As the school year draws to an end, the students at Marlinton Elementary School celebrated with a culmination of the Fresh Foods Initiative by having a ﾓfood fairﾔ last week.

Fresh Foods VISTA Adrienne Cedarleaf, MES cooks and students from Marlinton Middle School created a farm scene made completely from vegetables, fruits and edible flowers, and several volunteers treated the students to tasty samples of fresh fruits and vegetables, and herbal teas.

As the students enjoyed the healthy snacks and having their faces painted, they were greeted by a special guest ﾖﾠWest Virginia Universityﾒs Mountaineer Jonathan Kimble.

Kimble said he received a request to attend the event and couldnﾒt pass up the opportunity to visit the area, which is near his home in Pendleton County.

ﾓThe Mountaineer doesnﾒt really make it down here too much, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to visit with the people,ﾔ Kimble said. ﾓI thought Iﾒd come down here to spend some time with the kids.ﾔ

Kimbleﾒs visit marks the first time any Mountaineer mascot has come to Pocahontas County, and he was greeted with open arms.

In between having his picture taken with members of MES staff and students, Kimble visited with the students and explained his duty as the WVU mascot. He showed them parts of his ﾓuniform,ﾔ including his powder horn, coonskin cap and of course, his rifle.

Kimble, who served as the alternate Mountaineer in 2011, is the 65th WVU student to serve as The Mountaineer.