Photo by Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media.
Peace on Earth, a pizza restaurant in Unalakleet, has been delivering pizzas to mushers as they arrive at the checkpoint, the first village on the Bering Strait coast along the Iditarod trail.
Family, friends, and even elementary schools in the lower 48 following the Iditarod race from afar have been placing orders to surprise mushers with a hot pizza and a thoughtful note. Each pizza is delivered with a personalized message from the sender, offering encouragement and warmth during the grueling race.
In a 2024 interview with Alaska Public Media, Peace on Earth owner Davida shared a touching story from a former Iditarod musher who described how much it meant to receive a hot pizza along with a kind note.
“I was like, ‘OK, that’s why we do it,’” Davida said. “So somebody knows they’re being thought of.”
