Experiences of a rural DJ
Fundraisers
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DJ Chris Holman: Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 5:27 PM
This week, I have spent much time helping our friends & neighbors at Meadowood. For those of you who may not be from our area or have not read my previous blogs, Meadowood is a volunteer based fire department and training center for our region of Southern New Hampshire. Recently, the fire fighters have reopened the station with a stronger collaboration with the town of Fitzwilliam & there have been other organizational changes too.  MCAFD has two major fundraisers each year. One is an annual Golf Tournament at Bretwood. I just completed a mailing to last year’s hole sponsors & I am hoping for some more individuals & businesses in our community to join. It is $125 for sponsorships. They are also seeking additional gifts for prizes & raffle items. This year’s tournament is on Saturday, June 9. The most important help I am asking for this event is to recruit more players. At $100 a player, $400 per team (and some businesses will match donations, so that could be cut in half), this is a great value for some fun in the sun, with food & the opportunity to win great prizes! | (PDF — 216 KB) |
On Saturday, August 18 is their annual auction at Meadowood. Currently we are looking for donations from businesses & individuals to auction. Please remember that Meadowood is a 501(c)3 & donations are tax deductible. I would like to thank Kellie Williams from Everlasting Invites from Troy for volunteering to work with the organization to help design flyers for both events. We hope that the event will be available soon on Facebook for people to RSVP; we have just created Meadowood County Area Fire Department as a Cause on Facebook, too. On weeks like this when the earth is dry & conditions for fires are dangerous, we especially appreciate the attentiveness of our neighborhood departments. Let’s make sure we support them at all times. If you cannot donate an item or cash, perhaps there are things you can do as a volunteer to help out? The department is currently looking for somebody to help with their website & social media, & always need help with property projects. Personally, I would like to see a grander fundraising schedule put into place to allow the department to do the necessary repairs to the assembly hall to make it accessible by people with disabilities, allowing us to market & host more events locally. Local carpenters, builders, etc. please feel free to offer your services, or at least give us a quote for what you would charge. With its beautiful waterfront location, this venue is ideal for birthday parties, graduations, holidays, anniversary parties, business functions & more.  Additionally, I have created the upcoming class catalogue for Fitzwilliam fire courses, both at Meadowood & the Fitzwilliam Fire Department. Along with many standard classes to be taught during the third weekend of May, there will be additional Wildland Firefighting, Incident Command Structure Courses for officers and a summer long basic firefighting course for people interested in beginning their firefighting training. It is among the most serious & noble of extra-curricular activities, & I support whole-heartedly many friends in departments around the country. If anybody has any questions, would like to volunteer, sponsor an event or take a course, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Although I am just a volunteer myself, there are weeks when I spend dozens of hours & have multiple meetings with members, & I could definitely point you in theright direction. We are always open to new ideas, too, like the possibility of having sponsorships for the fireschool. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated! Deadlines are quickly approaching… |
Benefits, Local Businesses, Fire Department, Fitzwilliam, Fundraisers, MCAFD, Non-profits, Golf Tournament, Sponsorships, Facebook, Auction, Cause, Fire School
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Christopher John Holman (CJ the DJ): Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 12:08 AM
  When I think about writing about my hometown, it is difficult for me to know how to begin. I love being part of a smaller community & having a close-knit multi-generational family all within my neighborhood. Cousins, aunts & uncles live within hundreds of yards of me, & we are fortunate to have many memories of family gatherings for every possible occasion. Particularly close with my classmate & cousin (Melanie) & my younger sister (Heidi), we spent much of our childhood learning & playing together. When the town of Fitzwilliam celebrated its 225th anniversary, the three of us played leading roles in a skit about our town’s founders. We were the last generation of Fitzwilliam preschoolers who were educated in the town hall in the early 80’s & as elementary school students,we performed our spring & holiday concerts there. Our love of music continued into junior high as we created roller skating & dance routines, like one MRHS favorite to C&C Music Factory. As a teen, I remember being contracted by Good Morning America (5/11/92) to aim a spotlight they had setup in the hall’s bell tower when they did their New England tour & thinking about what an amazing place in which I live. I realized at that point how much my family did in the community, both in terms of their businesses & with their volunteerism.  