IDITA-FANS

WILLOW — While the Iditarod celebrates the best of what it means to be Alaskan, it has a draw for people regardless of borders.

Thousands of eyes turned to see the mushers leave Sunday, but before they got to the chute, they were caught by a group of teenagers in white T-shirts at the bottom of the hill below the Willow Community Center.

In the sprit of the serum run to Nome, Rotary International used the re-start to promote it’s campaign to End Polio Now.

The teenagers in the shirts are part of Rotary International’s exchange program to raise funds for the campaign. Representatives Jaime Cardoso is from Mexico and Gracjan Korczynski is from Poland.

“We have a challenge to raise $200 million by 2012 because Bill Gates said that if we can do it, he wants to give us $350 million,” said Korczynski.

According to information provided by Rotary, they have raised millions of dollars to vaccinate millions of children around the globe. The effort has been so successful there are now only four countries that continue to have epidemic polio outbreaks.

“Now, we’re focusing on four countries,” said Cardoso “We’re calling it PAIN — Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.”

Haling from not quite as far as Cardoso or Korczynski, Ron and Kay Howerton come early from Atlanta, Ga., to stand in the exact same spot right at the front of the starting chute.

“We’ve been standing here since a little before 10,” said Ron. “We do this every year since 2003. I would live in Alaska, but she’s a Southern girl.”

“We come for the dogs,” said Kay in between saying hello to other dedicated fans they met over the years.

From closer to Willow, but with a decidedly international flavor, the Sons of Norway were out in full force this year, with pastel-colored Viking horns and war paint.

“We’re supporting Bjornar [Andersen], of course,” said Linda Chandler, rooting for the musher from Norway. “But we’re local. We want DeeDee [Jonrowe] to win.”

Only locals know how long the winter is, and most say the Iditarod, more than anything, is a great excuse to break cabin fever.

“It’s the end of winter, and here it goes to spring,” says fellow Son of Norway, Anna Decker. “It’s a great thing to come out and get away from the house.”

Many local Alaskans escape the crowds of the re-start and head to one of the frozen lakes farther down the trail.

Instead of the orange barrier of the starting chute, snowmachines lined the edges of the trail on Long Lake. Teenagers criss-crossed the lake showing off their more powerful sleds, and adults called out the name of the next musher to their children.

Elizabeth Varela, of Eagle River, tended her hibachi grill as her husband leaned over the hole he augured in the lake. Drinking beer with friends and casually watching the mushers go by has been a tradition for five years.

“He’s tried fishing every year. Hasn’t caught anything yet, but he’s still trying,” Varela said.

Farther down the lake, a group set up a large blue tent, and 50 people milled around two picnic tables dragged onto the ice. Barbecue smells wafted over everything and everyone seemed to know everyone else.

“My husband and I and our neighbors invite people out and more keep coming each year,” said Adell Gallager. “We’ve been doing this for five years now. We bring all the cookers and start the fires. People bring king crab each year.”

Whether from Eagle River or Poland, this year’s re-start people enjoyed race. The weather was perfect for dogs and fans getting a glimpse of Alaska’s most famous sport.

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.