This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/18/2016 08:30 AMMadison realtor Alan Felgate’s first time sailing was on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee at Camp Belknap, whose 288 forested acres have hosted more than a century’s worth of games, stories, and late-night bonfires and whose unofficial motto is “See the joy.” (The official motto is significantly longer and more serious.)
“I went to camp for a couple of years when I was a kid,” Alan recalls. “The first year, I did all the standard activities: soccer, photography, basket weaving, etc. The next year I didn’t do any of that. Instead, I taught myself how to sail.”
An 8th-grader at the time, Alan spent every day of camp that summer on the water, on the single mile of the camp’s lakefront property.
“I loved sailing and always remembered it,” he says.
It would be many years before he sailed again, but when he did, it became a passion.
Born in England, Alan comes from what he describes as “a big, blended family.
“There were 11 kids altogether, and there are already 14 grandkids. It kind of gets exponential after a while. My youngest brother just turned 21—I’ve got a few years on him—but being around young people keeps you positive and flexible,” he says. “It’s a good thing.”
The Felgates moved to New Hampshire when Alan was four.
“As a kid, I loved to get outside, biking, swimming, building tree houses, or just goofing around. There’s a Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection program called No Child Left Inside, whose mission is to connect children with nature. I think this is really important, and not just for kids, but for adults, too.”
Alan graduated with a B.A. in English literature and visual arts from Columbia College, an arts and science college within Columbia University whose notable alums include Barack Obama, Alexander Hamilton, Lou Gehrig, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Herman Wouk, George Stephanopoulos, Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Casey Affleck, Anna Paquin, Amanda Peet, and Alicia Keys. After graduating, he left New York and worked in technology sales for 17 years with Macromedia, Adobe, and Apple, based out of San Francisco and London, before working remotely from Clinton, where he’s lived for the last eight years. He’s now in real estate with the Madison brokerage of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty.
Alan says, “I joined the William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty Madison team in 2014. This was an easy decision for me— Madison has a great walkable downtown, vibrant local businesses, and strong community spirit. Clinton Sailing Club’s summer 2016 Program Director Anne-Claire [“AC”] Merkle Scotland actually grew up in Madison. We are thrilled to have AC onboard to teach the next generation of Madison kids how to sail.”
Alan has been all over the world, but loves being right here.
“I’ve visited 31 different countries and most U.S. states,” he says, “but I love living right here on the Connecticut shoreline. We have a strong community, amazing cultural resources, and a beautiful natural environment. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“What I like about living here is that you can get involved and make a difference,” he adds. “My wife, Christine, and I have been together for 16 years. When we moved to Clinton, we didn’t know anyone in town. We didn’t even know anyone in Connecticut! But early on, Christine got involved with the Clinton Downtown Revitalization Committee, and we’ve never looked back. By volunteering, we’ve met so many great people...I highly recommend to everyone that they volunteer and get involved.”
The Clinton Land Conservation Trust (CLCT), on which Alan serves, is committed to protecting open space for future generations and owns more than 800 acres in Clinton, with many properties open to the public. In 2015, Alan says, the trust purchased the Weiss, Loveday, and Maltese properties, totaling 40.36 acres.
“This land protects two wells that produce a million gallons of fresh drinking water per day to families and businesses in Clinton and Madison. The trust also is continuing to work on clearing The Elliot Preserve to maintain it as a meadow. This is a beautiful open field and salt marsh directly behind Clinton’s town hall.”
As for sailing, the former Belknapper found his way back to the water in 2008. Because of their calm, protected waters, he says, the bay formed by Meigs Point, Cedar Island, and Hammock Point are ideal for sailing, especially using dinghies—shallow-draft boats that can sail in places not navigable by larger craft.
In summer 2014, Alan hatched the idea of making Clinton a sailing destination—with affordable lessons for kids—and the following year, the Clinton Sailing Club (CSC) was formed.
“CSC really started rolling in 2015. That spring, I got together a volunteer board, and we developed our program and planned our infrastructure in partnership with Clinton Parks & Recreation. Bo Potter, director of Clinton Parks & Rec, has been a huge supporter and guide throughout this process. We couldn’t have gotten this far without him. In January 2016 we were ready to ask the town for funding. First Selectman Bruce Farmer was very positive about CSC, but he knew budgets were tight and suggested we form a nonprofit instead. That was great advice. In the past three months, we have raised $35,459 of our $50,000 goal! I’m thrilled at the level of support from Clinton and surrounding shoreline sailing communities and very grateful to all of our donors and parents who have enrolled their kids.”
The club currently has 125 kids enrolled, including about 25 Madison kids—and there’s room for more.
Alan says, “Total enrollment includes 10 scholarships donated by community members and organizations. Scholarships are available for $200 each, which is a 20 percent discount off our standard $250 pricing. There are 38 spaces left for summer 2016.”
When he’s not showing homes or trimming the sails, Alan’s own children—two sons aged 6 and 2—are his main focus.
“Having kids was by far the best decision we ever made. Every day, they make me laugh more and more. I love them to pieces.”
For more information about Clinton Sailing Club, call Alan Felgate at 860-884-8044, email info@clintonsailingclub.org, or visit www.clintonsailingclub.org.
Melissa Johnson contributed to this article.