While in college, I became president of the board working with the historic Patch Place at Rhododendron State Park, before the snowstorm destroyed the barn. I was also appointed a commissioner by the selectmen for a four year term on the Southwest Regional Planning Commission. The amount of organizations in town for whom I volunteered for summers, special events & other occasions/services include our recreation program, library, historical society, garden club, sewing circle, after school program, fire departments, etc. I love the kinship of a smaller community & how, if properly nurtured, can create a stronger connection than business networks or government organizing could ever produce. To see multiple grassroots barn & house risings, or the neighborly response to a temporal hardship like a great ice storm, is awe-inspiring & heartwarming.   I reflect often on how much more change my parents & grandparents see; my paternal grandmother turns 90 two weeks after the town anniversary, and has always lived in town. I have helped her organize photos from several generations that have lived in our same home, attending our same school. I can only imagine my family's community involvement from what I read in town histories. I hear from my family’s experience the important roles of the granite quarries, trains, Finnish dancehalls & other activities from times past. I love the fact that both my grandparents are native of this beautiful town & enjoy looking at many of their pictures from when they lived in the Fitzwilliam Depot in the 1940’s.  Another picture shows the 50th anniversary of Dr. Emerson’s practice as a doctor for this region, one of our most prominent citizens & our community's grandest moments.It is with great excitement that this July, on the eve of my town’s birthday celebration (& coincidentally Mom’s birthday too), I shall be starting the weekend’s party with a Common Kick-Off Dance, right on the town common. Starting with an Ed's Crossroads Pizza Party at 5:30PM, (next to the fountain dedicated to one of my local heroes, Jane Fiske), families will gather & dance to music from each decade. spanning generations. There will be educational music from 6-8PM & general dance music thereafter. During the first part, multiple guests from the community will be instructing in various styles of dance. There will also be a dessert pot luck, with a good. ol' fashioned taste testing contest!   ShareJust a little more than four months until I get to play one of the most unique & meaningful gigs & I am psyched! This “Emerson Reunion”* will be the first event of its type & a great opportunity for old friends & distant family members to reconnect, while instilling in our youngest generation a love for all the great things that make our town so incredibly special… "It really is a moment in time that will never happen again so we need to acknowledge it and give it respect. Our forefathers were tough, as we are now, so let’s make a fun event that celebrates all of us – past & present!" Bonnie Jones - Co Chair of 250th Committee (3/23/12) PRESS RELEASE by Coni Porter Fitzwilliam 250th Common Kick Off!! Friday, July 27th from 5:30 - 10:00 A spectacular beginning to Fitzwilliam's anniversary weekend - bring your family, your appetite, and your dancing shoes!!
• Food and Drink A free piece of pizza and drink await the lucky first 250 residents who have one of the "250 Anniversary" printed tickets in their hands. Look for them at town-wide locations over the next 3 months. Note: Tickets are not mandatory for attendance - everyone is invited to bring a picnic dinner and blanket.
• Potluck Dessert Contest Calling all pastry and dessert chefs (and absolutely everyone else) - bring your biggest, best, and most delectable desserts to put on display, be judged, and then eaten by everyone. There is nothing like a competition to bring out the best from the kitchen. All in good fun "winning certificates" will be awarded in different categories by our resident food officiants and the whole town will enjoy the sweets.
• Dancing thru Time Our own CJ the DJ will spin us back through time, playing the "best of the best" songs from 2012 backwards into the days of pre-revolutionary 1762, the year of our "birth". Come move to the music of your favorite tunes, learn little-known facts about Fitzwilliam's history, and even dance the Polka, Charleston, and Jitterbug! Quick dance demonstrations will be shown for the older dance steps, and everyone will be encouraged to give them a try.
• Past Memories and Future Dreams Look for an indoor environment... sitting outdoors. An antique desk, chair, and lamp will transport you to another era as you contribute to the Fitzwilliam 250th Anniversary Book. We will, all, be co- authors together - recording our shared lives here and now, 250 years after the first Fitzwilliam settlers dreamed of what the future would hold for them.
