First off, thank you to everyone who came to the fundraiser in August! I met so many new people and saw folks that I hadn't seen in a very long time. With your support, I was able to raise over $7,000! That feels like a huge accomplishment! I am now at the halfway point in fundraising! My goal is $50,000+ for the whole season. I know this is a lot of money, so I want to break down the cost of just a few of the items we need for a successful season!
Feeding our dogs is our priority. Just like any ultra-athlete, they deserve highly nutritious meals. The season is not worth it if we can't feed our dogs! Here is the breakdown:
Kibble: $68/bag x 30 bags/month = $2040/month x 7 months = $14,280
[On top of kibble we feed beef + beef fat which tacks on another $12,000 for the season]
With their meals, the dogs receive probiotics and supplements. I know it sounds crazy, but their recovery and blood health are what make them dogs that can finish Iditarod. We use a brand called Dr. Carson's. He makes a holistic set of supplements and probiotics that all start with bees! His stuff isn't just for sled dogs, it works great for humans and house pets as well! Check out his site here if you are in need of your own supplies! Here is the breakdown for supplements:
This is the total for one season: Probiotics @ $2,990 + Supplements @ $1,500 + Joint medicine @ $19.50 = $4,529
The last item that we need to get through the season is booties! These protect their feet from sharp snow and from getting snowballs in their feet. For Iditarod alone, it is $2,041.
So far the total comes out to $32,850 which does not include flights, potential vet visits, or the cost of a new sled (factor an extra $4000+)
All of this being said, I am still looking for your help in raising enough funds to have a successful race season. There are so many ways for you to be a part of our team! Here are some options:
Donate directly to me through Venmo @emily-ford-63. I will see the purpose behind your donation and it will go directly into the dog's bank account (they have their own!)
Head to the support page on my website and click the PayPal option. You can sponsor a dog, bags of kibble, flights, and so on!
You can send a check to my PO box in Alaska:
PO Box 68 Willow AK, 99688
If you are a business or know of someone who owns a business and wants to be a tiered sponsor ($500-$4000) please look at the options on the sponsorship page of what you and your business get in return.
You can make a call to Underdog Feeds (in Alaska) and put money in our account for dog food 907-373-6851
A wee bit of a life update:
Anna heads off to Alaska next week (already!). This summer flew by and now we enter the transitioning season of fall. We say thank you to the sun for all of its hard work and welcome in the darkness as winter approaches.
Our summer was chock-full of adventure and hard work. I feel so lucky to live life in this way. We paddled lakes and rivers, found new places to love in Minnesota, and are looking toward a bright future.
We will spend the next several months apart, living separate lives, in very separate time zones. I will finish up my work here as a gardener while Anna starts dryland training with the team. Thankfully, we have one extra handler that will be up with her. They will both be doing all of the feeding, care, and training. We do this because we love the dogs, none of us receive a paycheck.
As training goes on, I will send out updates if you are sponsoring a dog. When I get to Alaska for the winter, you will also see my "daily dogger" updates on Instagram.
This would not be happening without your support already. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
This photo is from the start of Iditarod 2024. The dogs are stoked to run! Llama (left) and Ashley (right) were Anna's starting leaders.
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