Stop The Iditarod Trail (of Death) Sled Dog Race!

UPDATE!  April 7, 2009
(The following is an aricle that was posted on the Care2 Petition Site)

In early March, just before the start of 37th annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, I wrote about the Iditarod's trail of death and suffering. Many caring people were outraged that dogs are forced to run well past exhaustion in such extremely inhospitable conditions, often succumbing to pneumonia, gastric ulcers, hypothermia, and other illnesses. Others, however; mostly those with a vested interest in the race, attempted to justify the senseless deaths and the needless suffering. Does anyone think there's a way to justify the six tragic deaths that occurred in this year's race?

First there was Victor, a 6-year-old dog on musher Jeff Holt's team, who died suddenly on March 10. A gross necropsy (the canine version of an autopsy) was completed, however, "no cause of death could be determined by the board certified veterinary pathologist." The poor dog likely just ran to death.

Then, on March 16, a search pilot discovered that two dogs (whose names, Dizzy and Grasshopper, were not even included in the Iditarod advisory) on rookie musher Lou Packer's team had apparently frozen to death. Packer and his 15 dogs were "trapped" out in 45-below temperatures and howling wind and Packer said he could feel ice begin to form under the skin of one of the dogs before he died.

Next, on March 19, Maynard, a 5-year-old male on Warren Palrey's team, died on the trail late at night. His necropsy showed "pulmonary edema [fluid in the lungs] was present, which likely developed as the result of a cardiac abnormality." Maynard had been "working hard" on the trail for 11 days leading up to his death. An Anchorage Daily News article also noted that "the stress of that has been known to cause some dogs to develop deadly stomach ulcers."

One day later, Omen, an 8-year-old male on Rick Larson's team, died on the trail between the checkpoints at Elim and White Mountain. As with Maynard, Omen's necropsy indicated that he died from a pulmonary edema.

The sixth dog, a 2-year-old female named Cirque, died during a post-race flight. Cirque, who was on musher Alan Peck's team, was discovered dead when after the plane was forced to land due to significant turbulence. A necropsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of her death.

To call attention to the tragic deaths and demand justice for the dogs, PETA wrote to Alaska state trooper Col. Audie Halloway and ask him to determine if any of the mushers whose dogs died could be charged under the state's cruelty to animals law. Not surprisingly, a troopers' spokeswoman said that the state law does not generally apply to dog mushing contests. The agency further told the media, "Unless the Iditarod Trail Committee indicates some concern over the treatment or cause of death of these animals, no we do not generally investigate those particular events. If someone within the Iditarod Trail Committee or from the public has evidence of behavior that is beyond normal practices of mushing activities, we will gladly look into these acts."

Obviously, "normal practices of mushing" include suffering and death, and there is no excuse for that. Please visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition's site to find out what you can do to end this deadly race once and for all.

I realize the 37th annual Iditarod race for 2009 has already begun, but we need to make this the last year that these poor dogs suffer and/or die.

We must take a stand and let the sponsors and supporters know that we won't allow them to exploit these dogs and treat them like slaves! We did away with slavery in humans a long time ago. Why do we still allow it to go on with animals?

This race is an 1,150 mile race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Every year, approximately 1,500 dogs start the 10 to 12 day race in subzero temperatures. Unfortunately, not nearly that many finish the race.  Their feet become bruised and bloodied and many dogs pull muscles, incur stress fractures, or suffer from diarrhea, dehydration, pneumonia, intestinal viruses, gastric ulcers, hypothermia, or hyperthermia.

But the dogs have no choice but to run; they're tethered together and mushers are allowed to whip them. Dogs that become too weak or sick to keep up are dragged along, sometimes flipping on their backs.

Typically, dogs are forced to run four- to five-hour stretches with little rest. They are subjected to biting winds, blinding snowstorms, subzero temperatures, and the danger of falling through treacherous ice into frigid waters. Almost every year, several dogs die of sudden death syndrome, which means that they are literally run to death.

Although the exact death toll is unknown since no one kept track in the early years, it's estimated that more than 136 dogs have died since the race began in 1973. Dogs have even been gouged by sleds, strangled in towlines, and hit by snow machines. 

Because so many dogs die during this cruel event, people expect and accept the deaths as a routine part of the race. News reporters will calmly report, The first dog has died, and so on and so forth. What kind of world are we living in that we allow this kind of thing to happen? Not just allow it to happen, but expect it to happen!

A 7 year old dog named Zaster was the first to die in 2008's race. He was being treated for pneumonia prior to the race. Why would you make your dog do something so strenuous when he is sick? You wouldn't do that to your child, your spouse, your friend, or your enemy for that matter!

Two days after Zaster died, a snow machine ran into a mushers team and killed a 3 year old dog named Lorne. Soon after a 4 year old dog named Cargo died on the trail. The stories of death and injury go on and on. How can we let this kind of thing keep happening?

Well known companies like Coca-Cola, Cabelas, Chrysler, Chevron, Exxon, Target, Sports Illustrated, Home & Garden TV, Harley-Davidson, Sarah Palin (big surprise!),Toyota, McDonalds, and Taco Bell are supporters and sponsors of this race.

These are just a small few of the many companies that continue to let this race go on every year. (Complete list of supporters and promoters along with e-mail addresses listed at the bottom of this page.)

Most of the dogs that manage to survive the race aren't even treated humanely afterwards. They are housed in small kennels or live at the end of a short chain.

