The Quest

[Kim_Darst]

Hi Everyone,

This is an email that I sent to my sponsors and decided I should post it on the website to the sponsors that are not on my mailing list. If you have any comments on this you are more than welcome to email me at choprwmn@yahoo.com.

I have been debating writing this note to all of you for the last two weeks and should have done it then but here we go. Today is a good day for this because it is anywhere from 40 to 54 below zero and I am not running.
All of you have been sponsors and supporters for a few years now. PLEASE, as you read this letter DO NOT think I am asking you for money because I am not. I just want you to know what is going through my head. (if I still have one) We started this journey up here and did not get too far before the transfer case broke in the truck which you know. The cost to be in Canada is far more than the States which I did not know. The race starts in less than three weeks and for us to do this race we are 7,000 dollars short.
We need 1500 dollars more for dog food.
It is about $2,000 or a little more for fuel for the truck to follow the race, which is 5000 miles by road. The truck has to be at all checkpoints or you are disqualified.
We need more tripe and salmon and that is $500.
The cabin is still $1600 only for rent and we owe for the utilities since we've been here plus internet so add another $1,000.
We need more booties etc for drops. $1,000
Important we need 2,000 dollars to get home for fuel.
If you total that up it is somewhere around 7,000 dollars.
We worked hard this summer at fundraisers and quite of few of you supported us. We have 2,000 dollars left and that leaves us $5,000 short.
We have a couple of choices-go into debt and hope fundraisers this summer will help pay that off or pull out, come home and do a couple of races on the way home that we should be able to do very well in because of our training here and not be in debt. We are all in the same situation with the economy.
My drop bags are due next Sat and I have to make my decision before then because I dont want to lose all of my stuff.
With all that said the dogs are doing GREAT!!! Cotton will not be on this team because she does not tolerate the really cold weather anymore. She is now inside the cabin with me. She still trains on the warmer days and Marcos is trying to fill her paws and become my new leader.
You are probably asking if I don't want money why am I writing? I would like you to make me feel better and say if you need to pull out it is OK. YOUR money has gotten me this far and I have not abused it. Be honest and thanks for everything. The HUSKY HAVEN RACE TEAM!!!!