HUMAN

Name: Francine Loan

Age: 67

Residence: Evansville, Indiana

Occupation: Retired Nurse

Years involved with the Iditarod: I’ve been coming up to volunteer in Nome since 2013, but I got involved, really, in 2000 when I moved to Alaska.

Iditarod Role: I’ve been a volunteer here in Nome. Done sales, done the dog lot, which is my favorite, working at the front desk. So just volunteering.

Current Location: Nome, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 15, 2022

Temperature: 30F Outdoors & 68F Indoors at Iditarod Headquarters

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

I first became involved with Iditarod in 2013 as a volunteer, but I first heard about the Iditarod many years ago in Chicago. They would play a little clip on the news, and I remember the first time I saw it, it was Susan Butcher winning the Iditarod.

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

I am here today and involved with the Iditarod because I love the race, and I especially love the dogs. I admire the mushers. It’s such an amazing thing that they do.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was one night at about two in the morning out in the dog lot in Nome, we looked up in the sky, and it was exploding with Northern lights. It was crazy. The whole sky was lit up. And then as soon as the lights died down, all 300 dogs started to howl. It was the very best experience.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is, is that we should not waste a day. If there’s things that we want to do in life, we shouldn’t put it off. And we should do it as soon as we can.