In 2002, researchers at Oklahoma State University examined the airways of 59 dogs 24 to 48 hours after they completed the Iditarod and found that 81 percent of them had abnormal accumulations of mucous or cellular debris in their lower airways. The damage was classified as moderate to severe in nearly half the dogs.

Many other dogs suffer and don't even participate in the race. Thousands of dogs are bred just for this Iditarod Race, but the ones who aren't fast enough to race are usually killed in cruel ways. One musher equated killing dogs that don't make the grade to weeding a garden.

The Iditarod is so inhumane and exploitative that it has earned the scorn of not only animal protection organizations like PETA, HSUS, and the Sled Dog Action Committee, as well as caring individuals worldwide, but also prominent sports columnists, including USA Today sportswriter Jon Saraceno, who has dubbed the race the "Ihurtadog."

The "Ihurtadog" is a tourist event. You can help these dogs simply by not going to Alaska, and by letting the race sponsors know that you won't support their businesses as long as they support cruelty to animals.

We must not let the Iditarod continue another year. Please sign this petition, don't support the sponsors, and pass this on to everyone you know!

Steven W. Berglund, CEO
Trimble Navigation Limited (sponsor)
935 Stewart Drive Post
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
Phone: 408.481.8000
Fax: 408.481.7781
Email: Steve_Berglund@trimble.com
Email: Rajat_Bahri@trimble.com

Patrick T. Stokes
K & L Distributors, Inc. (AB-Inbev distributor) (sponsor)
1 Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63118
Fax: 314-577-2900
Toll Free: 800-342-5283
Email: marianne.amssoms@inbev.com
Email: fabio.spina@inbev.com

Dennis Highby, CEO
Cabelas (sporting goods) (sponsor)
1 Cabela Dr.
Sidney, NE 69160
Fax: 308-254-4800
Toll free phone: 800-346-8747
Email: Christopher.Gay@cabelas.com

John W. Snow, Chairman
Chrysler (Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.) (sponsor)
299 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10171
Phone: 212.891.2100
Email: media@cerberuscapital.com

E. Neville Isdell, CEO
Coca-Cola (sponsor)
1 Coca-Cola Plaza
Atlanta, GA 30313
Phone: 404-676-2121
Fax: 404-676-6792
Email: tmattia@na.ko.com

Richard Hartman
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (sponsor)
Scarsdale Place, Kensington
London W8 5SR, United Kingdom
Phone: 44-20-7872-2444
Fax: 44-20-7872-2460
Email: charlene.jagannath@millenniumhotels.co.uk
Email: david.curtis-brignell@mill-cop.com

Richard M. Kovacevich, CEO
Wells Fargo & Company (sponsor)
402 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94163
Phone: 1-800-411-4932 (toll free)
Fax: 415-677-9075
Email: Catherine.Gacad@wellsfargo.com

David Dillon, CEO
Kroger Company (Fred Meyer Stores) (sponsor)
1014 Vine St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: 513-762-4000
Fax: 513-762-1160
Email: kroger.investors@kroger.com

Ed Waite, President
Spenard Builders (sponsor)
4412 Lois Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99517
Toll Free:1-800-478-3141
Email: ewaite@sbsalaska.com

David J. O'Reilly, CEO
Chevron Corportation (sponsor)
575 Market St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-894-7700
Fax: 415-894-0583
Email: pubaffmr@chevrontexaco.com

Rex W. Tillerson, CEO
Exxon Mobil Corporation (sponsor)
5959 Las Colinas Blvd.
Irving, TX 75039-2298
Phone: 1-800-243-9966, then press 2 (toll free)
Fax: 972-444-1350
Email: enterprise.comments@exxonmobil.com

Patrick Doyle, Publisher
Anchorage Daily News (Mc Clatchy Company) (sponsor)
2100 Q St. Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: 916-321-1846
Fax: 916-321-1964
Email: PDoyle@adn.com

John F. Koster, CEO
Providence Health System (sponsor)
P.O. Box 11038
Seattle, WA 98111-9038
Email: employment@providence.org

William Ayer, CEO
Alaska Airlines (Alaska Air Group) (sponsor)
19300 Pacific Highway South
Seattle, WA 98188
Phone: 206-431-7040
Fax: 206-431-7038
Email: newsroom@alaskaair.com

Orin Seybert, President
Peninsula Airways, Inc. (Pen Air) (sponsor)
6100 Boeing Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99502
Telephone: (907) 243-2485
Fax: (907) 243-6848
Email: info@penair.com

Alaska Brewing Company (sponsor)
5429 Shaune Drive
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: 907-780-5866
Email: fhees@alaskanbeer.com

The City of Anchorage (sponsor)
632 W. 6th Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99501
Email: Mayor@ci.anchorage.ak.us

The City of Nome (sponsor)
P.O. Box 281, 102 Division Street
Nome, Alaska 99762
Tel: (907) 443-6663
Fax: (907) 443-5349
Email: manager@ci.nome.ak.us

David Simon, CEO
5th Avenue Mall (Simon Property Group) (sponsor)
115 W. Washington St., Ste. 15
East Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-636-1600
Fax: 317-263-2318
Email: ircontact@simon.com

Charles Raymond, CEO
Horizon Lines (sponsor)
4064 Colony Rd., Ste. 200
Charlotte, NC 28211
Fax: 704-973-7075
Toll Free: 877-678-7447
Email: investor.relations@horizonlines.com

