HUMAN

Name: Jackie Stark
Age: 31

Residence: Anchorage, Alaska

Occupation:  Speech Therapist

Years involved with Iditarod: 1 1/2

Iditarod role: Trail Crew Volunteer

Current Location: Ruby, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 15, 2020
Temperature: 28F/Outdoors

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

So I got involved through one of my colleagues who has been a long-term volunteer. I think she’s done it for about 16 years. And her passion for it was pretty infectious. She kind of got me right when I moved to Anchorage and I was super excited about just all the magic of Alaska. She said, “Well, you know, we could get you out on the trail.” And I thought, “Okay.” And I committed and it was just one of those just say yes situations. So I don’t know that I knew what I was saying yes to, but here I am. I’m glad to be here.

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

Last night I had the chance to come out and watch the twin girls go off and Jessica Klejka was also – she went right behind them at about 11:00. And I’ve been a little socialled out. There’s been a lot of people, and it was one of those quiet moments where it was just me in the dog yard. I watched the twins go off and then Jessica got her team ready, just solo, in the night. She got them on the trail, and I got to watch them just kind of go off into the night. And it was this beautiful silent experience that only I got to have because I was out in the yard. And just seeing her dogs with the moonlight. And it was, I don’t know, gave me shivers. It was really cool to see.

What do you know for sure?:

I found that seeking happiness is the thing I know for sure to be a good thing in life. And so, you have to ask yourself, is this what I want to do? Is this going to make me happy? Is this how I want to spend my time? And I’ve been doing that and it’s only led me to good things. And so I know for sure that’s the way I want to live.