Alaska Safe Riders recognized with Governor’s Special Achievement Award

Alaska Safe Riders is proud to announce the honor of a Governor’s Special Achievement Award for safety education related to motorized back country travel. The award was made during the 41st annual Alaska Governor’s Safety and Health Conference, held in Anchorage at the Egan Convention Center on April 5th.

The organization is being recognized for their efforts in teaching more than 35 programs in schools and remote villages across Alaska.

“There is nothing like the feeling of flying across a field of powder on a snowmachine,” said Executive Director Mike Buck. “I started riding machines in the 80’s here in Alaska and have raised my children and now my grandchildren doing the same. It’s an incredible rush. But I’ve also personally experienced some close calls and a few injuries along the way. And as a teacher, I want to share the lessons I’ve learned to help others potentially avoid serious injury or tragedy.”

Buck, a retired high-school teacher, has worked in health and safety for the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services at the Division of Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) and with private construction companies for eight years.

“I’ve been teaching for more than 40 years and I know education does make a difference in helping people avoid unintentional injury or death. Alaska has no general outdoor safety program in Alaska targeted for the snowmobile/ATV/Off-highway motorized rider,” Buck explained. “So after teaching for groups like the Alaska Avalanche School and Alaska Avalanche Information Center, I worked with seven-time Iron Dog champion Scott Davis, four-time Iron Dog champion Chris Olds, three-time and current Iron Dog champion Tyler Aklestad, along with Iditarod champion Pete Kaiser and Knik Construction CEO Dan Hall. Together we formed the board and launched Alaska Safe Riders in July 2021. We received our 501 C 3 status in February of 2022.”

Since that time the organization has provided more than 60 programs, traveled more than 1,000 miles by snowmachine from Nome to Barrow/Utgiavik, along the Arctic Ocean visiting nine villages in the most remote regions of the state. This spring we traveled from Bethel to Aniak and back, over 400 miles along the Kuskowkim River, and then rode the Iron Dog route reaching more than 1,000 individuals.

“This award means a lot to everyone on our team,” said Buck. “And we know that none of this would happen without the support of our sponsors, members and individual donors. We are just getting started because we know there is still so much more to do. We hope this award helps raise awareness about our organization and all we have planned for the state of Alaska.”

You can learn more or join the team at AlaskaSafeRiders.org.