Author Archive
03.16.2015
Matthew Holtkamp Joins Gwinnett Technical College Foundation’s Board of Trustees
As long-time supporters of Gwinnett Technical College we are very excited to announce Matthew Holtkamp, our president, has been named to the foundation’s board of trustees! You may not know it, but Matthew is a graduate of a technical college program where he received a degree in heating and air conditioning. When he and Suzanne moved to Gwinnett and became familiar with Gwinnett Tech and the quality programs it offers, they knew they wanted to assist a college dedicated to improving the community. “For many years we have supported Gwinnett Tech’s air conditioning technology program and its students,” Matthew said. “We view the program as a great place to train the next generation of HVAC experts and have been very pleased with the quality graduates it is producing.” In 2010, the Holtkamps established the Holtkamp Family Foundation to strengthen families by providing critical basic needs, supporting education and encouraging pro-family cultural programs. Through the foundation they also offer the Holtkamp Heating and Air Conditioning scholarship, which is given to one Gwinnett Tech HVAC student each semester. “We are very proud to welcome this fine and established leader to the board,” said Mary Beth Byerly, vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the Gwinnett Tech Foundation. “Matthew brings his own […]
02.26.2015
Holtkamp Food Drive Raises over 1 Ton of Food
At Holtkamp Heating & Air, we’re passionate about keeping folks comfortable in their homes. But we’re also just as passionate about helping those in need throughout our community. Our ongoing Gwinnett CAN Challenge campaign encourages individuals and non-profits to help fill local food banks, especially during January-October when food banks receive less attention. With a goal of raising 15 tons of food in 2015, we recently sponsored two performances of the 3 Little Pigs children’s educational show at Aurora Theatre. 100% of the $3.50 ticket price was collected and donated to local food banks. Additionally, attendees were encouraged to bring jars of peanut butter to help provide a protein-packed item for the food banks. For every jar they brought, they received one raffle ticket for great prizes. The Results Thanks to the hundreds of attendees that came out to the performances, we were able to raise: • $905 in cash based on ticket sales. • With that $905, 2,715 items can be purchased for local food banks. • 95 jars of peanut butter. • Between the cash and donated items, that’s over one ton of food raised in one day! Many thanks to all who attended the shows and participated in this food […]
02.11.2015
Discount Tickets to 3 Little Pigs & Raffle with 3 Great Prizes
We’re proud to be sponsoring two performances of the educational children’s show 3 Little Pigs at the Aurora Theatre on Friday, February 20. Tickets will be ONLY $3.50 each, and all proceeds will go to Gwinnett Food Banks. All local families and children are welcome, and kids 2 and under are FREE! Commissioned by Singapore Repertory Theatre from the Broadway composers of Honk! and Mary Poppins, this Three Little Pigs is a fresh take on the classic story with a sensational Anime pop score. Casey Gardner, Brian Walker. Patrick Schweigert & Luis Hernandez; photo Chris Bartelski When the pigpen starts to look like a real sty, Mama says it’s time to leave and build something new. Cha, Siu, and Bao watch for wolves while they use hay, sticks, and bricks to make it in a big, bad world. With some very smart things to say about home and family, it’s a curly tail not to be missed! As part of our efforts to help fill local food banks through the Gwinnett Can Challenge, this day will also be a peanut butter food drive. For every jar of peanut butter you bring, you will receive one raffle ticket for three […]
02.04.2015
3 Reasons to Visit us at the Atlanta Home Show
The 18th Annual North Atlanta Home Show is taking place this weekend, February 6-8th at the Gwinnett Arena. At our booth, we’ll be sharing our story about delivering the very best 5-star HVAC service in the area for the past two decades. Here are 3 valuable reasons to stop by our booth at the show: 1) Free Hot Sauce Yes, Matthew has his own bottled hot sauce, and it’s a BIG hit with our customers. You can have a bottle free just for stopping by. Trust us, it’ll keep you warm all winter! 2) Bose Blue Tooth Speaker Giveaway Enter to win a high-end Bose blue tooth speaker, and you’ll be jamming to your tunes inside and outside your home! 3) Special Heating Tune-up Pricing You’ll be able to schedule our 21-point tune-up inspection at a lower price than we’ve ever offered! It will extend the life of your unit, lower your power bills and prevent costly breakdowns. It’s a no-brainer! BONUS: Save $2 off your Ticket! As the coupon sponsor of the North Atlanta Home Show, we’re offering $2 off your ticket into the show! Just print this page and bring it with you for the savings. We look […]
12.23.2014
Suzanne's Easy Sunday Surprise Muffins
This wonderfully tasty recipe for my Easy Sunday Surprise Muffins makes 12 regular size muffins, but you might want to make a double batch because they’ll go quickly! Although it says Sunday in the title of the recipe, they’re guaranteed to be delicious every single day of the week! Quick tip: Organic coconut sugar can be substituted in any recipe calling for white sugar, substituted cup for cup. And I promise it doesn’t taste like coconuts! 1-1/2 cups organic unbleached flour 1-1/2 tsps non-aluminum baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ½ tsp organic cinnamon 1/8 tsp salt 1 Holtkamp egg 3 ripe mashed bananas ¾ cup organic coconut sugar ¼ organic cooking oil (I use safflower) 1 tsp vanilla ½ cup mini chocolate chips Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.In medium size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make well in center; set aside. In separate bowl, mix egg, bananas, sugar, cooking oil, and vanilla. Pour wet mixture into well of dry mixture. Mix only long enough that flour is no longer visible. Mixture should be lumpy but wet. Use paper liners in cupcake tin. Spoon 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 […]
12.23.2014
Grandma Holtkamp’s Pot Roast, with a Twist!
