Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty with Kathleen Lavallee. (Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Special Honour

Beaded medallion given to King Charles III made by La Ronge woman

Jun 21, 2023 | 5:00 PM

A member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band recently got the surprise of a lifetime.

A few months back, Kathleen Lavallee was asked by her cousin Russ Mirasty, the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, to create a beaded medallion so he could give it to someone in his office.

She told paNOW the ask wasn’t a shock as he had asked for some of her artwork in the past. However, she was completely caught off guard when she found out that the medallion was not given to an office employee but rather to King Charles III.

“He never let me know who he was gifting it to,” Lavallee said. “It was a big surprise (when I found out).”

Mirasty met with the King last month at Buckingham Palace. That is where he presented him with Lavallee’s artwork along with several other gifts including a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal from Saskatchewan.

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King Charles III shaking hands with Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty. (Buckingham Palace Communications)

She was told by Mirasty the King was very grateful for the unique gift. Though once they met up again after his UK visit, she did give him some flack for not telling her.

“I was like ‘holy smokes, way to spring it on me,’” she said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, Lavallee has only been beading for a handful of years. She got her start with the Kokum’s Club which is a part of the Piwapan Women’s Centre in La Ronge.

“I just fell in love with it,” Lavallee said.

When news first broke out about the gift, it didn’t take her fellow artists long to start reaching out.

“I was in the middle of finishing my final practicum within the La Ronge Health Authority and my phone was going off the hook… I just had goosebumps,” she said.

Lavallee added if it wasn’t for the club and her fellow members, she may not have taken up the art style.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow