Experiences of a rural DJ
Local Businesses
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DJ Chris Holman - Cancerian: Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2012 7:55 PM
 "Earth Day is every day." Although it may seem like I am very busy with my DJ work, it started just as a part-time job and hobby fifteen years ago. Since my pre-teen years, I have been working with my family & several businesses they have owned. Most recently, we combined a couple to create Holman Contracting & Landscape Materials, Inc., for which I am their Business Manager. For more than forty years, my father, John Holman has been expanding his trucking & construction business. He does site work & septic systems. Over the years he has also bought two excavation sites in Richmond & Fitzwilliam, from which we extract the unprocessed materials.  Less than ten years ago, we built our retail location at 590 Route 12 South in Fitzwilliam. Pretty much, it is a flat area with lots of large bins built with cement blocks to hold great amounts of landscape materials. We have over a dozen types of mulches, in a variety of colors & wood types, as well as stones (natural & ledge), compost, loam, & many other materials. We also sell play structures, sheds, cabins, garages & other outbuildings.  From April through October, I manage this retail area, answering phones, taking orders & arranging deliveries each day. I also have customers throughout the day, many of which I load materials using a Caterpillar Tractor with a one cubic yard bucket. Aside from that, I help with marketing & other projects as they arise. One of the best parts about this type of work is that we often know early about changes people are making to their homes & businesses. One of the things I have always admired most about my Dad is his strong work ethic. He has at some point or another worked with almost every person in Fitzwilliam, building homes, businesses & making other structural changes. As a child & teenager, I used to enjoy working on community projects with him, like seeding the new septic system at Emerson or adding asphalt to the small park at the town depot. His knowledge of this town and its history amazes me, & has instilled a town pride that is second only to my love of my family & friends. Each day I see neighbors & townspeople I have known my entire life. It is not uncommon for me to see dozens of classmates in a normal week. Often, friends come home & help their families with their property projects. One of the things we do best in small towns is multi-task, & I often am quoting costs or advising customers about landscape materials while I am entertaining at the local restaurants. Just last night, after I finished a testimonial, the last thing I spoke to the brides about were materials that they need for their house!  One of the things my family takes pride in is that our excavations are fully licensed, with multiple boards having approved our plans which will eventually create some wonderful, well-planned properties. Originally, our site plan would have had our Richmond site reclaimed by 2020, but due to the lack of major building & the need for materials, we may have to adjust that if sales don't improve. Our compost & loam, for which we are well known as having provided quality product for more than four decades, are screened. I strongly suggest that if you haven't seen materials, check them out before you order. I hear horror stories each day about loam that was 'cut' with sand or clay, or hardpack that had too much stone dust & turned a driveway into mud. Each year we help fix mistakes other less experienced contractors make.  My little sister, Heidi, is the biologist of the family. Although her and her husband, Rob (owner of Organic Designs) have moved to be closer to her work with the state of New Hampshire Fish & Game, years later we still have people coming by the yard looking for their plants. Heidi works with endangered species, like butterflies & rabbits, helping to build & preserve habitates while doing important research. Like my father, she is a firefighter too, often leading trainings in the state for new recruits.  So, at we enter the sign of Taurus on Earth Day, I thought it would be good for you to know a little bit more about me, my family & what we do. Busiest in the spring and fall, I love working with my family for the flexibility it gives me to do things like DJ & travel. Each day, between customers you can find me on my computer coordinating events, creating playlists, or preparing equipment. It is not uncommon for me to have meetings at work, with couples, owners of local restaurants or volunteers from various charities with whom I volunteer. As a family, we mesh well - most of the time - & try to find our balances, like the elements of the earth. My father (John), with a birthday coming up, is the Taurus & Earth sign. Mom (Deb) is the fierceLeo & the fire sign. Trust me, you don't want to be on her bad side! LOL Heidi is the air sign, the Libra, bringing balance to our family, like she does so much for the environment. And me? Well I am the water sign, the emotional, family & community oriented Cancer of the family. Thankfully, I am on the cusp with Gemini, so I am more social than most Cancers, adventuring from my safety zone from time to time, preferably for meaningful things like weddings. I also have a Leo ascendant, so I am a quick decision maker, which is the most important skill of a DJ. As much pre-planning as we do, DJ's need to have the ability to adapt quickly & interact smartly. Combine that with a Fire Dragon sign for '76 & you have one crazy, astrological make-up, creating one of the most passionate people you may ever meet... And I love it!  So this Earth Day, take a moment to reflect upon your home & family. If you live in this region and would like to learn more about our business, please look us up on the web or become a fan on Facebook. If you would like pricing for our products, either generally or for a specific project, don't hesitate to call. I love driving my tractor each day, & Diva, my dog, enjoys being able to share this part of my worklife with me. We can help you with your gardens, driveways, private roads, tree work, & more! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog for Earth Day. |
