DeeDee
Signs up for the Kusko 300
DeeDee is officially signed up for the 2009 Kuskokwim
300 Race. She entered while she was in Bethel last week.
The 4th musher to sign-up, personally displaying a vote
of confidence for the races in bush Alaska. She raced
in the very first Kusko race 35 years ago and many since
then. DeeDee says " The Kuskokwim region has my
heart and truely is my first Alaskan love, it is wonderful
to be in a situation where I can support their efforts
with my participation. Thank you to my sponsors that
make it possible for me to give back to rural Alaska".
DeeDee has also entered the Sheep Mt. 150 scheduled
to run Dec 13-14.
LONG
SLEEVE SHIRTS HAVE ARRIVED!Pink Noses
to Roses, 2009 Trip to Nome!
The 2009 DeeDee Jonrowe shirts have arrived! They will
be available online Oct 22nd. We will have adult short
sleeve t-shirts in s,m,l, and xl in colors pink, light
blue and purple. Also availabe in brown long sleeve. Sorry
hooded shirts have sold out before we could get them on
the web site.
The t-shirts can be purchased on line for $20 + shipping
and handling, long sleeve are $25 - shipping & handling
and at the various holiday craft fairs in Wasilla, Anchorage,
and Fairbanks.
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!
2008
Radio Media Tour Schedule
DeeDee Jonrowe, Iditarod Participant and Breast Cancer
Survivor. Talks about the Discovery Channels newest
hit series "TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD”
Downtown
Anchorage Convention Center Opens
Anchorage, Alaska Oct
19, 2008
The Anchorage downtown convention center celebrated
it's grand opening this weekend.
The Dena'ina Civic and
Convention Center has been open for about a month, but
with limited access.The center is 200,000 square feet
and has meeting rooms, a ballroom, and even a theater.
DeeDee was on hand to welcome Alaskans and tourist to
the roomy center.
DeeDee signs posters
at the Discovery Channels showing of
"Toughest Race on Earth"
Discovery & Iditarod Alaskan
fans were treated to a sneak preview of Discovery's
latest gem. About 1,200 people were able to view the
first episode of the 2008 Iditarod sled dog race.
You will follow mushers DeeDee Jonrowe, Martin Buser,
Bruce Linton, Lance Mackey and Jeff King along with
others that come along for the ride of their life.
"That was awesome" exclaimed many, as they
piled out of the auditorium, "the footage was incrediable"
said others."The best I have even seen" shouted
some long time volunteers. Everyone seemed pleased.
The difference between this coverage and others before
them, is the Discovery crew spent a considerable amount
of time following several mushers from the start in
Anchorage to the finish in Nome and many check points
in between. Cameras were duct taped to sleds so you
can get a real feel of the trail and the demand on the
mushers. You will get to know each musher, cheer them
on, feel their pain, their energy and their joy.
Discovery’s
premier of "TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD",will air Tuesday, October 14th at 10 PM ET/PT.
The six hour miniseries follows mushers and their sled
dog teams across more than a thousand miles of rugged
terrain as they take on Mother Nature - and each other
- in The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
The
2008 Iditarod/Discovery Channel gang - From
left to right: Bob Ormberg: VP, Content Products, Jeff
King, Martin Buser,
Bruce Linton, DeeDee Jonrowe, Lance Mackey & Bob
Gold Discovery Channel
It's
not all dogs, sometimes it's chicks!
Yes, DeeDee tends to a
yard full of sled dogs. She also cares for 8 plymouth
barred rocks, 2 black sex-linked, 2 road island reds,
and 2 buff orphingtons. They are all laying ladies and
live close to her sled dogs which has provided them
protection from the grizzly bears that lurked around
the property all summer. As you can see, she is quite
in love with them. Enough so that she recently completed
a cozy new insulated winter hen house complete with
2 windows. She says "I have been amazed how intelligent
they actually are".
Interview
with DeeDee.....
What is your biggest challenge?
To me the most important concept to working with animals
is consistency. They must be able to KNOW that you will
respond the same way each time for any given behavior.
The next step is to determine the motivation behind their
behavior be it something you want to encourage or something
you must discourage. You then study each individual and
determine what is that dogs most rewarding motivation.
The motivation in many breeds like my labs is food, there
is nothing else they seem to enjoy more but my sled dogs
are much different. They have a number of motivators are
some of them trump food by a great deal.
Tell us about your lead dog.
This is a very special relationship. There are a lot of
dogs capable of running lead but to have that special
leader takes a lot of time. This is a very independent
dog that wants to please you particularly. That is why
it is hard to "sell" or "buy" a lead
dog. The owner's personal relationship with the dog is
as important as the dog's natural instinct for the position.
