WASILLA - The starting line is in sight and Iditarod teams are making final preparations for the thousand mile trek to Nome.

As mushers, dogs, vets and spectators get ready for the start of Iditarod, many people and organizations are working behind the scenes to expand the reach and impact of the Last Great Race.

"The Coast Guard, about four years ago, looked into the possibility of sponsoring a musher to help increase the awareness of the service into the remote villages of Alaska" said Petty Officer First Class David Mosley of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The musher in question is Ken Anderson, who will be competing in his 13th Iditarod.

The Coast Guard said that it hopes by sponsoring Anderson, the partnership of it's own rich history and the traditional native village culture would increase the number of applicants into the Coast Guard training program.

But the education process does not end there. Linda Fenton is the 2013 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail and she will be at checkpoints interacting with teams, posting lesson plans and blogging about her experience.

The ceremonial start of Iditarod is March 2 at 10 a.m. and the official start is March 3 at 2 p.m. in Willow.