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Local Businesses, Fitzwilliam, Facebook, Astrology, Cabins, Compost, Debbie Holman, Diva, Earth Day, Environment, Family, Family Business, Gazebos, Hardpack, Heidi Holman & Rob Nute, Holman Contracting, Holman Contracting & Landscape Materials, Inc., Holman Landsape Materials, John Holman, Loam, Mulch, Play Structures, Sheds, Stone
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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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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 Saturday, March 03, 2012 10:18 PM
 For more than twenty years, I have been helping various AIDS Service Organizations (ASO’s) in many states with fundraising, prevention work & community education. In 2012, knowing that on both state & federal levels funding for these organizations will be drastically cut in our area, I have accepted the position of Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Twin States Network.  This non-profit has been serving families & children impacted by HIV & Hepatitis C since 1991, creating supportive connections to help promote healthy living. Unlike other ASO’s, this group does not have an office or the overhead associated with those costs, providing direct services for our clients& is the only ASO to contract with both Vermont & New Hampshire. For the first time since its formation, Twin States will be creating an Annual Fund Drive, attempting to compensate for funding changes to keep important programs like Kids Camp, Male Talk & other direct services continuous. Many other ASO’s primarily focus upon drug users & men who have sex with men, whereas Twin States has programs for infected women, magnetic couples (one is positive), & for the children of the families affected.  Our goal this first year is to raise $25,000to be able to keep all programs running. We have created various charter funding levels (we can use anything & everything), but what I am primarily asking for in this blog are business sponsorships of $500. Business sponsorships will be the partnerships in the community that we hope will offset these changes in our funding to help continue to provide opportunities for the families impacted by HIV/HCV. Sponsors will get the following benefits in 2012: Inclusion in quarterly newsletters & on event advertising (as time permits) Recognition of sponsorship at special events Half Table at Business Expo National Coming OUT Day (10.13.12) at Keene Courtyard Marriott Two Tickets to our World AIDS Day (12.1.12) Dinner & Dance at the Brattleboro American Legion
This initial solicitation is a tedious process, particularly because it is being largely organized by people with a background in social services rather than business & there are many issues regarding client confidentiality that limit how we can approach potential sponsors. Also, it is an organization that has run for more than two decades without having the geographic advantages & recognition of an office. We have many needs & plan to have an online auction later this year, so items donated or services in kind are always welcome, including gift cards & toys for our annual holiday drive. Perhaps there is only a single event you would like to sponsor? Event sponsorships for either the Business Expo or World AIDS Day event are also available. Please contact me A.S.A.P. if you are interested in participating in either one. TSN is a registered non-profit & can provide you with information upon receipt of your donation for your tax records.  Want to help, but limited to how to apply funds without being linked to contraceptive education & GLBT causes? Ask to have your $500 sponsorship be applied to the cost of providing one child the benefit of camp this summer. So often we tell children not to have secrets, & in this case we do the exact opposite. These children often become caretakers of their sick parents at an early age, seldom getting the vacations & reprieves their peers do. For $500 you can give one child the memories of a lifetime with two weeks at a premiere campground in our area that is matching camperships donated! This money needs to be raised by the beginning of May. I think that Twin States Network is a great organization & I am happy to be able to help coordinate the two grand fundraising events for National Coming OUT Day & World AIDS Day. I shall add an additional page to this website, like I had published for this same GLBT Business Expo we did in 2010 to also benefit Twin Peaks; I am grateful for the help of Holly Rilling from Edward Jones who will be returning as co-chair for the event & will help coordinate our sponsors in Keene. To attend, we ask for a donation to help kick-off our holiday drive to get gift certificates & toys for children affected by HIV/HCV. We are also looking for volunteers to help with both events, particularly by serving on various organizational committees (fundraising, special events, social media, secretary for the board, etc.). We are slowly building our online presence & encourage everyone to link with us on Facebook, Linked-In, & to check out our website. Any help spreading the message in this blog is greatly appreciated.    Until there is a cure for AIDS, we need to be wary that the information that we have learned, as well as prevention skills, are continuously being shared with the community. Despite medical advancements that have made this a more manageable disease, infection rates continue to remain high; one person in the U.S. is infected every 8 minutes. Please ensure that these individuals continue to receive these important services by supporting the great work of the Twin States Network today. |
Benefits, Local Businesses, Upcoming Gigs, GLBT, PRIDE, Brattleboro, Non-profits, Camp Takodah, Cheshire YMCA, Sponsorships, Business Expo, World AIDS Day
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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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DJ Chris Holman: Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2011 4:23 PM
