The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 16 Kristina Woolston has spent a lifetime in community service in Alaska, currently as external affairs manager for Donlin Gold. She’s also an avid and active snow machiner, which fits perfectly with her recent experience as an Ambassador for the 40th Anniversary of the Iron Dog. She took a few minutes with us to reflect on her Iron Dog experience, as well as how it reflects Donlin’s commitment to this region. “We support the Iron Dog and Iditarod events because they carry on the cultures of our remote communities and what it takes to live and work in Rural Alaska. “We want to support the communities that host the Iditarod because of the resources and effort it takes to support these world-class events." Donlin has sponsored teams of riders as well, but as part of the Ambassador program, that role expanded to advocating for safer riding in the rural communities. The Iron Dog Ambassador team is a goodwill team of Iron Dog supporters who visit the communities along the Iron Dog trail to show their appreciation for all the volunteer work that gets done by the people along the route. They spread safety messages, take part in the helmet giveaway program, and generally travel the trail at a leisurely pace. Still, they must travel the same route and experience the same conditions as the pros and expedition class folks encounter. Former champion Scott Davis leads the Ambassadors. “It’s part of our safety culture, and I love working with the communities. And we’ve made an impact with our helmet and goggle program.” By distributing free helmets and goggles, and advocating for their use, the program is aimed at young Alaskans who grow up riding snow machines and four-wheelers. “A few years ago, just a month after the race, a kid on a machine, wearing one of our helmets, had to crash to avoid a moose. Wearing that helmet probably saved his life.” “I grew up in a village. Kids in villages didn’t wear helmets, think about brain trauma, or any of that. But if I’d have known how warm a helmet is, I’d have been wearing one a long time ago!” “Our goal was to stop at communities on the way and give safety briefings, and fit kids for helmets, some as young as 3-4 years. And get them to start wearing helmets and goggles early. “Ashley Wood was my partner and we trained together. She had been one of the only female teams to compete in Iron Dog.” The Ambassadors were more than ceremonial, she added. In each issue of The Alaska Miner, we recognize a member of our Alaska mining community. This issue we are interviewing Kristina Woolston, who recently took part in the Iron Dog. Faces of Mining Kristina Woolston External Affairs Manager, Donlin Gold
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