Iron Dog honored with Governor's Special Achievement Award
Kumiko Helmig, Conference Co-Chair (of Mind, Body and Safety LLC) shakes Iron Dog Board President Doug Dixon’s hand after the Iron Dog Race, Inc., received the Governor’s Special Achievement Award on April 9, 2025. Dixon launched the Helmet Safety Program, delivering hundreds of free helmets to youth throughout Alaska. Photo: Kacen Galliher from Bespoke Solutions.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2025 — Iron Dog Race, Inc., has been awarded a Governor’s Special Achievement Award, presented Wednesday at the Governor’s Safety and Health Conference in Anchorage. The award recognizes the organization’s Helmet Awareness Program, which provides helmets at no charge to youth in rural communities. Since its inception in 2020, the Iron Dog Helmet Program has distributed 2,300 helmets to youth across the State of Alaska.
“The Iron Dog Race organization consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to the safety and education for Alaskan riders,” said John Summers of Klim Technical Riding Gear, which partnered with Iron Dog in 2025 to create customized helmets for youth. “Their dedication to meaningful projects that create tangible benefits for the community is truly commendable. Their efforts have not only made a difference in individual lives but have also contributed to the overall safety culture within the snowmobiling community.”
The Helmet Awareness Program began as a fledgling vision by Iron Dog board member Doug Dixon that has since grown with the support of fellow board members, companies like Klim, and safety advocacy groups such as Alaska Safe Riders, which has collaborated with Iron Dog each year to help deliver the helmets during the annual Iron Dog Race and provide safety presentations in communities along the race trail.
Jerry Greenamyre was in sixth grade in 2022, and wearing his new full-face helmet, given to him during an Iron Dog helmet giveaway just three weeks earlier, when he crashed into a moose while driving through town. The McGrath sixth-grader’s mother and principal say that helmet could have saved his life. Photo courtesy Miki Greenamyre
“Doug’s vision to launch the helmet safety program was born out of a genuine commitment to protecting Alaskans who enjoy outdoor motorized recreation,” said Mike Buck, director of Alaska Safe Riders. “Recognizing the critical need for accessible safety gear, he spearheaded the effort to provide helmets for distribution during Alaska Safe Riders’ statewide presentations. This program has not only raised awareness about the importance of helmet use but has also made it easier for young riders to access this essential safety equipment, saving lives and preventing traumatic brain injuries.”
In its first year, the Helmet Awareness Program distributed 250 helmets to youth across rural communities in Alaska. With financial support from sponsors, the numbers continued to grow, with 300 helmets distributed the next year, 250 in 2022, 450 in 2023 and 550 in 2024. In 2024, Klim partnered with Iron Dog to create exclusive Iron Dog helmets for Alaska youth, available in “high vis yellow” and “Iron Dog orange.” Five-hundred of these helmets were distributed during the February 2025 race.
“The Helmet Safety Program has become a pillar program that is a year-round community-support effort for the Iron Dog Race,” said Iron Dog Executive Director Mike Vasser. “Not too many years ago, Iron Dog was just a race that happened each February. Now our organization is continually working to develop programs for safety and development that give back to Alaska’s youth. We were honored to be recognized during the annual Alaska Governor’s Safety & Health Conference, and to have the support of businesses and organizations across this state.”
Liam and Finn Aklestad and Blake and Dylan Dean sport their new high-vis helmets provided by Klim in 2025 while shooting the 2025 Iron Dog Raffle Commercial. Photo: Iron Dog
The annual Alaska Governor’s Safety & Health Conference provides a forum for relevant safety, health and environmental information to be shared with Alaskan workers, managers, business owners, and government employees representing many industries. Its annual convention is being held this week in Anchorage.
To donate to the Iron Dog Race and support community programs like the Helmet Safety Program please contact director@irondog.org, or call 907-563-4414.
To learn more about the all of the Iron Dog Community Programs go to: https://www.irondog.org/about/community-programs
Kumiko Helmig, Conference Co-Chair speaks about the Iron Dog Helmet Safety Program while presenting the Governor’s Special Achievement Award on April 9, 2025. Second from left are Doug Dixon, president; Mike Vasser, executive director; Rick Paquette; Johnny Dean, director; Mike Buck, Alaska Safe Riders; and Roger Brown, treasurer. Photo: Iron Dog.