HUMAN

Name: Dave Cunningham

Age: 70

Residence: Unalakleet, Alaska

Occupation: Self employed businessman

Years involved with Iditarod: Since the early ’80’s

Iditarod role: Provide a space and place for the Iditarod Air Force and we provide a generator for their power and a lot of logistical support

Current Location: Unakaleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 16, 2020

Temperature: 28F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with Iditarod more or less by default. I was at the airport and they kept bringing dogs out, and I took care of them, which was kind of fun back in the early days before they had the good support system that they have now. And it just sort of evolved into working with the Iditarod Air Force and a lot of other really good people. And then had a lot of fun, and still having fun and making good friends, too.

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

I’m still involved with the Iditarod race because I think it’s important to preserve the history of the race and to keep dog mushing going. I was a dog musher a long time ago. And I’d like to see it keep going. It’s a great sport, it’s good for the villagers and it’s just something that we don’t want to lose.

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

As far as my most memorable Iditarod experience, there’s no one that stands out. And there’s a few I’m going to have to wait for the statute of limitations before I can talk about them. But, basically, the one thing I probably remember most is when John Baker, a personal friend and a local native person won the Iditarod, that was just a very huge, proud moment for a lot of us in the villages. 

What in life do you know for sure?

I know there’s a lot more important things than money. And the Iditarod is not about money. It’s about a lot of volunteering, a lot of sharing, and a lot of just good, wholesome kind of people all working and only a few of them get paid. It’s just something that I’m always glad to be a part of and hope I’m physically able to do it some more years.