The 20th annual MCC Relief Sale, set for May 28-29 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa C…

By Kalona News

The 20th annual MCC Relief Sale, set for May 28-29 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa City, will draw some 10,000 people to the two-day event geared to raising funds to provide hunger relief in 50 countries throughout the world. This year the event has also specifically marked funds for relief to Kosovo.

All proceeds are handled by the Mennonite Central Commmitee (MCC), an international devleopment agency based in Akron, Pennsylvania.

Events get underway Friday, May 28, at 3 p.m. when the food and craft booths open and auction items are on display. A barbecue chicken, fish or ribeye dinner is available from 4-7 p.m.

A special program is set for 7 p.m. and the general merchandise auction starts at 8 p.m. The items will include several quilts.

Saturday is a full day, starting at 6:30 a.m. with all you can eat breakfast (served until 11 a.m.). The food and craft booths open at 9 a.m. and the auction resumes at 9 a.m. The main quilt auction also gets underway at 9 a.m. and runs to 1 p.m. It features large and small quilts.

The major items auction starts at 12:30 p.m. and features antiques and hand-crafted furniture.

There also are numerous demonstrations, including apple butter making, and there will be buggy rides offered both days. In addition there will be clowns and games for children.

Among the more unusual items for bid are in-home meals in an Amish or Mennonite home and packaged beef or pork from area farms to stock a home freezer. A really special item for auction is a vacation at a working ranch.

The sale requires an army of volunteers to conduct it, drawn from 31 Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches throughout southeast Iowa.

Admission and parking are free.

Since its inception in 1979, the Relief Sale has raised nealry $2 million to relieve world hunger. Last year’s event raised $118,131.