City of Wasilla (sponsor)
290 E. Herning Ave.
Wasilla, AK 99654-7091
Phone: (907) 373-9055
Fax: (907) 373-9096
Email: mayor@ci.wasilla.ak.us

Daniel Warmenhoven, CEO
Network Appliance, Inc. (sponsor)
495 East Java Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Toll Free: 800-445-2234
Fax: 408-822-4412
Email: investor_relations@netapp.com

Ron Duncan, CEO
General Communication, Inc. (GCI) (sponsor)
2550 Denali St., Ste. 1000
Anchorage, AK 99503
Fax: 907-868-5676
Toll Free: 800-770-7886
Email: rcs@gci.com
Email: bcs@gci.com

Thomas B. Crowley, CEO
Crowley Maritime Corporation (sponsor)
9487 Regency Square Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32225
Phone: (904) 727-4295
Pager: (800) 539-1345
Cell: (904) 607-2087
Email: resumes@crowley.com

Anton/Bauer, Inc. (sponsor)
14 Progress Drive
Shelton, CT 06484
Toll free: 800-422-3473
Fax: 203-925-4988
Email: websales@antonbauer.com

Anchorage Municipal Light and Power (sponsor)
1200 East First Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska 99501-1685
Email: AskMLP@muni.org

Alcan Signs (sponsor)
720 W. 58th Suite A
Anchorage, AK 99518
Email:alcansigns@alaska.net

World Communication Center (sponsor)
1347 N. Alma School Road, Suite 150
Chandler, AZ 85224
Toll free: 800-211-2575
Email: wccinfo@wcclp.com

Dave Powers, President
Alaska Serigraphics (sponsor)
Phone: 907-561-2000
Email: dpowers@akserigraphics.com

Thomas J. Cook, CEO
Electrochem Commercial Power (Greatbatch, Ltd.) (sponsor)
9645 Wehrle Drive
Clarence, NY 14031
Toll free: 8660224-8146
Email: MBenedetti@greatbatch.com

Jerry Miller
IonEarth (sponsor)
2397 Traversefield Drive
Traverse City, MI 49686
Email: webmaster@ionearth.com

Iridium (sponsor)
6707 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20817
USA Phone: 1.301.571.6200
Fax: 1.301.571.6250
Email: liz.decastro@iridium.com

Bob Ulrich, CEO
Target Corporation (promoter)
1000 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
E-mail: investorrelations@target.com

Harcourt School Publishers (promoter)
6277 Sea Harbor Drive
Orlando FL 32887
Phone: 407-345-2000
Email: hbspcs@harcourt.com
Email: rick.blake@harcourt.com

Carnival Corporation (promoter)
3655 NW 87th Ave.
Miami, FL 33178-2428
Phone: 305-599-2600
Fax: 305-406-4700
Email: rabello@hollandamerica.com
Email: jbenson@princesscruises.com

Collin Earnst, VP, Corporate Communications
Houghton Mifflin Company (promoter)
222 Berkeley St.
Boston, MA 02116-3764
Phone: 617-351-5000
Fax: 617-351-1105
Email: investor_relations@hmco.com

John Ford, President (promoter)
Discovery Network (Discovery Communications, LLC; Discovery Holding Company)
12300 Liberty Blvd.
Englewood, CO 80112
Phone: 720-875-4000
Fax: 720-7469
Email: investor@discoveryholdingcompany.com
Email: John_Ford@discovery.com
Email: Craig_Felenstein@discovery.com

Richard Robinson, CEO
Scholastic Corporation (promoter)
557 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-343-6100
Fax: 212-343-6934
Email: investor_relations@scholastic.com

Alan Hayling, Editorial Director
Renegade Pictures (promoter)
3-4 Portland Mews
London W1F8JF, UK
Email: info@renegadepictures.co.uk

The New York Times (promoter)
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Email: executive-editor@nytimes.com

Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC-TV) (promoter)
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
Email: rick.ludwin@nbcuni.com

Zoasis Corporation (promoter)
1500 Olympic Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Email: info@zoasis.com

Diamond Brand Outdoors (promoter)
2623 Hendersonville Road
Arden, NC 28704
Phone: 1-800-459-6262
Fax: 828-209-1539
Email: wendy@diamondbrand.com

Sports Illustrated (promoter)
Email: karen_dmochowsky@timeinc.com
Email: robert_broderick@timeinc.com

Beverly H. Sgro, PhD, Head of School
Carolina Day School (promoter)
1345 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
Email: bsgro@cdschool.org

Cheryl Martin, Executive Director
Lilac Services for the Blind (promoter)
1212 N. Howard St.
Spokane, WA 99201
Toll free: (800) 422-7893
Fax: (509) 328-8965
Email: cherylm@lilacblind.org

National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Northwest Chapter (promoter)
PO Box 58530
Seattle, WA. 98138
Phone: 206-575-3444
Email: natas@asi-seattle.net

Daniel M. Sprague, CEO
The Council of State Governments (promoter)
2760 Research Park Drive
PO Box 11910
Lexington, KY 40578-1910
Phone: 959-244-8000
Fax: 859-244-8001
Email: jpenchoff@csg.org
Email: dsprague@csg.org

Deb Svec, President
Florida Association for Media in Education (promoter)
PO Box 560787
Orlando, FL 32856
Phone: 407-275-3777
Fax: 407-275-3667
Email: info@floridamedia.org
Email: buckysmom@tampabay.rr.com

