The Assembly Program
The presentation includes a history of the trail, background on the race, tale of heroics between fellow mushers, and a checkpoint to checkpoint recount of the 1,200 mile journey. The hour & fifteen minute interactive lecture is geared for each audience, whether adults or school age children. Dewey brings his dog sled, mushing equipment, artic wear necessary to survive the race, his trophies, and of course his lead dog Chinook to each program. He hopes to inspire, motivate and teach life lessons as he entertains and informs. Dewey’s speaking style is relaxed and filled with humor.

Dewey uses analogies to compare a student’s life to his experiences in the Iditarod race. He emphasizes how successful people can be if they set goals, practice sportsmanship, and live by their dreams. His lead dog Chinook steals the show. Chinook is an Iditarod veteran and provides a vehicle for discussing dog matainenance, humane treatment, respect for nature and the importance of the Iditarod’s zero tolerance policy on drugs. Dewey shares life lessons and personal adventures that keep the group spellbound. Audiences are welcome to ask questions, check out the sled and visit Chinook after each presentation.

Prices
$400.00 per program or two programs for $700.00

Booking Dates
FALL/WINTER/ SPRING of 2004-2005 call A.S.A.P. as available dates fill quickly.
Administrators Teachers ~ Students agree that this Educational Tour is the best presentation ever given at their school.

Dewey’s Bio
At the age of 19, Dewey Halverson arrived in Alaska prepared to live in the wilderness and rise to the challenge of “The Last Frontier”. While mushing dogs, fishing, building a home and raising family, Dewey amassed a plethora of tales and stories that span his 33 years of Alaskan adventure. His involvement with the Iditarod Sled Dog Race began in 1973 as a volunteer. In 1977 Dewey entered his first Iditarod and has since successfully completed the race nine times. He has placed as high as high as 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 11th in his bid for the Iditarod Championship and has been the recipient of the Alascom Midway Award, the Gold Coast Award, and the Sportsmanship Award for a life-saving rescue effort in 1996. Dewey also served on the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors.

About The Iditarod
Each year on the first Saturday of March in Anchorage, Alaska, anticipation is high as men and women strike out on an adventure that forges legends and creates heroes. Begun in 1973, the Iditarod Sled Dog Race journeys 1,200 miles across the majestic wilderness of Alaska. It commemorates the famous Diphtheria Serum run of 1925, when a dog sled relay brought lifesaving medicine to the epidemic ridden of Nome.

Volunteers, veterinarians and checkpoints are the support system of the Iditarod. There are 26
checkpoints, 30 vets, over 2,000 volunteers, 60-70 dog mushers and over 1,000 highly conditioned sled dogs that participate in the race. Without benefit of roads, all supplies, volunteers and dogs are flown to and from the trail. Mushers ship drop bags of supplies and food to each checkpoint. While dogs run and rest, mushers and vets work around the clock to maintain and ensure optimum care and health of their canine athletes. The race doesn’t end and the lantern isn’t blown out until the last team crosses under the arches in Nome.

Awards
1985 - GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award
While there was obviously a "first musher to the halfway point" in every race, there are no records of who that person was prior to 1980 when the first Halfway Award was presented. GCI became the sponsor of this award in 1994. The winning musher receives the award on the spot and then it is symbolically presented in Nome. This award, given in honor of the late "Mother of the Iditarod," is presented in Iditarod in the odd years when the race follows the southern trail from Ophir to Kaltag, and at Cripple in the even years when the northern trail is followed. The first musher to Iditarod will receive a trophy and $3,000 in gold nuggets symbolic of the history of this interior area of the Iditarod Mining District.

1986? - Alascom Midway Trophy1987 - Halfway Award and the Wells Fargo's Gold Coast Award
This was first presented in 1987 and again in 1988. The National Bank of Alaska (now Wells Fargo Bank Alaska) began sponsoring the award in 1993. The first musher into Unalakleet is presented with a beautiful trophy and $2,500 worth of gold nuggets. The presentation is made in Unalakleet and again at th banquet in Nome. A beautiful perpetual trophy commemorating this award is on display year round at the Iditarod headquarters.

1996 - Fred Meyer Sportsmanship Award for a life saving rescue.
The Award, presented by the Iditarod Trail Committee, Fred Meyer Corp. and various other sponsors to the person chosen by his/her peers as the best sportsman on the trail. Halverson said this was his most treasured trophy. The Sportsmanship Award is from the other mushers for saving the life of an Eskimo whose snow machine broke down and left him in the wilderness without adequate food or clothing. "He was hypothermic when I found him," Halverson said. "Out of all of the trophies I've won, this smallplaque speaks the loudest."

Recommendations
“Dewey interweaves a very important message about the value of knowing yourself and being your own best friend. I believe that many of my students will remember what he said and hopefully, use some of the standards to guide their future.

I highly recommend his program and feel honored that my school was able to have a program of such high quality.” Dorothy Mussatto, Choctaw Elementary, Oklahoma

“Teachers and students are still talking about how they enjoyed your presentation. It’s a challenge to speak to a group of students with a seven-year spread in ages. Your wisdom combined with fascinating experiences and your knack for storytelling along with Chinook's special charm made for what is generally agreed to be the best assembly we’ve had within memory.” Ann Hicks, Trinity Preparatory School, Florida

“Mr. Halverson’s delivery was faultless. He threw just enough work-ethic, do-your-best, follow-your-dreams, never-give-up message and somehow managed to choose the most popular, skinniest little sixth grader to dress in his gigantic race gear. The students ate it up.

Dewey was friendly, courteous and incredibly patient, answering every question, shaking every hand. He was such an outstanding role model in every way and students left the gym excited and enthusiastic. This was no small feat!” Lou Lewis, Maclay Preparatory School, Florida

“In his hand-on presentation, Dewey captures not only the children’s imagination but the adults are also transported to Alaska to experience the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Dewey brings his sled, racing gear and lead dog Chinook for the presentation. The items allow the children to use their imagination as he challenges them to go for their dreams.

Dewey challenges the children to experience a world without television and make their imagination come alive by reading books. He and his dog Chinook give the children good role models and he also stresses a drug-free life.” Barbara Taylor, Mary Snyder & Koleen Paschal Nicoma Park Elementary, Oklahoma

“I highly recommend Dewey Halverson’s assembly on the “IDITAROD EXPERIENCE”. Dewey incorporated interesting stories about Iditarod racing and gave live demonstrations with his lead dog Chinook that held our 450 students, grades 6-8 spellbound.

"Mr.Halverson’s technique of incorporating dog sled racing, animal care and helping others in need into a lesson of keeping students off drugs, following one’s dreams and doing well in academics is quite unique. Many of the instructors that were in attendance said that it was the best assembly that they had seen in years. We had Dewey's assembly in the morning and the students were talking about it all day.” Rick McPheeters, Logan Rogersville Middle School, Missouri

Educators References
The following individuals have given express permission to be included as telephone references: