A week of commemoration planned for centennial of Serum Run celebration

January 2025 marks one hundred years since sled dogs took over headlines nationwide as mushers rushed diphtheria serum from Nenana to Nome, racing the clock to save a community from tragedy.
To celebrate, Nome will spend a week highlighting the dogs, the mushers, and the story for the 100th anniversary festivities in the last week of January until the first week of February. The Nome Kennel Club spearheads the effort and brought together community representatives from various organizations to forge a plan to celebrate the week between January 25 and Feb. 2, 2025 as a 100th anniversary of the Great Race of Mercy, as the Serum Run became to be known.
The festivities will center around Nome Kennel Club members mushing from Safety to Nome on February 2. They will deliver “serum” to the people of Nome, who will be celebrating the event at the Mini Convention Center, possibly with a potluck and Native dancing. And there will be events for the whole week leading up to it.
Museum Director Cheryl Thompson said that the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum would take the lead on a proposed symposium for that week, which aims to highlight the historical aspect of the relay of 20 mushers and their dogs from Nenana to Nome.  
An abundance of ideas was offered. Dana Mitchell with Public Health Nursing contemplated an open house event around that time. Norton Sound Health Corporation set their Health Fair for January 30, with a Serum Run theme. Nome Public Schools teacher Ryan Wharry contemplated a Serum Run themed Winterim at the schools. And the Nome Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau’s Shauntel Bruner suggested a potluck at the VFW to give arriving guests from Sweden a taste of the region.
Former Nomeite and nurse Dawn Sawyer Zoomed in and reminded folks that there were actually two serum runs. Shortly after the first delivery of serum on Feb. 2, 1925, another million units of serum were brought by mushers to Nome, leaving Nenana on Feb. 8.
The deadline for an art contest for a logo to be put on Nome Kennel Club commemorative merchandise was extended to Nov. 25.
Mark Seidenberg, who introduced himself as the administrator for Ralph Lomen’s estate, suggested inviting Robert F. Kennedy to the event, and said that he texted the candidate for Secretary of Health and Human Services and invited him.
William Schneider, a historian from Fairbanks, zoomed in to suggest historic talks about the time around the Serum Run, the railroad and the logistical challenges that faced the state getting the serum to ice-bound Nome.
Last week’s meeting mostly consisted of deciding what these events will be. Organizations or individuals interested in participating are encouraged to reach out to the Nome Kennel Club to have their events put on a calendar by December 15.
The next organizational meeting was set for Dec. 12, at noon.