Johnny and Kristy Charles and lifelong residents of La Ronge. (Facebook/JRMCC)

By Derek Cornet

recognition

Johnny and Kristy Charles named Mr. and Mrs. Winter Festival

Mar 8, 2024 | 12:03 PM

Johnny and Kristy Charles have been named this year’s Mr. and Mrs. Winter Festival.

It is the first time the Lac La Ronge Winter Festival has named a couple to represent the 10-day annual event. Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre director of sports and recreation Kevin Roberts explained the idea to name a couple for the role came when examining what other winter festivals were doing across the province.

“We did a nomination process just within our committee to see who was available and who was interested and so that’s how that came to be,” he said, noting they will likely carry on with the new tradition for the 2025 festival as well.

“They live next door, and they are at almost all of our functions that happen here, so we thought they were good ambassadors for our festival. They participate and they come to support our events on a regular basis and that’s how their names came forward and why we selected them.”

Johnny and Kristy Charles have been lifelong residents of La Ronge and have been married for 46 years. They are both retired, but Johnny worked as a heavy equipment operator and Kristy worked for the Lac La Ronge Indian Band for decades in administration and looking after emergency funds.

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The couple have two children, Brad and Jamie Charles. Brad is a resident of Stanley Mission and Jamie is the owner of Cravings Late Night Food in Air Ronge.

“It’s a great honour we were selected,” Kristy Charles said about herself and her husband being named Mr. and Mrs. Winter Festival.

“We’re just happy that we were and we are enjoying ourselves so far. We had a few negative people question why we were nominated, but that’s to be expected.”

Kristy Charles added she’s supportive of the Lac La Ronge Winter Festival because it brings the community together in a healthy way. She said the events have been enjoyable to attend and she appreciates the fact it draws in other people from different communities.

There are only three days of the Lac La Ronge Winter Festival remaining. On Friday, there will be a Family Fun Night, as well as the start of the 12^th annual Jimmy Roberts Memorial Hockey Tournament. Saturday will begin with a Minor Sports Breakfast Fundraiser, followed by the ongoing hockey tournament and the start of the 11^th annual Chrissy Charles Memorial Volleyball Tournament.

There will also be a Fundraiser Cabaret on Saturday night and the sports tournaments will wrap up on Sunday.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com