Hello Boys and Girls,

Who would have thought when I snapped this picture at the Musher Drawing Banquet, that John Baker would be the 2011 Iditarod Champion?

The answer is an easy one!  Lots of people thought that he could do it…. and that ‘thought’ started with a dream… a dream that John had many years ago. The dream led to John Baker arriving first in Nome and becoming the 2011 Iditarod Champion!

John thought about winning Iditarod many years ago.  He focused on his dream.  John raised dogs , worked hard, trained, ran races, and entered the Iditarod many times before this year.  John learned everything he could about dog mushing.     John dreamed, planned, worked hard, and now he has reached his goal.

“I Dream.  I Try.  I Win”

For almost as long as I can remember, I’ve heard John Baker not just say those words – but look at those words in writing.   For many years, John’s  race supporters have had a yearly poster created and given out to race fans before the race.  Each year, I’ve looked at the pawsome art work on the posters but more beautiful than the art work was the message on the poster: “I Dream.  I Try.  I Win.”

Sometimes, when I have been faced with a challenge or a goal I wasn’t sure I could meet, I have thought of those words.  It didn’t take me long to realize that what John meant by the words, was that if I had a dream or a goal, and I did my best, that no matter what, I would be a winner.

When I leave my paw prints in the snow, and I look back at where I have been, I am proud of the hard work that I have done.

I hope, Boys and Girls, that when you look back at your hard work, you feel proud of what you have done even though what you have done might not always be exactly what you wanted it to be.  Be like John Baker in your thinking about this! I Dream.  I Try.  I Win.

Make your own poster that says:  I Dream.  I Try.  I Win.

Hang your poster where you can see it every day.  You can meet your goals or grow up to be what you want to be if you develop interests, set goals, work hard, and make the best choices that you can.

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma