HUMAN

Name: JANIS YOUNG
Age: 68
Residence: MILL CREEK, WASHINGTON
Occupation: RETIRED
Years involved with Iditarod: THIS IS MY 19TH YEAR
Iditarod Role: I’M IN COMMS
Current Location: MCGRATH, ALASKA
Date of Photo: MARCH 8, 2019
Temperature: 32F / OUTDOORS

What is your Why?.. Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?:

I LOVE TO WATCH THE DOGS RUN, I LOVE ALASKA, AND WHAT KEEPS ME COMING BACK IS JUST MY IDITAROD FAMILY. I LOVE SEEING EVERYBODY. LIKE, ONCE A YEAR, EVERYBODY’S HERE.

Tell me about your most rewarding experience on Iditarod?:

OH, MY. I THINK THE MOST MEMORABLE IDITAROD, IS BEFORE WE HAD TRACKERS; STANDING OUT AS A COMMS PERSON WAITING FOR THE TEAMS TO COME IN. AND WHEN THEY FINALLY GET THERE, ALL YOU CAN HEAR IS MAYBE A LITTLE “TINK, TINK” FROM THE DOGS’ COLLARS. BUT THEY’RE TOTALLY SILENT. AND THEN YOU SEE THE GLOW OF THEIR EYES. THIS WOULD BE 2 IN THE MORNING. WE’D BEEN WAITING AND WATCHING FOR THEM.

What do you know for sure?:

THAT I’M ALIVE TODAY.