|
WHAT'S DEEDEE UP TO?
2012 Iditarod Dogs
DeeDee shares some quality time with one of her pups named "Volt". This litter is on loan to the
Van Zyles for some socializing and play time before they start sled dog training.
DeeDee explains some of her training techniques to the "Iditarod Teachers on the Trail"
Sixty three kids from Koyuk to White Mountain gathered this past week for Bible Camp. DeeDee
was honored to be a speaker at the camp. DeeDee said she really enjoyed the time with the kids!
Relay for Life
Join DeeDee and many Alaskan's for the Chugiak/Eagle River Relay for Life at Mirror Lake Middle School (MLMS) on 15 May at 7pm
A
breath of wind behind the team
I want to extend a special thank you to each of our team's
fans that have been so wonderful supporting us for the
2009 race season. Each of you were like a breath of wind
BEHIND the team helping us drive into the Alaskan northwinds
that were beating at us as we tried to reach Nome.
The first week of the race was like we were traveling
inside a snow globe. It was beautiful, always wet, hard
to see much beside our own team, but with relatively mild
temperatures. The second week;for us between Eagle Island
and Kaltag on the Yukon River,, the wind started to blow
and the temperatures began dropping. Before it was over
with , our team experienced wind chill temperatures of
-134 degrees below zero. The winds never let up and were
in our faces or quartering us until 25 miles from Nome
when they finally were at our backs. I have not seen weather
like that in a long time but I HAVE experienced it before
and knew how dangerous it can be. For that reason I chose
to be really careful and held up in Shaktoolik until I
felt my dogs were going to travel safely across the ice.
They did just that and we had several very brave runs
on the coast. I am extremely proud of the team. They look
wonderful and exhibited very courageous attitudes in all
of this weather. We could feel each of you blowing at
our backs pushing us thru these conditions. The harder
conditions were the more we could feel each of your prayers
and support and we knew each of you CARED! Every year
is different and although my goal is to pass under the
arches with my team in first place, I have found you cannot
be sure what will happen for sure when we leave Anchorage
headed north. It refreshes my admiration for the amazing
brave dogs and mushers that transported the supplies and
saved the children of Nome so many years ago.
Although we did not achieve my ultimate goal this year,
God blessed us once again with a safe and successful run
displaying His strength and enormous beauty thoughout
our journey. Again, we were especially touched by the
gracious reception the wonderful people of rural Alaska
gave us. I am so humbled by the willingness they displayed
to make our trip safer. The Ivanoff family lent me a pair
of beaver mitts after one of mine was lost on the trail
and I had frostbitten my little finger on my right hand.
It was -50 degrees the night I was traveling from Kaltag
to Unalakeet, I reached down to return my hand in my mitt
and found it had come untied and was missing. I was in
a very dangerous situation and they lent me the mitts
their son had made in high school. Not only were they
just what I needed to save my compromised hand, but they
had special meaning to their family. This is typical of
the kindness I have experienced over the years both from
families along and trail and long distance from each of
you across the country. Each of you continue to make a
difference in my life and I appreciate you very very much.
We are already looking forward to the 2010 racing season.
I hope that you will join me once again and together we
can travel another successful, adventureous race perhaps
even reaching Nome first!!! Thank you very very much.
DeeDee
Jonrowe
2009
Iditarod - DeeDee Jonrowe into Nome 13th place
10
Days 22 Hours 56 Minutes & 10
Seconds
Welcome
to Nome DeeDee!
The mushers and other
volunteers were given a tour of the NICU.
|
Providence
& Mushers raise awareness of prematurity as a public
health issue - Iditarod mushers carried
babies’ footprints on this years Last Great Race
to Nome. 100 tiny footprints of Newborn Intensive Care
Unit (NICU) babies were carried 1,149 miles by dogsled
on the 2009 “Last Great Race on Earth” by
veteran Iditarod mushers DeeDee Jonrowe and Jessie Royer
to build public awareness around the challenge of premature
birth. Parents in all of the NICUs in Alaska were invited
to send their babies’ footprints on the Iditarod,
along with a letter about prematurity. These were carried
on a dogsled from Anchorage to Nome; and mailed back to
the families. Letters also have been sent to legislators
on the Alaska Senate, House, and Health and Social Services
Committees, to emphasize the message that prematurity
is important to all of us in Alaska as a public health
issue. This includes prevention of premature birth as
well as providing services to children who have been born
prematurely, so that they can have their full measure
of high quality of life and productive citizenship.
Iditarod mushers DeeDee Jonrowe and Jessie Royer, Providence
NICU Medical Director Dr. Lily Lou; official artist of
the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Jon Van Zyle; Philatelic Society
volunteer, David Schwantes; and parents of NICU babies
all took part in this important event. The envelopes that
carried the baby footprints were signed by DeeDee and
Jessie and hand canceled for the first half of their journey.
DeeDee & Jon Van Zyle
scrubbing up! |
Jessie Royer scrubbing up! |
A family from Florida met up with a local gentleman
from London named Alan. They spotted his Iditarod patches
and the young lad said he was studying the Iditarod
sled dog race at school. They took this photo and Alan
gave directions to a local London destination and they
all went off smiling and happy. How life should be.
