More than 10,000 people are expected to attend this year's Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale May 29-30, 2009. This major eastern Iowa festival will take place at the Johnson County 4-H Fairgrounds, Iowa City.

Now in its 30th year, the Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale is organized annually by over 38 southeast Iowa Mennonite and Brethern in Christ Churches. Volunteers work year-round on the planning and people congregate from miles around on the days of the sale. The relief sale is a means of raising funds to support the worldwide relief program of the Mennonite Central Committee now in its 89th year of operation. From February through November 2009, 45 relief sales will take place in 23 US states and 5 Canadian provinces.

Your presence helps build the interest and enthusiasm which make this sale possible. Bring your family and friends to the sale. Leading off the festival attractions will be food and craft booths, a plant sale, children's activities, and four large auctions, including Iowa's largest quilt auction. View more than 100 beautiful handmade quilts which will be on display and then sold. Also at auction will be antiques and collectibles, homemade oak and walnut furniture, meals in homes, and packaged beef and pork from area farms to stock your freezer, among many other items.

Taste the delicious food, fresh strawberry pie, tacos, apple fritters, donuts, homemade ice cream, pies, rolls, cookies, cheese curds, and much more. Enjoy a delicious dinner of smoked pork loin or marinated turkey breast Friday evening and an all-you-can-eat breakfast Saturday morning.

Don't look for bargains. This is not a rummage sale. Your money helps the needy. Proceeds go to feed the hungry and meet human needs in more than 50 countries around the world through Mennonite Central Committee, the international relief organization of the Mennonite and Brethern in Christ churches. MCC is ranked among the top 10 most effective U.S. charities by Money magazine. Last year the Iowa sale provided over $110,000 for MCC relief, Crowded Closet and service programs.