Thank You Usibelli ~ and why I love Alaska

Usibelli VP Bill Brophy visiting with the kids while presenting the Yukon Quest with a sponsor check for the 2012 race.

Had a wonderful visit the other day with a good friend and member of Team Dew Claw Bill Brophy, VP at Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc. He was actually at the Quest office to deliver a sponsorship to the Yukon Quest race organization. And yes, that is how involved Usibelli is in the mushing community; they sponsor both racers and races. As you can see in the photo he came from his office, and was dressed accordingly. Yet when given the opportunity to come in and play with the kids he did not need to be asked twice. Up here you are not likely to meet people who would let little things like some dirt or dog hair get in the way of fun. When I first met Bill to discuss the possibility of having Usibelli as a sponsor I learned that he has spent hours on the trails and rivers in the area where Dan and I train our dogs. We both share a love of the Alaskan wilderness and I was truly impressed with his collection of wildlife photography.

Bill is just a part of the picture, companies like Usibelli are made up of all kinds of interesting involved individuals. Take for example another Usibelli employee, Jane Lanford. She has been an active volunteer in Running Club North since long before I started running. She is a great role model for runners, doing more marathons in one year then many people will do in their entire lives. And, I might note, smiling all the while. She reached out to me with encouragement when I started attending the races, and she may not even realize how much it meant to me as I was getting started running, but it meant a lot. They both represent what I love about Alaska, where people who are active and interested put in the time and money to make sure that events like the Yukon Quest and the Running Club North races continue to be the wonderfully fun, quality events they are.

Yup gotta love Alaska.

Where else can you find a local opera company, run by volunteers, that regularly brings in guest performers from the Metropolitan Opera? Because that is just what Opera Fairbanks is doing. I am proud to say we are the ‘official dog team’ of opera Fairbanks giving rides and tours to visiting artists.

How about world class ice carvings, lit up in a beautiful display of real life and imagination carved in ice.  Complete with a kiddie park, also totally built with ice, to play in. We have that too: World Ice Art Championships.

The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival brings in guest artists and offers an opportunity for folks to take workshops and classes in all different art forms, music, visual arts, healing, dance, literary arts, and new this year culinary. Must admit if I had more time I would be signing up for classes in “cooking to dance by” and “dessert art”

For having such a relatively small population base the Interior of Alaska has an impressive schedule of events and activities. Opportunities abound. And one can not help but notice it is the energy and enthusiasm of people working hard together to make this all possible. For a small community we accomplish great things because people care enough to make them happen.

So today I say THANK YOU. Not just to the wonderful companies and people who sponsor us and are part of Team Dew Claw. I say THANK YOU to everyone who does their part to make life on the last frontier the wonderful opportunity filled adventure it is.

One more of me, Bill from Usibelle, Marti from the Yukon Quest, and the kids.

In the future I will be bragging about the other wonderful members of Team Dew Claw. Like Kinross –  Fort Knox Mine, who are also a huge supporter of our local KUAC public radio in Alaska. Or Halliburton in Alaska, who gave not only funds, they provided handlers for my 2011 Iditarod. You can see me giving them advice before the ceremonial start at  2:13 of this video:

I am fortunate and proud to be working with such wonderful sponsors. And I invite you to join me in Thanking them, they have made it possible for me to live my dreams.