AAA of California (promoter)
Email: Spring.Jeffrey@aaa-calif.com

Postmaster General John E. Potter
United States Postal Service (promoter)
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260-2200
Toll Free 800-275-8777
Fax 202-268-4860
Email: roy.a.betts@usps.gov

Dr. Martin Frank, Executive Director
American Physiological Society (promoter)
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: 703-967-2751
Email: mfrank@the-aps.org

The Annie E. Casey Foundation (promoter)
701 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: 410-547-6600
Fax: 410-547-6624
Email: media@aecf.org

David M. Nee, Executive Director
William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund (promoter)
2319 Whitney Avenue, Suite 2B
Hamden, CT 06518
Phone: 203-230-3330
Fax: 203 230-3331
Email: davidnee@wcgmf.org

William W. Ginsberg, CEO
Foundation for Greater New Haven (promoter)
70 Audubon Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06510-9755
Phone: (203) 777-2386
Fax: (203) 787-6584
Email: wginsberg@cfgnh.org

Kenneth W. Lowe, CEO
Home & Garden Television (Scripps Networks) (promoter)
312 Walnut St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: 513-824-3200
Fax: 513-824-3383
Email: onair-ad@hgtv.com
Email: mark.kroeger@scrippsnetworks.com

Scott & Todd in the Morning (Scott Shannon & Todd Pettengill)
WPLJ - NYC (promoter)
Email: bigshow@plj.com

Charlie Gibson
World News with Charles Gibson (ABC-TV) (promoter)
77 W 66th Street
New York, NY 10023
Email: Anne.sweeney@disney.com IndependentTraveler.com (promoter)
Email: editor@independenttraveler.com

Howard Steinberg, CEO
dLife TV Network (promoter)
101 Franklin Street
Westport, CT 06880
Toll free: 800-460-6738
Fax: 203.454.6986
Email: info@dlife.com

Nancy Perry Graham, Editor
AARP The Magazine (promoter)
Email: aarpmagazine@aarp.org

Al Paterson, Director
Hamilton County Parks (promoter)
15513 S. Union Street
Hamilton County, Indiana
Phone: 317-770-4401
Email: awp@co.hamilton.in.us

Tournament of Roses (promoter)
391 South Orange Grove Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91184
Phone: (626) 449-4100
Fax: (626) 449-9066
Email: rosepr@rosemail.org

Shelia Cary, Principal
MC Perry Elementary (promoter)
PSC 561 Box 1874
FPO, AP 96310-0019
Email: principal.perryes@pac.dodea.edu

Mr. Jimbo Jackson
Fort Braden School (promoter)
15100 Blountstown Highway
Tallahassee, FL 32310
Email: jacksonj@mail.leon.k12.fl.us

Kendra Trail, Principal
Southern Fulton Elementary (promoter)
Warfordsburg, PA
Email: ktrail@sfsd.k12.pa.us
Email: rscott@sfsd.k12.pa.us

Larry A. Militello, Principal
Country Parkway Elementary School (promoter)
35 Hollybrook
Williamsville, NY 14221
Phone: (716) 626-9860
Fax: (716) 626-9879
Email: lmilitello@williamsvillek12.org

Michele Svihovec, Principal
Prairie Rose Elementary School (promoter)
2200 Oahe Bend
Bismarck ND 58504
Phone: 701-323-4280
Fax: 701-323-4285
Email: michele_svihovec@bismarckschools.org

Mr. Treadway, Principal
Mount Pleasant Middle School (promoter)
8325 49 N
Mt. Pleasant, NC 28124
Phone: 704- 436-9302
Email: streadaw@cabarrus.k12.nc.us

Sonja Braziel, Principal
Pompano Beach Middle School (promoter)
310 NE Sixth St.
Pompano Beach 33060
Phone: 754-322-4200
Fax: 754-322-4285
Email: sonja.braziel@browardschools.com
Email: supt_notter@browardschools.com
Email: earlean.smiley@browardschools.com

Mary Maddox, Principal
Johnnycake Elementary School (promoter)
5910 Craigmont Road
Baltimore, MD 21228
Email:mmaddox2@bcps.org

Mr. James Quick, Principal
Clearfield Elementary School (promoter)
700 High Level Rd
Clearfield, PA 16830
Phone: (814) 762-8011
Email: jquick@clearfield.org

Lynda Hall, Principal
Buchanan-Verplanck Elementary School (promoter)
160 Westchester Ave.
Buchanan, NY 10511
Phone 914-257-5400
Fax: 914-257-5401
Email: LHall@henhudschools.org

KOMO-AM Seattle (promoter)
Email: comments@komo1000news.com

WALR-AM Atlanta (promoter)
Email: tedronneburger@680thefan.com

WNWV-FM (promoter)
Email: angie@wnwv.com WICC-AM (promoter)
Email: curt.hansen@cumulus.com

Nathan Schnellenberger, President
Advocate Magazine (Indiana State Teacher's Association) (promoter)
Email: nschnell@ista-in.org

Judith Welling Principal
Fred J. Hums Elementary School (promoter)
3208 Harrison Rd.
Mishawaka, IN 46544
Email: wellingj@mishawaka.k12.in.us

Gery J. Chico, President, Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners
Chicago Park District (promoter)
Email: gchico@chiconunes.com

Foundry Art Centre (promoter)
520 North Main Center
St. Charles, Missouri 63301
Phone: 636-255-0270
Fax: 636-925-0345
Email: jane@foundryartcentre.org

