Dr. E. Gordon Gee, president of West Virginia University, is the guest speaker for the 80th Mountain State Forest Festival Distinguished Guest Dinner Thursday at the Elkins Recreation Center. Hundreds packed the center to celebrate and hear Gee’s message about the importance of keeping young talent in West Virginia. In 2009, Time Magazine named Gee one of the Top 10 university presidents in the United States. (The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Christian Broschart)

ELKINS — This year’s Mountain State Forest Festival Distinguished Guest Dinner speaker talked about the importance of West Virginia and its people and the immense pride of its citizens.

West Virginia University President Dr. E. Gordon Gee spoke at the annual Distinguished Guest Dinner Thursday night, in the presence of a number of past queens, the festival’s 80th Maid Silvia Kara D’Ann Alvarez, Maids of Honor Legacy Skout Barger and Amelia Dawn Preusch and many other honored guests.

“Tonight what we are celebrating is the spirit of the state,” Gee said.

“We are celebrating this evening, the spirit of the people, the spirit of the state, we’re celebrating the fact that we are honoring young people and their achievements, but most importantly we are celebrating the fact that our future depends on what we do as a state.”

During his presentation to those in attendance, Gee said it is his goal to keep the talent of the state’s citizens within the state to enhance and continue to improve the quality of life in the Mountain State.

Gee said West Virginia University has three goals, starting with ensuring there is a strong educational system from kindergarten through 12th grade.

“If we don’t have a great K-12 system, we can’t have a great university system, and we can’t have a quality of life here,” Gee said.

The next goal is to ensure there is a quality health care system in the state.

“We have to make sure to take care of the opioid problem, we have to make sure that our citizens are well-nurtured, we have to make sure that they have healthy minds and healthy spirits because if they’re not healthy, we can’t have a healthy economy,” Gee said.

Third, Gee said it is important to create prosperity.

“We start with our young people,” Gee said.

Gee explained he hopes by traveling to all 55 counties in West Virginia, he will be able to learn more about the state and create new ways to serve the citizens of the state and promote growth.

“We are blessed to live in West Virginia,” Gee said. “Talent is the future of this state.”

The 2016 Mountain State Forest Festival princesses were recognized on Thursday evening, both during their introduction and by Gee, who recognized those princesses who attend West Virginia University as well as taking a moment to recognize those who attended other colleges and universities.

Among the distinguished guests in attendance was Sen. Joe Manchin, who emphasized the importance of the Mountain State Forest Festival, calling it a year-long celebration.

Other distinguished guests spoke on the beauty of the region, the kindness of its people, and how both of these are highlighted and showcased by the Mountain State Forest Festival.

Elkins Mayor Van Broughton said, “West Virginia’s oldest and largest festival gives the city a chance to showcase its beauty, its people, its culture and its historical resources.”

Randolph County Commission President Mike Taylor said, “Randolph County and the entire Potomac Highlands region represents one of the most scenic parts of the Mountain State, but we are much more than just another pretty place.”

Davis & Elkins College President Chris Wood said, “Over the course of this festival, you will have an opportunity to be on the campus of Davis & Elkins College, and while you are there, undoubtedly, you will experience the beauty of the campus, you will see the grandeur particularly of the historic buildings – Halliehurst and Graceland among them – but probably the thing that I have discovered to be the most beautiful among the campus – the people.”

Also during Thursday evening’s dinner, former Queen Silvia LXXIX Madeline Hope Ross, Maid of Honor Jaycie Lin Saseen, Maid of Honor Monica Renee Rossi, 2015 Director General Lydia Jones and 2015 Director of the Queen’s Department Peggy Phillips were inducted into the Maple Leaf Society.