DeeDee leaving the Tokotna checkpoint
2009
©
photo courtesy of Kathryn Chapoton
DeeDee will carry "Pink Noses to Roses" cachets
all the way to Nome!
DeeDee has 50 signed limited
edition pink cachets and one white one along the 2009
Iditarod trail this year designed by Jona Van Zyle.
Going with the them this year the cachets are "Pink
Noses to Roses" They will be stamped with the Breast
Cancer stamp/Alaska Celebrate 50 years and cancelled
by the US Postal Service in Anchorage and Nome.
A letter of adventure & strength is inserted in
each envelope, it reads...
(click to enlarge)
The
letter and envelope is hand colored by artist Jona Van
Zyle. All proceeds go to funding Jonrowe Kennel.
Each
cachet is $100. A single white cachet will be auctioned
off as well. Pre Order your signed limited edition
numbered PINK cachet today! Cachets
will be mailed to you after the Iditrod.
Pink
Noses to Roses,Short
Sleeve T's
2009 Trip to Nome!
The 2009 DeeDee Jonrowe shirts have arrived! We have adult
short sleeve t-shirts in s,m,l, and xl in colors pink,
light blue and purple.
The design is beautifully done by Alaskan artist, Jona
Van Zyle and the printing by Silvertip Printing in Palmer,
Alaska
Be part of the team! Help support and cheer on DeeDee's
2009 race to Nome. Go DeeDee! Click
here
photo
by Theresa Daily |
DeeDee
Jonrowe is the foremost female dog musher competing in the
world today. She has both the fastest time of any woman
in the history of the Iditarod and thirteen top ten finishes
in her career. Her second place finish in 1998 was the fifth
fastest Iditarod time ever recorded at that point. In addition
to the Iditarod, DeeDee has competed and won most major
dog sledding races throughout her career, including the
Copper Basin 300, Klondike 300 and the John Bear grease
sled dog marathon.
DeeDee ran her first Iditarod in 1980 and soon undertook
the building of her own sled, a comprehensive breeding
and training program for her dogs, and a rigorous physical
fitness program for herself. The result is that by the
time DeeDee and her team undertake the Iditarod in March
of each year, they have logged almost 2000 miles of training
together.
DeeDee
has won numerous awards for the care of her dogs through
her career, including the best-cared for team, the best
dog care award (given by staff veterinarians), and the dog's
best friend award. As her dogs are her top priority, she
became a founding member of Mush
with PRIDE, which provides responsible information of
a dog's environment, exhibiting her commitment to set the
standards for all aspects of sled dog care. Her
highly publicized battle with breast cancer that she began
in 2002 has seen her become a tireless fundraiser. In
2003 she became any honorary chairperson for the American
Cancer Society's Relay for Life, assisting the organization
is its fundraising efforts as well. DeeDee's humanitarian
efforts have been well-documented, being given the YWCA's
"Alaska Woman of Achievement of Award", the
most inspirational musher award, and even as the spokesperson
for the National Girl Scouts Council and Winter Special
Olympics.
DeeDee
has been profiled in such media outlets as Sports Illustrated,
Redbook, and Outside magazines. She is a published author,
and is currently pending another book profiling her comeback
from cancer to race again.
FOR
ALL INQUIRIES REGARDING DEEDEE'S SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS,
APPEARANCES, AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES - PLEASE CONTACT:
Michael Barnes
- BSG
(636) 933-0041 office
(636) 933-0048 fax
10516 Glen Oaks Drive
Festus, MO 63028
|
|
DEEDEE'S 2010
BOOTIE JAR
It's
no secret. Running the Iditarod is expensive.
This years entry fees alone are expected to be
$5,000. Because of this and other racing expenses,
we have set up a way to help offset the cost and
in return we will list you as a team supporter
on our web site!
|
|
| Links
& Information |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Give
to the Providence Alaska Foundation
Providence Alaska Foundation thanks you for your
care, concern and commitment to the Mission of the
Sisters of Providence. Your generosity helps support
critical programs, services, and medical equipment
needed here in Alaska.
Click
Here for details |
|
| |
|
| Sponsors |
Denali
Foods
of Alaska
|
|
| |
|
BRADLEY
REID + ASSOCIATES
INCORPORATED |
|
| |
| |
| |
Jon & Jona
Van Zyle
|
|
 |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| Valley
Chiropractic
Clinic
|
|
CAC Plastics
Located off
frontage rd.
off the Parks Hwy
Wasilla, Alaska
|
|
The
Alaskan co-operative that has brought
exquisite Qiviut items to you as a
unique northern gift since 1969. Qiviut
(pronounced "kiv-ee-ute"),
the downy-soft underwool from the
Arctic musk ox, is shed naturally
each year during the spring months.
Eight times warmer than wool and extraordinarily
lightweight, Qiviut is one of the
finest natural fibers known to man.
Visit their web site
Click
here |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
ARCTIC
MIDNIGHT FURS
| Arctic
Midnight Furs has a large showroom
of tanned furs & leathers. We
can help you with custom made fur
coats, parkas, mukluks, hats, mittens,
slippers, etc. We also do cleaning,
repair and restyling of furs. All
prices wholesale to the public.
Call
Keith or Julie or stop by the showroom
and look around.
Visit our
WEB
SITE |
|
|
|
|
