Hello Boys and Girls,

Libby was right! Saturday, June 28, was an exciting day at Iditarod Trail Headquarters. I couldn’t believe how many people joined together to share tales from the trail and celebrate the race.

Around 9:00 that morning, volunteers and mushers began arriving to celebrate the 2008 Iditarod.

The picnic is a time to thank volunteers for all of their dedication, support, and hard work which is so important to the race. Without their help, the race wouldn’t happen. Let me join in saying a big thanks to all of the volunteers. I know you are awesome!

It was fun to wander around through the crowd of volunteers and listen to the stories about what people did to help out during the race. Some of the volunteers worked in Anchorage, some at the restart in Wasilla, some along the trail at checkpoints, and some in Nome. Some volunteers worked before the race helping with the supply bags or doing other chores. Other volunteers helped after the race with the many cleaning up and organizing tasks that needed to be done. Some volunteers have been helping out for many years and some are new to volunteering.

Every volunteer job is an important job because every job plays a key role in making the race happen.

A favorite part for me that day was watching the volunteers meet up with each other just like they were at a family reunion. Why, come to think of it, it was a family reunion because we are all part of the Iditarod family!

The volunteers enjoyed talking to the mushers, too. I started counting all the mushers, but some were hard to recognize since they were wearing their summer clothes and not all their winter gear! Past champions, Iditarod veterans, and rookies gathered together, some sharing their own tales or advice from what they’d learned during the race.

The picnic is also an important day because it marks the start of the next Last Great Race, Iditarod. It is Sign Up Day! Mushers began turning in their paperwork and paying their fee so that they would be officially signed up for Iditarod 2009. You can view a list of the mushers who have signed up so far by clicking the 2009 Iditarod menu tab that is found at the home page of Iditarod’s website. (http://www.iditarod.com/race/musherlisting.html) Keep an eye on this list because as other mushers sign up for the race, their names will be added to the musher listing.

You can read about the fee and other race rules at the For Mushers menu tab found at the home page of Iditarod’s website. (http://www.iditarod.com/mushers)

After the picnic and the final mushers had signed up, drawings were announced for some prizes. As the picnic came to a close and the grounds cleared of people, I couldn’t help standing back and feeling so proud of all of the volunteers that work so hard all year long making Iditarod — the Last Great Race®.

Stay tuned, Boys and Girls, because the 2009 Iditarod is just around the trail. Get ready to read, write, learn, and follow the mushers from Anchorage to Nome.  Sanka W. Dog, Gypsy, Libby, and I will be posting lots of stories and articles for you to read, too!  Check back often!

Iditarod 2009 will begin on the first Saturday in March which this year will be on March 7, 2009.

How many mushers do you think will start the race? Make your prediction now and follow the action!

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma