The Tripod, November 2013

Have you renewed your membership? Renewal applications were sent out last month. If you have not renewed your membership yet, please do so as soon as possible. Have you sent in your ballot? Ballots for the election of seats E, F, G and H on the Board of Directors have been sent to members. If you have not yet sent in your ballot, please do so as soon as possible. Have you sent in your proxy? Proxies were sent out with ballots. If you are not attending the annual meeting, you need to send in a proxy. This is very important because a quorum for the transaction of business at the annual meeting is 25% of the voting membership in person or by proxy.

The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance promotes public awareness of the Iditarod Trail and its gold rush and Alaska Native heritage encouraging education programs and historical research, assisting by in the protection, improvement, maintenance and marking of the trail, developing partnerships that foster stewardship commitments and support from land owners, local communities, organizations and others. The trail for all seasons Annual meeting The 2013 annual meeting of the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance will be held November 20 and 21, at the Millennium Hotel, 4800 Spenard Road, Anchorage Alaska. The 20th will be a workshop day for the Board and the 21 st will be the annual membership meeting. The annual meeting is the time for reports from Federal and State agencies and from organizations that have projects that affect the trail.

It is also the time for the Board to set priorities and plan for the future. Board election ballots will be counted and officers for 2014 elected. Icebound Icebound, a video production on the 1925 Nome Serum Run has been selected to be the Gala Opening Night film of the Anchorage International Film Festival, December 6, 2013. The film is narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart and produced by Danny Anker. It tells the story of the dog sled relay to rush diphtheria serum to Nome where the residents feared an epidemic of the dreaded disease. More than 30 mushers and 150 sled dogs participated in the event and the film tells the notwell-known stories of a number of the Alaska Native drivers. The film has previously unseen film footage.

Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance PO Box 2323, Seward AK 99664 IditarodHTA@gmail.com http://www.Iditarod100.org At the event, the festival organizers are honoring descendants of the Serum Run mushers. More information is available at: http:// AnkerProductions.com or anchoragefilmfestival.org/2013 The First Great Race Dan Seavey, Alliance board member and Iditarod musher, has just published a book giving his account of the first Iditarod Sled Dog Race in 1973, entitled, The First Great Race. The book covers Dan’s arrival in Seward, with his wife Shirley and their three children, Tracie, Mitch and Darian, in 1963, how he became interested in dog mushing, his early experiences learning how to mush dogs and the first Iditarod Sled Dog Race in 1973. The book’s forward is written by Terry O. Adkins, D.V.M., M.

P.H., the Iditarod’s first and only early veterinarian, in which he says, “After many years I had forgotten the details that launched this exploration into a world class annual event. Dan’s on-the-trail account captivated my thoughts and stirred fantastic memories of how extreme it really was.” The 44 page appendix includes, the rules for the first race, Shirley Seavey’s original trail cake recipe, Dan’s gear list for the 1973 race and the lyrics for “Dan Seavey Was a Musher.” The book can be ordered at squareup.com/market (search Seavey) From the past… “Iditarod Pioneer” October 18, 1919 iTREC Workshop in Seward The fall workshop for the iTREC! (Iditarod Trail to Every Classroom) Program was held in Seward November 1-3.

Sixteen enthusiastic teachers from schools in Holy Cross, Nome, Eagle River, Wasilla and Anchorage continued developing their own projects that will foster awareness of and a personal connection to the Trail, engage youth and communities in active outdoor experiences and build lifelong stewards of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. At left: iTREC! teachers and instructors at Mile 0 sign in Seward.