We are doing the Iditarod in my
class, but we are reading not sled dog racing. So we call it the Iditaread. We
each pick out two mushers and keep their score on the trail. The Iditarod is
race that started long ago when Alaska needed help because, a disease called
diphtheria that was killing people. The only thing that could help the disease
was antitoxin serum and the town was out, so a doctor named Dr. Welch sent out
a message on the radio saying,
NOME CALLING WE HAVE AN OUTBREAK OF
DIPHTHERIA. NO SERUM URGENTLY NEED
HELP
DR. CUTIS WELCH
They got a reply and it told
them the nearest supply of serum was at a hospital in Anchorage 1,000 miles
away across a snowbound wilderness. The Iditarod was created to remember this life saving race. Mushers
compete to be the first into Nome, Alaska.
One of
my mushers Ally Zirkle came in second place. Mitch Seavey came in first place.
Our Iditaread ended Friday, March 22, 2013.