ELKINS – The Mountain State Forest Festival Association announces Lydia Jones has been elected President of its Board of Directors.

Jones was born and raised in Elkins and is a graduate of Elkins High School. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts at West Virginia Wesleyan College. She currently manages Perfection Plus Turbo-Dry, LLC and serves as property manager of Wagner Properties, LLC.

Jones served as an Assistant to the Queen’s Department in 2009 and 2010, and was appointed as Director of the Queen’s Department in 2011, where she served in that capacity for three years. She was appointed Director General in 2015 and joined the Board of Directors in 2017. She served as Vice-President in 2022 and 2023.

Jones is a member of the First United Methodist Church. She is a board member of Interact Children’s Museum, and PTA President at Midland Elementary School.

She is married to Grant Jones, and they have one son, Max, who served as Crown Bearer in the 2022 Mountain State Forest Festival. Her family has held the Princess Parade Welcoming at their office since 2006. Lydia was a princess in the 2003 Mountain State Forest Festival, and her brother was a Train Bearer in 1988.

Other elected members of the Mountain State Forest Festival Board of Directors include Scott Harris, Bill Hartman, Hugh Hitchcock, Mike Karlen, Ray LaMora, Cricket Leary, Kathy Leombruno, Cliff Marstiller, Robin Miller, Robbie Morris, Frank Santmyer, Ben Shaffer, Chad Shoemaker, and Bob Wamsley. Community Board members include David Kesling, Susie Kump, Jerry Marco, Shelby Searls and Chris Wood.

“I am humbled and excited to serve as President of the Board of Directors of the Mountain State Forest Festival,” Jones said. “The entire board is supportive and works hard to ensure our legacy continues as one of the oldest and largest festivals in the state. We can’t wait to work with Director General Peggy Phillips and her Assistant Directors to put on another fantastic festival as we celebrate the beauty and splendor of our mountains and valleys.”

The state’s largest and oldest festival is scheduled for Sept. 28-Oct. 6.

Additional information about the Mountain State Forest Festival is available online at www.forestfestival.com.

https://www.theintermountain.com/news/local-news/2024/02/jones-elected-msff-board-president/