This little one gets his face painted at the Mayo Correctional Institution's Annual Spring Fling fundraiser for Relay for Life in downtown Mayo on April 7.

Mayo Correctional Institution held their 4th Annual Spring Fling fundraiser for Relay for Life on Saturday, April 7 at Veteran’s Memorial Park in downtown Mayo. Kids of all ages, along with their parents, converged on the park for the big Easter Egg hunt as well as to enjoy other fun-filled activities, that included games, a bounce house, a mega-slide, face painting, train rides and photos with the Easter Bunny, a.k.a. Matt Fountain.

With the winds blowing southwest from the County Line Fire at the Columbia and Baker county line, a thick haze of smoke was hovering over the park, as well as much of Lafayette County, but it didn’t stop the fun and excitement for all who came out for the event.

Aside from all the kids activities, there was plenty of food to go around. Everyone feasted on hot dogs, barbecue sandwiches, snow cones, cookies, popcorn, and Mayo CI Warden Rodney Tomlinson’s famous onion rings.

Relay for Life Mayo CI Team Captain Becky Lawson said, “They are the best anyone has ever made.”

Lawson even spilled the jellybeans and said Tomlinson’s secret ingredient is popcorn salt.

Tomlinson said, “Yeah, that’s what I use, but the onion rings have to be frozen, too, before you throw them in the pot. Otherwise, they fall apart.”

Meanwhile, Mayo CI Classification Officer Mike McCray was busy cooking up mounds of hot dogs on the grill. McCray is also a deputy for Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a member of the National Guard.

One of the highlights of the day was when the Easter Bunny arrived. Some of the kids were eager to grab a photo opportunity with him, but others, especially the younger tots, shied away and didn’t quite know what to think of the over-sized bunny wearing overalls and sporting big floppy ears and a gigantic pink smile.