled American release date of the first film, The Fellowship of the Ring . The meeting has so far attracted the interest of about 10 hard-core Tolkien fans from around the world.