Mesa College held its first Fall Fest and Run, benefitting Mesa’s student veterans. The Fall Fest street fair held 60 vendors, each with their own set of volunteers, and received help from 25 additional volunteers. The vendors included 15 club booths, two food booths, local elementary and high school booths, and several apparel booths, according to Jordan Agricula, one of the event’s coordinators.

The event took place this Saturday, Nov. 8.

Mesa College’s Culinary Arts students operated one of the food booths. The menu offered chicken or sausage sandwiches, fresh potato chips, soda and water. Selections ranged from $1-$6. 32 culinary students staffed the booth throughout the day, said Prof. Tonya Whitfield of the Culinary Arts department.

There were three different events that racers could participate in on Saturday morning: a 5K race, a half-mile walk for disabled racers, and a one-mile walk/run. A combined 115 people raced in the events, said Agricula.

The run began at 8 a.m. and concluded with awards and prizes at 11 a.m. at the street fair.

Proceeds from Fall Fest went to Mesa’s student veterans, partially to help keep veterans in school. Events like Fall Fest aid in fundraising and increase student participation, according to Agricula. Agricula said that he would like to help coordinate more events such as this one.

Attendance was slow in the morning but picked up later on, said Agricula, who was happy with the turnout. “It’s our first year, so I don’t know what I was expecting,” he said.

“I think it could have been better marketed,” said Van Chhum, a business major at Mesa who volunteered at Fall Fest through Outreach, as a suggestion.

Mesa College’s Fall Fest 2014 preceded the Olympians’ Homecoming football game versus the El Camino College Compton Center’s Tartars. The Mesa Olympians won the game 48-14.