When I have found that special dog that really loves being
with me, I proceed to develop the dog's self esteem to
think he or she is invincible. I want them to ALWAYS succeed
at everything!!! That includes in the dog lot, in all
situations. Once they are totally "full of themselves"
I then go about teaching them things I need them to do
on their own for me and the team.
What is your motivation?
This is as varied as the number of animals I own. I use
food, positive attention, with holding attention, free
running, grooming, any thing that that individual dog
enjoys. Trotter, a retired leader now, likes stuff toys,
he has a whole den of them that he likes to line up. He
never feels like he has enough of them. Bedding to playing
like straw or wood chips is very rewarding. I spend a
lot of time with them so I can see what each dogs enjoys
the most.
What advice would you give to someone interested in getting
into this sport?
I did not have this opportunity but today there are a
lot of chances to be a "handler" in a kennel.
The better the kennel the better the training. These are
often mentoring positions. The best way to understand
the nuts and bolts of our life's passion is to "shadow"
us. There is so much that is just my natural instinct
that I might not think to say but when you watch you will
understand the motivation behind what I do and why I do
it EVERY DAY. Dogs are creatures of habit and honestly
so are we.
What are your strength and weakness?
Strengths would be my love for animals since the day I
first remember being alive. I was taught as a little girl
to value life thru my pets. Mom showed me I guess you
could say used the love I received from my pet, as a motivator
to do the hard stuff, cleaning up after them, feeding
them, being dependable no matter how I personally felt
at the time. This has served me well with people as well
as animals. I believe God has a purpose for the love He
has given me for animals and it is my desire to use it
to make the path I walk this side of heaven a better place.
My most notable weakness is my physical strength particularly
upper body strength, which was significantly compromised
from breast cancer. You do not loose both breasts and
22 lymph nodes without noticing the diminished strength
and this sport requires a lot of strength. The dogs are
very ACTIVE dogs , we want them that way, and out sleds
loaded with supplies ping-ponging thru ALASKA is no light
load, I am often on the edge in this area.
New
USPS Alaska Stamp
to Sport DeeDee & Team
It's the year for Alaska recognition, and a USPS stamp
is no exception.
Teamed together with Alaska Stock Images and the perfect
shot of DeeDee slipping through Rainy Pass during the
"Last Great Race"™ the Iditarod, a stamp
was born.
We found out today that the new Alaska stamp will be unveiled
at the Alaska State chamber Annual fall conference gathering
in Fairbanks on Wednesday night.
"I'm honored
and blessed that one of my photos was chosen to represent
Alaska Statehood on a U.S. postage stamp. I'm just plain
ecstatic that it's this particular photo, because it's
one of my all-time favorite photos from the Iditarod---DeeDee
Jonrowe mushing in the Rainy Pass area at dusk with alpenglow
on the Alaska Range. For me, it was one of those magical
moments where everything came together to complete my
idea of what the Iditarod is. I couldn't be more pleased."
says Jeff Schultz, from Alaska Stock Images.
When we asked DeeDee how
she felt about this new stamp, she said "It is humbling
to be part of the image chosen to represent Alaska as
the U.S. postage service recognizes our beautiful stste's
50th birthday. I have been blessed to live my dreams for
over a quater of a century combining my love of my dogs,
my passion for this beautiful state, and to experience
adventure beyond my wildest imagination. Thanks to Jeff
Schultz's god-given tallent for capturing that on film,
I now have the honor to celebrate this thru this stamp".
DISCOVERY
CHANNEL WORLD PREMIERE SERIES
DATE IS CHANGED TO OCTOBER 14!
Mushers and their sled dog teams endure more than a
thousand miles of unforgiving Alaskan wilderness along
the Iditarod Trail in hopes of making it across the
finish line – Discovery’s
premier of TOUGHEST RACE
ON EARTH: IDITAROD, will air Tuesday,
October 14th at 10 PM ET/PT. The six hour miniseries
follows mushers and their sled dog teams across more
than a thousand miles of rugged terrain as they take
on Mother Nature - and each other - in The Iditarod
Trail Sled Dog Race. View
the Discovery Channels trailor...
It's that time of year. The
Jonrowe Kennel is in full swing, excited dogs,
mud puddles and the sweet sound of a focused team headed
down the trail.
DeeDee
Jonrowe Audition
DeeDee Jonrowe Iditarod start 2008
Milke Williams and DeeDee enjoy
the Volunteer picnic and first day
to sign up for the 2009 Iditarod. Mike got lucky and
was one of 2 mushers that
received his entry fee back in a random drawing.
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
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
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 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
Interview
with DeeDee.....
