Samantha LaLonde is pictured with her dog Dalzell. (contributed) - Farmington Hills, Michigan 
Farmington Hills native 'couldn't be happier' with sled dogs
Farmington Hills native Samantha “Sam” LaLonde has followed her spirit for adventure to Alaska, where she is a dog handler and musher with ATAO Kennel.
Sam and her parents Jim and Sally joined Farmington Voice contributor Emily Karlichek for a Zoom call on Valentine’s Day to talk about her season. Sam called in from Two Rivers, Alaska.
A 2013 graduate of Harrison High School, Sam continued on to Northern Michigan University, where she graduated in 2017 with a degree in outdoor recreation. During her time in the upper peninsula, Sam volunteered at the UP200, one of the top 12-dog mid-distance races in the Midwest and a qualifier for the world famous Iditarod race.
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