Carl Sandstedt, Director
St. Charles Library District (promoter)
77 Boone Hills Drive
St. Peters, MO 63376
Fax: (636)441-3132
Email: csandstedt@stchlibrary.org

Garrison Keillor (promoter)
Prairie Home Companion
Distributed by American Public Media
Email: davido@prairiehome.us
Email: brobideau@americanpublicmedia.org

South by Southwest Film Festival 2009 (promoter)
Email: film@sxsw.com Pinnaclesports.com (promoter)
Email: simonn@pinnaclesports.com

David E. Chesebrough, Ed.D., CEO
COSI Columbus (promoter)
333 West Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Toll free: 888.819.2674
Email: knowinsky@mail.cosi.org

Anders Gyllenhaal, Executive Editor (promoter)
Miami Herald
One Herald Plaza
Miami, FL 33132
Email: AGyllenhaal@MiamiHerald.com
Email: DLandsberg@MiamiHerald.com

Time Magazine (promoter)
Email: mark_ford@timeinc.com
Email: don_fries@timeinc.com

MUSHER SPONSORS

None of the companies sponsoring mushers has provided any documentation showing that their mushers kennel is any better than those described.

Fred Hassan, CEO
Intervet (Schering-Plough)
2000 Galloping Hill Road
Kenilworth, NJ 07033-0530
Phone: (908) 298-4000
Email: lee.davies@spcorp.com
Email: sabine.schueller@spcorp.com

Eric A. Danziger, CEO
Hawthorne Suites (Wyndham Hotel Group)
7 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Phone: (973) 753-7422
Email: betsy.o'rourke@wyndhamworldwide.com
Email: Christine.Dasilva@wyndhamworldwide.com

Gertrude Boyle, Chmn
Columbia Sportswear Company
14375 NW Science Park Dr.
Portland, OR 97229-5418
Phone: 503-985-4000
Fax: 503-985-5800
Email: investorrelations@columbia.com
Email: rparham@columbia.com

Sarah Palin, Commander-In-Chief
Alaska Army National Guard
Alaska State Capitol Building
P.O. Box 110001
Juneau, AK 99811-0001
Phone (907) 465-3500
Fax (907) 465-3532
Email: sarah_palin@gov.state.ak.us
Email: sarah.palin@alaska.gov

Dong Kurn Lee, President
Rotary International
1560 Sherman Ave.
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Phone: 847-866-3000
Fax: 847-328-8554
Email: wayne.hearn@rotary.org

Bill Hawkins, CEO
Medtronic
710 Medtronic Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55432-5604
Phone: 1-763-514-4000
Fax: 1-763-514-4879
Email: investor.relations@medtronic.com
Email: leaddirector@medtronic.com
Email: chuck.grothaus@medtronic.com

James L. Ziemer, CEO
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
3700 W. Juneau Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53208
Phone: 414-342-4680
Fax: 414-343-8230
Email: mike.morgan@harley-davidson.com

Fujio Cho, Chairman
Toyota Motor Corporation
19001 South Western Ave.
Torrance, CA 90501
Email: toyota_cares@toyota.com

John B. Poindexter, CEO
Leer, Inc. (J.B. Poindexter & Co., Inc.)
1100 Louisiana, Ste. 5400
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 713-655-9800
Fax: 713-951-9038
Email: rwhatley@jbpco.com

Coastal Helicopters, Inc.
8995 Yandukin Drive
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: 907-789-5600
Fax: 907-789-7076
Email: info@coastalhelicopters.com

Larry D. Young, CEO
7-up (Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.)
5301 Legacy Drive
Plano, TX 75024
Phone: (972) 673-7000
Email: aly.noormohamed@dpsg.com

John D. Hofmeister, Chmn
Jiffy Lube International, Inc. (Shell Oil Company)
700 Milam St.
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 713-241-6161
Fax: 713-277-7856
Email: Virginia.Q.Sanchez@shell.com
Email: Mark.Quartermain@shell.com

Alan G. (A.G.) Lafley, CEO
Eukanuba/Iams (Procter & Gamble Company)
1 Procter & Gamble Plaza
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Toll free: (800) 423-6036
Email: Shareholders.IM@pg.com

Larry J. Zine, CFO
Blockbuster Video
1201 Elm St.
Dallas, TX 75270
Phone: 214-854-3000
Fax: 214-854-4848
Email: corporate.communications@blockbuster.com

James A. Skinner, CEO
McDonalds Restaurants (McDonald Corporation)
McDonald's Plaza
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Phone: 630-623-3000
Fax: 630-623-5004
Email: mary.dillon@us.mcd.com
Email: walt.riker@us.mcd.com

David C. Novack, CEO
Taco Bell (Yum! Brands, Inc.)
1441 Gardiner Lane
Louisville, KY 40213
Phone: 502-874-2543
Email: yum.investor@yum.com

Batteries Plus
Email: customersupport@batteriesplus.com

Oomingmak (Musk Ox Producers' Co-operative)
Toll free: 1 (888) 360-9665(outside alaska)
Phone: (907) 272-9225 (office)
Email: qiviut@gci.net

Kaladi Brothers Coffee Company
6921 Brayton Drive
Anchorage, AK 99507
Phone: (907) 344-4480
Fax: (907) 344-4484
Email: sales@kaladi.com

Jlona & Philip Richey
Tracks of Alaska Photography
Phone: 907-332-5709
Email: traxak@clearwire.net

