Adventures at the Dream a Dream Kennel

Our 2007 Iditarod Summer Conference was held at Susan Whiton and Vern Halter's Dream a Dream Dog Kennel from Sunday, June 24 - Wednesday morning, June 27, and then moved to other locations. Our time a the kennel allowed teachers to be involved in a number of activities, including daily dog chores.

Each morning at about 7:30, workshop participants would go on a puppy walk. Nine little puppies guided the teachers through the woods winning the race to the end of the hiking trail and raced back to the puppy kennel. Puppy walks are the start of training for these 'wanna be sled dogs'.

After the puppy walk, it was time to hook up a team for a morning run. Teacher campers assisted in harnessing the dogs and hooking up the team to Vern's Dream a Dream wheeled cart. The howl songs sung by the dogs at hook up time made it evident that these dogs were anxioius to go on the run. Teachers climbed on to the Dream a Dream Mobile for exciting rides.

When the team returned to the dog yard, each dog was given a bowl of fresh water. After their water bowl was empty, each dog was released from the gangline and allowed to go 'home' to their house and circle, where their breakfast bowl awaited them.

While the teachers went into the dog born to being their classes, the dogs began their own daily routine which included climbing on their dog house roof and napping beneath the warm sunshine filled day.

Conference on Sunday! Hello Teacher Campers!

Hello from the Dream a Dream Dog Farm!

The participants met at Iditarod HQ this afternoon. Special guest speaker was "Finney", the first Teacher on the Trail. Teachers also had a ride on the dog sled, which is a wheeled cart because there is no snow in Alaska right now!

After our first session, we traveled to the Mat Su Family Restaurant. After our meal, we drove to Willow and the Dream a Dream Dog Farm. We met Vern and Susan and had a quick tour of the facility. Then, the workshop participants hauled their gear into the building and found sleeping spots. We then began our first conference activity designed to introduce each participant to each other and sharing information about where we are from and who we are!

As it nears 11:00 PM, some people are calling it a night and others are on their lap tops checking email, checking websites, and working on blog projects.

Our Iditarod Summer Conference has begun!

My First Blogg

This is my first blogg...I am scared to death. It is 10:43 I just ate reindeer and it is so light outside...I am not sure why I am still up. But Tee as begun to teach me to blog how fun.

That was so fun........... Bye for now....

Z.........

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WELCOME TO ALASKA!

Hello everyone! We are about 24 hours away from our first session at Iditarod Headquarters!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

A Package for WFTOTT Jane

Mail Call!

A package arrive at ITC HQ on Friday from WFTOTT Kim Slade. Although my name was on the package, we knew that what was in side the box was for the 2008 WFTOTT Jane. Jane opened the package and removed the Official Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail sleeping bag.

Each year, the WFTOTT takes this sleeping bag with on Iditarod Trail. It is a special sleeping bag because each of the previous WFTOTT'S have designed and placed a patch on the sleeping bag to represent their particular year as Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail.

During the next few months, Jane will be creating her patch and placing it on the sleeping bag. At the 2008 Iditarod Teacher Conference right before the next race, those at the conference will see her design and 'meet' the sleeping bag.

Gray Sky on Friday

Notice the difference in the sky on Friday?

As I got ito my car to drive to HQ on Friday morning, my first thought on this 'cloudy' day was that I could smell someone buring a fireplace. When I arrived at HQ, I noticed the smell again. I suddenly realized that the sky was as it was not due to the threat of rain, but due to the forest fires north of Willow. Throughout the day the smoke smell lingered. There are several forest fires in Alaska right now.