Referral Incentive Program Save HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS on your next event!! Referrals are the cornerstone to building a good entertainment business. Especially when dealing with once in a lifetime event, it is important to know that your DJ is dependable, engaging, able to adapt & prepared for any type of emergency. It is through personal referrals that most people pick vendors for their weddings, anniversaries, fund-raisers, and other special event plans. As an individual, I recognize how time consuming writing these referrals for websites can be and I wanted to create a rewards system for the people and businesses that take that time to recommend my business to others. For up to ten websites that you give positive reviews of my services, I shall give you a gift certificate of $10 per review. REPEAT CHARITIES WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR NEXT EVENT FOR THE LOW COST OF $100!! My recommendation is to write one overall reference that you can copy and paste, and do all ten from the list below at once. When finished send an email to me (cjholman@hotmail.com) and I shall email you the coupon. For less than an hour of your time, you can save $150-$200 on your next party or get a coupon to give to a friend or family member for their party. For venues, vendors (photographers, caterers, restaurants, bars, etc.) with whom I collaborate that provide the ten references, I offer to entertain a company holiday party or summer workplace outing for the low cost of $200 (Sun.-Fri.). Again, let me know that you have submitted the reviews and I shall be glad to respond with reviews of your services or industry as well. This is a great way to do company parties that recognize the value of your employees. I appreciate the great teamwork I have experienced with many wonderful venues & their staffs. For brides & grooms, the most important referrals for a DJ, I also add the possibility of doing an anniversary party (Sunday-Friday) for $200. These certificates will not expire, so you can use it to celebrate your first, fifth, or twentieth anniversary. Due to the new nature of the program, I shall honor all referrals, even for weddings done more than a decade ago. If you have any questions, please let me know. I enjoy deeply the strong, long-lasting relationships I create with my couples and would be honored to help reunite the friends and family that attend your unions and receptions. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email or call me. I sincerely appreciate your help with this important step in my business development. Below there is a list of websites with which I advertise that reviews can be left: 1. Facebook (CJ the DJ fan page) 2. Eventective 3. Wedding Wire 4. Thumbtack 5. PartyBlast 6. Eventful 7. Yahoo 8. Purple Unions 9. LinkedIn 10. Email me for use on my personal website. (**Additional Bonus** $50.00 off your next event total or added to coupon if you provide 5 pictures or video highlights of your event for promotional use) |
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Chris Holman: Posted on Monday, January 31, 2011 11:22 PM
 One of the great benefits of my work is that I get to network with a large variety of wonderful people and businesses, like Jessica Van Der Kern from The Vintage Rose Boutique & Botanicals. To help raise money for five of my upcoming charity gigs, she has agreed to sell flowers, donating a portion of each half dozen to the philanthropy you chose.  So, for example, you can have her bring a dozen roses to Saturday night's dance at the Winchendon Legion. It is $50 for the dozen, but $10 will be donated to your cause - which may be the Winchendon Legion. Not only are you surprising your sweetheart with a great gift, but you are helping with additional fundraising! Or you can call and place the order for another day delivery; she will explain any additional delivery charges. The information that will be gathered when you call in your order will be: 1. Payment information (Visa, MC, Discover or by check & cash in store or at gigs) 2. Delivery information (location, time, etc.) 3. Card message 4. Charity of choice Individually wrapped flowers (roses, sunflowers, etc) will be available for sale at the events, with the proceeds going to the charity. The events Jessica will be at: Wed. 2/2 Dog Park Fundraiser - Fitzwilliam Inn ShareSat. 2/5 Winchendon American Legion Fri. 2/11 Jaffrey American Legion
She may be stopping by additional events. Show somebody that you care by sending them flowers with more meaning.... |
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Chris Holman: Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 2010 10:48 PM
 The Fitzwilliam Inn has been a consistent part of my entire life. As a child, I learned how to swim in her pool & had Shirley Temples at the bar on report card nights. I learned how to play Scrabble with weeknight games Jim Kennedy organized there in Junior High and in high school, I taught kids in the summer recreation program how to swim there. At one point, I was performing in murder mystery dinners there, too. Five years ago, I enjoyed bartending at the Fitzwilliam Inn for the Kelly family. Now, I am very happy to be returning to the Fitzwilliam Inn regularly with the new owners. Already known for their commitment to live entertainment on weekends, they are going to be open on Wednesdays starting in December, with a limited bar menu. Their first Wednesday night open and our first karaoke night will be December 1st, which is also World AIDS Day. Rather than charge a cover, we have decided we would like to take donations for a different charity each month. For the first month, we shall be donating the money raised to the Twin States Network.I shall be hosting karaoke from 7-11 PM and truly hope that there will be a good attendance for the Fitzwilliam Inn's grand re-opening on Wednesday nights. If you know of a community organization that would like to be the hosts and recipients of a Wednesday night karaoke, please let us know. |
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