Inlet Tower Hotel & Suites
1200 L Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Toll Free: 800-544-0786
Email: info@inlettower.com

Alaska Icefield Expeditions (helicopter flights and dog sled rides on glaciers)
P.O. Box 788
Skagway, AK 99840
Phone: 907-983-2299
Email: info@akdogtour.com

Colorado Altitude Training
3125 Sterling Circle, Suite 105
Boulder, CO 80301
Toll Free: 877-ALTITUDE
Email: ryoung@altitudetraining.com

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
3003 W. Breezewood Lane
P.O. Box 368
Neenah, WI 54957
Email: jbilitz@jjkeller.com

Rodney Bolls, President
bGlobal, Inc.
931 Monroe Dr. NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: 404.210.6920
Fax: 404.963.0469
Email: rodney.bolls@bglobal.us

ND Industries
1000 North Crooks Rd.
Clawson, Michigan 48017
Phone: 248-288-0000
Fax: 248-288-0022
Email: info@ndindustries.com

Western Products
7777 North 73rd St.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53223
Phone: (414) 354-2310
Fax: (414) 354-6664
Email: info@westernplows.com

Macgellan.com
Email: Macgellan@mac.com

Eagle Pack
1011 West 11th Street
Mishawaka, IN 46544
Phone: 1-800-255-5959
Email: msteele@eaglepack.com

Sportees Activewear
Email: info@sportees.com

The Black Dog Tavern Co.
PO Box 2219
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
Email: abbietaylor@theblackdog.com

FogTech (Motosolutions)
Email: gene@motosolutions.com Redpaw Feed
Email: contact@redpawfeed.com

Bynje
Email: post@brynje.no

Vi sees
Email: anni@visees.no

Macrogard (Immunocorp)
Email: biorigin@biorigin.com.br

Teck Cominco
501 North Riverpoint Blvd
Spokane, Washington 99202
Phone: 509.747.6111
Fax: 509.459.4400
Email: info@teckcominco.com

GoNorth Alaska Travel Center
3500 Davis Rd
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Toll Free 1-866-236-7272
Fax 1-907-474-1041
Email: para@alaska.net

Jay Handy, President
Diabetes Sports and Wellness Foundation
Email: jay@dswf.org

Lynden Incorporated
6441 South Airpark Place
Anchorage, AK 99502
Phone: (907) 245-1544
Fax: (907) 245-1744
Email: information@lynden.com

Scott Greenberg, CEO
General Physics Corp. (GP General Strategies Corp.)
6095 Marshalee Drive
Elkridge, MD 21075
Toll free: 888.843.4784
Fax: 410.540.5302
Email: ablank@gpworldwide.com

Dairy Farmers of Washington
4201 198th St. S.W.
Lynnwood, WA 98036-6751
Fax: (425) 672-0674
Toll free: 1-800-470-1222
Email: info@havemilk.com

DeepPurple.com
4 Brussels St.
Worcester, MA 01610
Email: customerservice@deeppurple.com

Camrud, Maddock, Olson & Larson, Ltd.
401 DeMers Avenue
Grand Forks, ND 58206-5849
Phone: 701-775-5595
Fax: 701-772-3743
Email: pmaddock@camrudlaw.com
Email: jllarson@camrudlaw.com

National Lake Rescue Institute
PO Box 3892
Kampala, Uganda
Phone: 256 77 47 5757
Email: info@lake-rescue.org

Azumano Travel
Email: info@azumano.com

Ms. Cindy Morse, Principal
Sabold Elementary School
468 East Thompson Ave.
Springfield, PA 19064
Email: morsecin@ssd.k12.pa.us

Flexitol (Laderma)
205 Victoria Street
Beaconsfield NSW 2015 Australia
Phone: 612 9693 6500
Fax: 612 9693 6575
Email: info@laderma.com.au
Email: usainfo@flexitol.com
LCITW.com
Email: info@lcitw.com

Ethel Minchello, Principal
Frelinghuysen Middle School
West Hanover Ave.
Morristown, NJ 07960
Email: Ethel.Minchello@MSDK12.net

Longo Electrical & Mechanical
One Harry Shupe Blvd.
Wharton, NJ 07885
Phone: 973-537-0400
Email: info@eLongo.com

JetBoil, Inc.
540 North Commercial St
Manchester, NH 03101
Phone: (888) 611-9905
Fax: (603) 518-1619
Email: customerservice@jetboil.com

Cold Avenger (Talus Outdoor Technologies)
Email: info@talusoutdoortech.com

Port Gamble
Email: portgamble@orminc.com

Albert & Slater, P.S.
Email: office@toughdivorces.com

Epicenter Press
Email: info@EpicenterPress.com

Trabits Group, LLC
P.O. Box 870404
Wasilla, AK 99687-0404
Email: info@trabitsgroup.com

Trapper Creek Smoking Company
Email: info@trapperscreek.com

Ben Reel Productions
Email: mathew@mountainadventuretours.org

Canada Goose
1381 Castlefield Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M6B 1G7 Canada
Phone:1-888-668-0625
Fax: 416.780.9854
Email: info@canada-goose.com

Tracks of Alaska
Email: traxak@clearwire.net

Alpine Lodge - Fairbanks
4920 Dale Rd
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Phone: (907) 328-6300
Email: reservations@akalpinelodge.com

The Eldorado Hotel
902 Third Avenue
Dawson City, Yukon Territory Y0B 1G0, Canada
Toll-Free: 1-800-764-ELDO (3536)
Email: eldorado@yknet.ca

