One of Cynthia Erickson’s fondest memories growing up along the Yukon River is watching Iron Dog racers pass through her town as they raced along the trail. Born in Tanana, raised in Ruby and graduated from the high school in Galena, Erickson has spent her whole life in bush Alaska, and said Iron Dog is a much-anticipated event in these rural communities.

It’s no wonder then, that as an adult, Erickson spent decades as a dedicated checkpoint volunteer in Tanana, where she converted her store and home into a resting spot for weary racers. It’s also how she motivated those same racers into becoming local heroes for village children and encouraging them to chase their own Iron Dog racing dreams.

Erickson, her husband, Dale; and their three children, Kailey Jo, Steevie and Landon, unwittingly launched their volunteer career in 1998, when racers stumbled upon the Tanana Commercial Co., owned by the Ericksons, who live upstairs. It was about midnight when the first knock on their door came, and Erickson, still in her pajamas, ushered the racer in and found him a place to sleep. Her children were babies at the time and she had an abundance of crib-sized blankets, but not many for adults. She improvised, and many of those tiny, pink blankets would keep the racers warm as they slept.

The next year, the Ericksons were more prepared, cooking for three days such mouth-watering treats as cinnamon rolls, roast turkey, rum cake, and plenty of hot soup to stay warm. Over the previous summer, she’d collected second-hand sleeping bags and cots, and was ready, running the checkpoint with precision accuracy and a welcome smile. Iron Doggers looked forward to the wonderful feast they’d enjoy there each year.

In 2010, following a rash of youth suicides, Erickson decided something had to be done, and she appealed to Iron Dog racers to serve as positive role models for village youth. Now when they arrived in Tanana, the racers were still fed – but also marched in front of schoolchildren to share their racing stories, sign baseball-card-style collector cards, toss out hats and encourage the kids to be leaders with healthy lifestyles. Thanks to Erickson, the Careline suicide-prevention program was a success, leading to her current project, My Grandma’s House, a nonprofit she founded to help combat suicide and raise children with positivity.

The Iron Dog race simply cannot happen without the enthusiasm and generosity shown by spectators and supporters – especially those in the most remote communities, where conditions can challenge even the hardiest of souls. Erickson is a shining example of that commitment to the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race, as well as the people in her community.

Erickson said the Iron Dog is “the NASCAR of the villages,” and the villagers love the race unconditionally. This award, she said, isn’t about her, rather for all the “village people along the trail or in villages that open their homes, feed them, give them parts, volunteering with no recognition.”