Weeklong Serum Run celebrations conclude in Nome
The Serum Run Centennial brought a spotlight on Nome once again as news outlets nationwide and even internationally recapped the anniversary of the historic mush across interior Alaska to bring the lifesaving diphtheria serum to Nome. This time, the coverage was celebratory, honoring the mushers and dogs that made the journey long ago.
Nome pulled out all the stops with a week-long bash, culminating in a short reenactment run from Safety and back with three mushers carrying vials of floating glitter and handing it off Sunday, February 2, the same day Gunnar Kaasen arrived with the lifesaving serum 100 years earlier.
“It felt really special to have the dogs out there, it was cool,” President of the Nome Kennel Club Jessica Lemaire told the Nugget.
Vice President of NKC Sarah Richards and Garrick Fuller also took teams out to Safety on Saturday, mushing along with two snow machines for a rainy start to their first 20-mile run.
“We were in full rain gear when we left,” Richards said. “I got out all my fishing gear for summer, but by the time we took off, I threw my parka on and it pretty much stopped raining.”
It was a foggy ride to Cape Nome and beyond but it the low visibility made it “kind of magical,” Richards said.
Because it’s been such a weird year with high temperatures and rain following snow creating icy trails, there hasn’t been a lot of opportunity to train dogs.
“With such a low snow year, this is the longest run we’ve done,” Richards said.
The crew mushed to Camp Nuuk, owned by Norton Sound Health Corporation and camped out for the night.
“We have so much modern things that are different now like snowmachines, and the cabin we stayed in was really nice,” Lemaire said.
While the mushers geared up for the run back to Nome on Sunday, the community prepared a warm welcome at the Mini Convention Center with dog related arts and crafts for kids, a performance from the Nome-St. Lawrence Island Dance Group and a potluck.
The event started at noon with people slowly trickling in to peruse the Nome Kennel Club’s merch table and mingle. Every half hour or so, NKC member Kirsten Bey would announce where the teams were at and a tracker provided by KNOM was up on a screen by the stage so people could follow along.
Landbridge Tollbooth made an appearance and gave a performance of the Iditarod trial song to get people’s feet tapping.
By 2 p.m. there was a good crowd set up to wait. The Nome-Beltz Peace Corps sold out of their homemade frybread doughnuts; they’re raising money for an upcoming trip to Argentina. Also in the audience were a family from California, who made the trip to Nome just to participate in this week’s Serum Run celebrations and two Swedes, descendants of Leonard Seppala.
Luckily the food was laid out, lasagna, alfredo, musk ox and rice and dozens upon dozens of dog bone cookies (for humans) made by Jenefer Bell. More than one person was seen grabbing a second bone.
Just past 2:30 p.m. everyone hurried to put on their gear and rushed outside where the three dog teams were parked. It was an unusually warm day for Nome in February. Most people were more concerned about petting the dogs than their fingers getting cold anyway.
Hugs and congratulations showered the mushers, babies giggled gleefully at dogs and the air was celebratory. The mushers ceremonially handed over a package of “serum” vials to NSHC’s Megan Mackiernan.