Michael Bertrand Photography
San Juan Island, WA
Email: mbphotos@rockisland.com

Janssen Funeral Homes, Inc.
Email: info@janssenfuneralhomes.com

Richard Crosby, DDS
3111 Denali, Suite 202
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone: 907.277.1098
Email: info@crosbysmiles.com

Little Cabin in the Woods
Email: info@lcitw.com

Great River Journey Inc.
Box 454, 108 Elliott Street
Whitehorse, Yukon Canada Y1A 6C4
Phone: (867) 456-2421
Fax: (867) 456-2422
Email: info@greatriverjourney.com

Queo Media
Email: ruediger.henke@queo-media.com

Ann Helion, Principal
East Bradford Elementary School
820 Frank Road
West Chester, PA19380
Phone: 484-266-2100
Email: ahelion@wcasd.net

Vertikal Press
PO Box 6998
Brackley, NN13 5WY UK
Phone: 44 (0)8707 740436
Fax: 44 (0)1295 768223
E-mail: info@vertikal.net

MTA
Email: help@mtaonline.net

Vom og hindemat
Email: post@vomoghundemat.no

Susitna River Lodging
Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Email: lodging@mtaonline.net Mahays Riverboat Service
Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Email: mahays@mtaonline.net

David McGuire, MD
4100 Lake Otis Parkway
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Phone: (907) 562-4142
Fax: (907) 563-8824
Email: kneern@pobox.alaska.net

Latitude 62 Motel
P.O. Box 478
Talkeetna, AK 99676
Email: lat62@alaska.net

Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge
Mile 12.5 Talkeetna Spur Road
Talkeetna, AK
Phone: 907-733-9500
Fax: 907-733-9545
Email: info@talkeetnalodge.com

Talkeetna River Guides & Rafters, Inc.
P.O. Box 563
Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Phone 907-733-2677
Fax 907-733-2877
Email: raft@talkeetnariverguides.com Talkeetna River Adventures

(Talkeetna RV LLC)
Email: alaskarv@mtaonline.net

Talkeetna Aero Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 433
Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Toll Free 888-733-2899
Email: info@talkeetnaaero.com

Rick Traini, Executive Director
Teamster Local 959
Email: rtraini@akteamsters.com

Usibelli Coal Mine
PO Box 1000
Healy, AK 99743
Phone: 907-683-2253
Fax: 907- 683-2253
Email: info@usibelli.com

Homer Stage Line
P.O. Box 353
Anchor Point, AK 99556
Fax: 907-297-3314
Email: hsl@xyz.net

Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Email: frobb@bepc.com

Kenai Chrysler
Email: info@kenaichrysler.com

Frontier Flying Service
5245 Airport Industrial Rd.
Fairbanks, AK. 99709
Phone: 907-450-7250
Fax: 907-450-7274
Email: info@frontierflying.com Udelhoven Companies
Email: Lbeck@udelhoven.com

Kenai River Seafoods
Email: sean.karin@alaska.net
The Crossing Restaurant
44789 Sterling Highway
Soldotna, AK 99669
Phone: 907-262-1906
Email: info@thecrossingrestaurant.net

Mammut
Email: khabermann@mammut.ch

Arctic Midnight Furs
900 West 54th Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99518
Email: amfurs@gci.net  

Charles G. Raymond, CEO
Horizon Lines, Inc.
4064 Colony Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28211
Telephone: 704-973-7000
Email: boardofdirectors@horizonlines.com

Midnight Sun Brewing
Email: info@midnightsunbrewing.com

Grabber Hand Warmers
Email: sales@handwarmers.com
Email: amanda.fowler@warmers.com

Wiggy's Outdoor Gear
Email: wiggys@wiggys.com

Most Internet service providers allow people to send up to 40 email addresses at a time. For your convenience, the addresses have been divided into groups of 40. Please email the first group first. The groups contain addresses for the Iditarod sponsors, promoters, and the sponsors of the 73 mushers who signed up for the 2009 Iditarod.

EMAILS IN BLOCK FORM WITH COMMAS AND SEMICOLONS

FIVE EMAIL GROUPS WITH COMMAS

GROUP ONE:

AGyllenhaal@MiamiHerald.com, Steve_Berglund@trimble.com, marianne.amssoms@inbev.com, investor@discoveryholdingcompany.com, John_Ford@discovery.com, investorrelations@columbia.com,
DLandsberg@MiamiHerald.com, investor.relations@medtronic.com, executive-editor@nytimes.com, rick.ludwin@nbcuni.com, info@dlife.com, mark_ford@timeinc.com, corporate_communications@hmco.com, investorrelations@target.com, aly.noormohamed@dpsg.com, rick.blake@harcourt.com, Rajat_Bahri@trimble.com, aarpmagazine@aarp.org, Anne.sweeney@disney.com, rick.ludwin@nbcuni.com, lee.davies@spcorp.com, betsy.o'rourke@wyndhamworldwide.com, info@renegadepictures.co.uk, mark.kroeger@scrippsnetworks.com, Christopher.Gay@cabelas.com, charlene.jagannath@millenniumhotels.co.uk, karen_dmochowsky@timeinc.com, tedronneburger@680thefan.com, PDoyle@adn.com, roy.a.betts@usps.gov, Shareholders.IM@pg.com, don_fries@timeinc.com, corporate.communications@blockbuster.com, mary.dillon@us.mcd.com, yum.investor@yum.com, mike.morgan@harley-davidson.com, toyota_cares@toyota.com, film@sxsw.com, virginia.Qdavido@prairiehome.us, Sanchez@shell.com, tmattia@na.ko.com, gchico@chiconunes.com, davido@prairiehome.us, brobideau@americanpublicmedia.org, film@sxsw.com; liz.decastro@iridium.com, Craig_Felenstein@discovery.com, chuck.grothaus@medtronic.com, simonn@pinnaclesports.com, knowinsky@mail.cosi.org, supt_notter@browardschools.com