One of the best ways to combat wintery weather is with some good, old-fashioned comfort food. This family pot roast recipe is one of our favorites, and adding a little kick from Matthew’s favorite hot sauce is a twist that will bring even more warmth to the dinner table! Plus, the convenience of crock pot cooking means more time with family before dinner and easy, one-pot cleanup! Grandma Holtkamp’s Pot Roast with a Twist 3 lb. beef roast (the less expensive usually taste the best!) 1 can organic tomato paste Salt Cracked pepper 1/3 cup water 1 tsp. (or more) Matthew’s hot sauce (or your favorite) 1 bay leaf Sliced carrots Sliced onions 3-4 chopped organic potatoes Directions Rinse the roast under water for a few seconds. Pat dry. Pour 1/3 cup water into the bottom of the crock pot. Place roast in crock pot. Sprinkle cracked pepper and salt on top of roast. In small bowl, combine the tomato paste and the hot sauce thoroughly. Cover top with paste mixture. Place bay leaf on top. Fill sides of crock pot with sliced carrots, onions and potatoes. Cover with lid. Cook on low 9-1/2 hours or high 7-1/2 hours. You […]
12.22.2014
Holtkamps Collect 1 Ton of Food at Festival of Trees
As a proud sponsor of the Aurora Theatre, we always participate in their annual Festival of Trees. Each sponsor decorates a tree in the lobby, and theatre patrons place cans of food to help fill local food banks next to their favorite tree. From trees made of food packages to an upside down tree, we always try to bring a creative touch to our entry. For Christmas 2014, we created a snowman tree complete with a Gwinnett CAN Challenge hat, a carrot nose, can buttons and a corn cob pipe. We just totaled up the collected food, and are pleased to report that we gained a record amount of items: 3,094! That is over one ton of much needed food that will go to local food banks to help feed families this Christmas season. 2014 Gwinnett CAN Challenge Results Through the Aurora Theatre and other community events, our goal was to raise 10 tons of food right here in Gwinnett in 2014. With the help of so many citizens that donated, we actually gathered over 12.5 tons! If you’d like to get involved with the Gwinnett CAN Challenge and host your own food drive, please learn more here.
11.18.2014
3 Tips for Keeping Your Family Warm
We’re already having freezing temperatures, and meteorologists are predicting a brutal winter. Fortunately, your friends at Holtkamp Heating & Air are here to provide quick tips to keep you cozy and help you get the most out of your heating system. Comfort Tip #1: Humidity is your friend. In colder months, humidity is really what makes your home feel comfortable. Shower with the door open and don’t use the bathroom fan. Use your stovetop for cooking more than the oven or microwave and don’t turn on your vent fan. The steam rising from your pots and pans contributes to indoor comfort! Rather than using your dishwasher’s drying cycle, open the door to air dry the dishes and let that precious steam escape! Consider a whole home humidifier which automatically regulates humidity for maximum comfort. Comfort Tip #2: Change your filters. If your filter is clogged with dust, hair and debris, your system simply can’t perform properly. Change your filter at least every 3 months, if not every month. It’s the easiest and least expensive way to impact your system’s performance. Grab a Sharpie and label your filter with the date you changed it, and you’ll always know how long it’s […]
11.14.2014
Smarter Living Tip: Bags of Black Gold
We’re approaching mid-November and the time here in Metro Atlanta when leaves are everywhere. I often awaken in the morning to the sound of leaf blowers. (Whatever happened to the quaint use of a broom which neither spoils the blissful morning air nor blows leaf particles into everyone’s hair – but that’s an entirely different article!) I see landscapers everywhere blowing, blowing, blowing leaves right into the middle of the road or even into storm sewers. Every time I see this, I think to myself, “Don’t they know they’re throwing (and blowing) away gold?” I think I have your attention now! When we built our new “old-style” home eight years ago, the contractors stripped away the top layer of our soil trying to even out a small hill into a level Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, my Garden of Eden soon proved to be a Garden of “Needin’” because nothing would grow. I began to compost anything I could get my hands on, which was literally tons of work. And then the fall leaves came. It was manna from heaven. Matthew began running over the leaves from the comfort of his John Deere lawn tractor (complete with convenient beverage holder) and […]
10.22.2014
Holtkamp Home School Day at the Aurora
We were thrilled to recently sponsor a home school day for the Aurora Theatre’s production of StinkyKids The Musical! As proud supporters of the home school community as well as the Aurora and arts in Gwinnett, we invited home school children throughout the area to attend for free. It was a great opportunity to provide children with a fun opportunity and also raise awareness for our local food banks! Since tickets were free, we encouraged families to bring non-perishable food items to help support the Holtkamp Can Challenge. Our community has a critical food shortage and our local food banks are working hard to help meet that need. The homeschool families brought 1,000 items that were delivered to the southeast Gwinnett Co-Op! They also had the opportunity to meet the woman behind StinkyKids The Musical. Atlanta mom Britt Menzies, who wrote the award-winning StinkyKids® books, was at the production signing books and greeting fans. Everyone had a great time and we look forward to our next opportunity to partner with the Aurora and our local home school community! Want to get involved in helping fill local food banks? Learn more about the CAN Challenge.