• Common Lights The Fitzwilliam Common will be a spectacle to behold, something you won't see for another 250 years. |
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Chris Holman a.k.a. CJ the DJ: Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 9:24 AM
 It's remarkable how small communities rally in times of need & can create positive change from the worst tragedies. Such is the case of Stephen Record, who would have turned 21 this month. A scholar, athlete & active teenager, his passing greatly affected his hometown of Jaffrey. Today, people are still active in an Open Group on Facebook,In Memory of Stephen Curtis Record, to which they regularly post messages in honor of his memory.  Likewise, his spirit has inspired many to give in his memory to scholarships. Three scholarships are awarded to locals: a student graduating high school, one finishing eighth grade and another for a student finishing fifth. In the business world, his mother has since bought a restaurant on Route 202 that she has named JP Stephen's for her two sons. I host karaoke there the last Thursday of each month, a FPU event.Each year, there is a basketball skills tournament. This year will be the Fifth Annual Hoops for Steve. After the afternoon competition, there will be a game that evening between Conant and the FPU Ravens. I am very honored to be able to contribute to the great legacy Steve has left the community by acting as emcee and entertainment for the event. | (PDF — 137 KB) |
From one to four, we shall be have various competitions including free throw fundraiser, 3 point competition, half court shots, & more! Then at six o'clock, we shall meet again for a game between Conant Alumuni & FPU Men's Basketball. There will be a raffle for the opportunity to win a chance to take a $1000 Half-Court Shot. For anybody interested in collecting pledges to support this great event, one of two annually that create almost $100,000 worth of scholarships for this region, please print the pdf sponsor sheet. |
Benefits, Local Businesses, Upcoming Gigs, Fundraisers, Sponsorships, Basketball, Conant High School, FPU Basketball, Franklin Pierce University, JP Stephens, Ravens, Stephen Curtis Record
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Chris Holman: Posted on Tuesday, April 05, 2011 6:14 PM
  I do much volunteer work throughout the year, which includes a third of all my DJ work. My favorite community organization is the Cheshire Y. With offices based in Swanzey, this non-traditional YMCA operates Camp Takodah in Richmond, a day camp called Hornets Nest, New England and American Heritage Tours & other amazing programs in the area.  I began my experiences at Camp Takodah in 1987 as a Cherokee in the original Cabin 17 with a Greek cabin leader, Nick and my second years was with a New Yorker named Troy.  I returned to camp as a counselor in 1995 as a cabin leader for the Penacooks. All of my memories of the camp, Cass Pond, Elwell Chapel, and all of the wonderful events are among some of my favorites. I stayed the extra week for mini-camp that year, working with many neighbors that volunteer to help younger kids with the introduction to camp. It was at that time I learned how greatly we could affect the whole world by the amazing things that happen locally...   There were two young boys who had recently moved to the US to seek refuge from the Bosnian war. One of them was placed in my cabin and spoke very little english. To see him become integrated into the activities of the camp throughout the week was amazing and heart warming. One evening we had a strong thunderstorm and I had to comfort him while explaining that it was weather and not an attack. At the week's end, his parents thanked me graciously for having taken such good care of their son, while he thanked me by giving me a Republic of Bosnia flag. Many summers I spent at fun recreation programs provided by Fitzwilliam & Troy, but the amount of activities & abilities one can learn at camp is indescribable, & often not covered under municipal liability (boating, archery, etc). Please take a moment & check out the Cheshire YMCA website, sign up for playing or sponsoring the Golf Tournament & join our Cause on Facebook. SharePeople often ask me how I can spend so much time & money helping these important charities & I think it all comes down to each day's decisions. Of all of the benefits I do, I consider this organization one of the most dear to my heart. The people of the Cheshire Y have been part of my life for twenty-five years & I am very happy to be able to give back to the community by helping them and the hundreds of children they affect each year. tomorrow's festivities at 7 PM. |
Benefits, Local Businesses, Upcoming Gigs, Fitzwilliam Inn, Fitzwilliam, Fundraisers, Non-profits, Camp Takodah, Cheshire YMCA, Golf Tournament, Sponsorships
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CJ the DJ (Chris Holman): Posted on Sunday, March 06, 2011 3:09 PM
Fortunate as a child to be raised on the same road as Meadowood County Area Fire Department, I have witnessed how important it is for a community to help each other in times of need. MCAFD is a volunteer non-profit privately funded fire department and training center located in Fitzwilliam, NH. Generations of my family have played various roles in the department’s history. My father has been a member for forty years, and my parents had their marriage reception at the Assembly Hall thirty five years ago this past Valentine’s Day.  The members of the department have are a large part of my life and I have many memories of fire schools, auctions, spaghetti dinners, and more. Last year I enjoyed researching some of the history of the department, and learned about an aunt that sewed the first curtains and that my grandfather used to be one of the first janitors after special events. It is with this knowledge of how large of a role this non-profit venue has played in my family’s life that I am happy to create a new Super Special Deal to help raise money for the Meadowood County Area Fire Department. For $400, you can rent the upstairs of the building for graduations, birthdays, retirement parties, baby & bridal showers, and other non-alcoholic events and get up to four hours of entertainment by CJ the DJ. By discounting my services, $150 will go directly to MCAFD, doubling what they would normally make for an event while you save $200 from my regular DJ costs. It also saves you $75 from what a normal local event plus rental would normally cost… If you would like to use the downstairs and kitchen, there will be additional costs. Early reservations are recommended. To check upon the Assembly Hall’s availability, please call Winston Wright at 603-209-1367. To check on CJ the DJ’s availability, please call me at 603-852-6185 or send me an email to cjholman@hotmail.com . Working together, we can make a big difference supporting our hometown community organization. |
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