GROUP TWO:

Catherine.Gacad@wellsfargo.com, rabello@hollandamerica.com, jbenson@princesscruises.com, investor_relations@scholastic.com, biorigin@biorigin.com.br, kroger.investors@kroger.com, media@cerberuscapital.com, Spring.Jeffrey@aaa-calif.com, editor@independenttraveler.com, newsroom@alaskaair.com, bigshow@plj.com, comments@komo1000news.com, angie@wnwv.com, curt.hansen@cumulus.com, jpenchoff@csg.org, info@floridamedia.org, info@havemilk.com, pubaffmr@chevrontexaco.com, enterprise.comments@exxonmobil.com, investor.relations@horizonlines.com, investor_relations@netapp.com, rwhatley@jbpco.com, info@sportees.com, abbietaylor@theblackdog.com, gene@motosolutions.com, information@lynden.com, info@havemilk.com, ablank@gpworldwide.com, info@laderma.com.au, Ethel.Minchello@MSDK12.net, info@eLongo.com, customerservice@jetboil.com, info@talusoutdoortech.com, portgamble@orminc.com, lat62@alaska.net, boardofdirectors@horizonlines.com, info@lake-rescue.org, info@canada-goose.com, nschnell@ista-in.org, jane@foundryartcentre.org, rosepr@rosemail.org,
wayne.hearn@rotary.org

GROUP THREE:

reservations@akalpinelodge.com, info@vertikal.net, post@vomoghundemat.no, mahays@mtaonline.net, kneern@pobox.alaska.net, raft@talkeetnariverguides.com, customerservice@deeppurple.com, morsecin@ssd.k12.pa.us, morsecin@ssd.k12.pa.us, mfrank@the-aps.org, cherylm@lilacblind.org, MBenedetti@greatbatch.com, pmaddock@camrudlaw.com, principal.perryes@pac.dodea.edu, jacksonj@mail.leon.k12.fl.us, ktrail@sfsd.k12.pa.us, lmilitello@williamsvillek12.org, michele_svihovec@bismarckschools.org, streadaw@cabarrus.k12.nc.us, sonja.braziel@browardschools.com, mmaddox2@bcps.org, jquick@clearfield.org, LHall@henhudschools.org, info@crosbysmiles.com, info@janssenfuneralhomes.com, info@trapperscreek.com, office@toughdivorces.com, alaskarv@mtaonline.net, info@talkeetnalodge.com, alaskarv@mtaonline.net, awp@co.hamilton.in.us, media@aecf.org, davidnee@wcgmf.org, wginsberg@cfgnh.org, natas@asi-seattle.net, wendy@diamondbrand.com, webmaster@ionearth.com, wellingj@mishawaka.k12.in.us, csandstedt@stchlibrary.org, sarah.palin@alaska.gov, info@zoasis.com, earlean.smiley@browardschools.com

GROUP FOUR:

info@teckcominco.com, info@inlettower.com, rodney.bolls@bglobal.us, info@ndindustries.com, bbroquet@gci.com, websales@antonbauer.com, wccinfo@wcclp.com, help@mtaonline.net, AskMLP@muni.org, investor_relations@netapp.com, msteele@eaglepack.com, info@frontierflying.com, fhees@alaskanbeer.com, info@penair.com, Mayor@ci.anchorage.ak.us, ircontact@simon.com, info@thecrossingrestaurant.net, info@midnightsunbrewing.com, info@canada-goose.com, mathew@mountainadventuretours.org, info@EpicenterPress.com, info@greatriverjourney.com, info@trabitsgroup.com, ruediger.henke@queo-media.com, ahelion@wcasd.net, lodging@mtaonline.net, khabermann@mammut.ch, sales@handwarmers.com, info@coastalhelicopters.com, para@alaska.net, jay@dswf.org, info@azumano.com, manager@ci.nome.ak.us, info@penair.com, mayor@ci.wasilla.ak.us, resumes@crowley.com, Lbeck@udelhoven.com, sean.karin@alaska.net, rtraini@akteamsters.com

GROUP FIVE:

info@penair.com, mayor@ci.wasilla.ak.us, resumes@crowley.com, ewaite@sbsalaska.com, employment@providence.org, alcansigns@alaska.net, dpowers@akserigraphics.com, customersupport@batteriesplus.com, qiviut@gci.net, sales@kaladi.com, traxak@clearwire.net, info@akdogtour.com, ryoung@altitudetraining.com, jbilitz@jjkeller.com, info@westernplows.com, Macgellan@mac.com, contact@redpawfeed.com, post@brynje.no, anni@visees.no, info@lcitw.com, eldorado@yknet.ca, mbphotos@rockisland.com, rtraini@akteamsters.com, info@usibelli.com, hsl@xyz.net, frobb@bepc.com, info@kenaichrysler.com, Lbeck@udelhoven.com, sean.karin@alaska.net, amfurs@gci.net, wiggys@wiggys.com