HUMAN

Name: Erik Foster

Age: 48

Residence: Loveland, Colorado

Occupation: Entomologist

Years involved with the Iditarod: 1

Iditarod Roles: Volunteer/Trail Crew

Current Location: Unalakleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 13, 2022

Temperature: 68F Indoors/ 6F Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved with Iditarod because my wife was a veterinarian last year and we both have a love for animals and I wanted to get involved to support her and the whole veterinary team and the sled dogs.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod because I see the passion in the people who support the mushers and the race. And how much of a cultural experience this is for Alaskans and for, really, everybody who’s in love with the Iditarod and I’ve got a background in … I was in the military and so I’m really good with logistics and I felt like I could support them, even though I don’t have the skills to be a veterinarian and check the dogs. If I could be behind the scenes and support them, that’s what I wanted to do. 

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences.

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was seeing Aaron Burmeister come in and how emotional it was for the people in the town. He’s almost like a hometown hero and how they’re all rooting for him and how he became emotional about it. And it’s such a powerful thing to see him coming through and the bond between the people and the dogs and the race, and so that was so far what my most memorable experience. 

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is that if you’re positive and you put out positive energies in your interactions with people, you have empathy for where they are and try and step into their shoes, all of that’s going to come back to you in the end and people are going to treat you the same. It’s a karmic thing that I’ve found in my life. I try to live my life that way, just putting out positive energy and just trying to bring happiness to everybody around you.