Treasurer Michael Koelsch was born in Oklahoma and lived in Dallas for over 20 years before moving to Coxsackie. Once settled in New York, Michael joined the board of a grant-gifting non-profit organization, where he learned about the Friends of Clermont and the Harvesting History program. He was so impressed with the program and the Friends’ goals that he couldn’t refuse when he was invited to join the board.

On a professional note:

What skills or experiences do you bring to the board that you feel are valuable?

I have been in sales since I was 6 years old, and I am a small business owner. As such, I have a variety of skill sets. I’m currently using my accounting skills in my role as treasurer. However, I love getting my hands dirty and helping set up, run, and tear down events, like our Tea at Clermont Gardens. I also enjoy volunteering for state-sponsored events, like the 4th of July Celebration and the Legends by Candlelight Ghost Tours.

What were some of the most rewarding experiences you've had while serving on the board?

There have been many, but the first few that spring to mind are:

• Seeing Harvesting History expand to other school districts and senior housing in Germantown. It’s become more than teaching children where food comes from and how it’s grown.

• The amazing impact of our new executive director. He’s transformed and renewed our relationships with corporate sponsors, the state, other organizations, as well as lapsed and new Friends of Clermont members.

• Feedback from visitors about the revitalization of neglected gardens.

What challenges have you faced as a board member, and how have you overcome them?

When I first joined, the board was disjointed and fraying. There were groups that were pulling in different directions and refusing to work together. It was rough going for a while, but it is amazing how we joined together, brought in new board members, and transformed the board into a cohesive, supportive organization. I could see what the board could be, and as I learned long ago, standing up and fighting for what is right can be hard, but worthwhile in the end.

What are some key goals you hope to achieve during your time on the board?

I would like to set the executive director up with a support staff to make his job easy and fulfilling – finding a good executive director is so rare, and so when you have one, you have to do whatever you can to keep them as long as possible. I would also like to see the garden work handled by more volunteers - they are so important to all nonprofits. I would like the last remaining garden (the garden on the south end of the house) to be restored. I would like Sylvan Cottage and the Barn to be restored and provide income for the state to help make Clermont a self-sufficient historic site.

On a personal note:

How has being a part of the board impacted you personally or professionally?

It has made me happier. I could live my life as a hermit: reading, gardening, taking photos, and traveling, but the fact of the matter is that as a human, interacting with people who are all trying to make a difference is a super-fertilizer for our life garden. Teaming up with people and learning about who they are has a great way of focusing me on what is important to the community as a whole. Yes, we are constantly busy/on the go, but that makes me stop and appreciate the little things: the beauty of sunrises, the joy of birds when they find a seed, hummingbirds flitting around their favorite flowers or hovering at the window to let you know they are back – and so you better put the hummingbird feeders out, sitting with my favorite person watching a late summer/early fall afternoon progress to night overlooking the Hudson River Valley.

What do you find most fulfilling about serving on the board?

Making a difference in the world and leaving it a little better than when I started…isn’t that why we are here?

What advice would you give to someone considering joining a board for the first time?

The water is warm, so come in and get your feet wet. The only way to find out where your skill sets are most helpful is to sit on every committee available and find out which one lights you up.

What are your top 3 favorite musicians?

• Wow…that is very hard to pin down. As with anyone, I have many different moods and depending on the mood will dictate what kind of music. For instance:

  • If I am relaxed, then it would be Enya or the Eurythmics

  • If I am sad, it could be Celine or Whitney or Evanescence or Annie Lennox

  • If I am wound up, any dance or hit songs from the 80’s or 90s: Salt-n-Pepa, El Debarge, Journey, Bob Seger, AC/DC, Cher, Inxs, Billy Idol, Billy Ocean, Pet Shop Boys, George Michael, Army of Lovers, B52, Bananarama, Bangles, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Dixy’s Midnight Runners, EMF 

  • If I am melancholy: Enigma, Barbara Streisand, the Carpenters, Abba, Barry White, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Styx

  • If I am feeling on edge: David Lee Roth, Disturbed, Garth Brooks

  • If I am feeling pushed around: Anything by RuPaul or any music derived from or found on RuPaul Radio

What is your favorite vacation destination/place, and why?

• I have so many… I love all of Europe but have spent the most time in Italy and Germany. I also love all of New England & the Mid-Atlantic states.

• Although I have long dreamed of visiting them, I have not been to any of the Nordic countries yet. Fortunately, we are visiting Greenland and Iceland this summer.

• I love the different sceneries found in the world and how human history has interacted with them.

What is one of the most interesting facts about you - that most people wouldn't know?

I have several:

• I am a science fiction/fantasy fiend and have 10-15 different books series going on at one time.

• I worked in a library in college, both in the front house and in the catalog/restoration back-end. As a result, I love the smell, feel, and weight of a real paper book.

• I love getting my fingers dirty in flower gardens. I love planting, caring for, and re-invigorating flower gardens, shrubs, and trees and take delight when they thrive and provide beauty and nourishment for all creatures.