HUMAN

Name: Herbert Ivanoff

Age: 72

Residence: Unalakleet, Alaska

Occupation: Retired

Iditarod Roles: Volunteer for the Iditarod checkpoint.

Current Location: Unalakleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 14, 2022

Temperature: 1F Outdoors, 68F Indoors

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

Yeah, I got involved with the Iditarod because my brother-in-law Jeff asks, gave me a call. In fact, my wife and I, and ask us to volunteer to cook pancakes. And so he knows that every Saturday at the house, I make pancakes for the family. So that’s how I got involved.

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

I’m here and involved with Iditarod because I’ve known Middy Johnson, who was my cousin who passed away many years ago. And like I mentioned earlier that Joe Redington, I used to work with him years ago and he talked about the Iditarod, starting the race then. And so, I’m just blessed to help with being served here at the Iditarod station for now.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences, well I have several, because both William Johnson, Middy, his brother, Gus Johnson, and his brother, Paul, who are my cousins were involved races and just watching them coming to Unalakleet and also Mary Helwig who at the time was a good friend of ours, and she was got their red lantern that year and she was a special person to us. So that’s one of my memorable experiences here in Unalakleet.

What in life do you know for sure?

Well, what I know from life was sure is nothing is guaranteed or what we expect sometimes, but you live through it and do the best you can.