From Pelican Narrows, with love: Evacuation can't keep resident from finishing bride's beaded bouquet

Kathy Dusterbeckwas at workon ahand-beaded bridal bouquet for BonnieLeask'swedding the next weekend when she was told her community was being evacuated.

The 50,000-hectare Granite fire, as well as two others, were drawing closer to her home community of Pelican Narrows.

The problem wasn't the fire, it was the smoke. Air quality was deteriorating hourly. Amandatory evacuation order was issued.

Dusterbeckpacked some clothes, toiletries and other belongings. But before she left, she alsograbbed thehalf-finished bouquet and a bag full of beads from her kitchen table.

She filled her truck with gas and drove down to Prince Albert, joining more than 2,500 other evacuees who found refuge there and in Saskatoon.

Meanwhile, in the town of Leask, 100 kilometres north of Saskatoon, Bonnie Leask and fianc Chris Pechawiswere frantically preparing for their wedding.

They'd been following the newsand speaking with friends from Pelican Narrows. Leasksaid her thoughts were with the evacuees, and she didn't expect to receive the bouquet, giventhe situation.

Elaborate creations

Dusterbeckis becoming knownin Pelican Narrows and beyond for her elaborate creations that followthe Cree beadwork traditions of her grandmother and mother. Schools commission her to make graduation corsages; brides have told her they intend to pass the bouquet down to their daughters.

Leaskhad seen one of the beaded flowers on Facebookand asked a Pelican Narrows friend, Angie Merasty, to approach Dusterbeck with the request.Dusterbeck was busy with her day job as a day care manager, but agreed.

The bouquet was half-finished when the order to leave came. Once Dusterbecksettled in to Prince Albert, she volunteeredto help elders and other evacuees but any spare hours were spent working on the bouquet.

Race to Leask

Saturday, just hours before the ceremony, Dusterbeckfinished it.Merasty's sister picked it up, then gotit to Merasty. Merastygot it to another woman who was driving south to the wedding.

The woman pulled up to the couple's house and walked in with the bouquet 20 minutes before the ceremony.

"I was blown away. It was so kind and thoughtful," Leask said.

"I couldn't believe that was happening."

Leaskclutched the red and white beaded roses asshe and Pechawisexchanged their vows surrounded by friends and family under sunny skies in their backyard.

Abandoning project not an option

Merastywas invited to the wedding but chose to stay in Prince Albert managing the logistics for evacuees. But she's happy sheplayed a role in making her friend's day even more special.

"I said, 'You didn't think a little evacuation was going to stop us from getting you that bouquet, did you?'" Merastyjoked.

"This is part of our culture."

Dusterbecksaid she never thought about abandoning the project, and is glad it was appreciated.

"I'm glad they liked it," she said. "If you make it a priority, you will finish it."