Members of Moss Country Friends (Williamsburg, IA) portray "Happy Birthday"

Any of you who did not attend the July 23-25 convention at Ames, Iowa, missed a super time. Bill Abigt of M & J Gallery in Ottumwa said this dinner dance was the most fun of any he had attended.

Iowa always has wonderful costume parades; this time was no exception. Representatives from Moss Reflections, Heart of Iowa, and Moss Country Friends chapters dressed as characters in Moss prints.

The Friday night auction, Saturday night auction, raffle of "Flynn Mansion," and dinner dance proceeds raised over $8,000 to benefit the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children's Education. The raffle winner was an ecstatic Sandy Bauer of Urbandale, Iowa.

For the second convention this year, the dinner had a 50's/60's theme. Tables were decorated with appropriate memorabilia from the period, as well as pretzels, popcorn, and Cracker Jack. The backyard picnic consisted of hamburgers, brats, salads, corn on the cob, dessert bars, plus root beer floats.

Everybody who dressed in costume was eligible for a raffle prize. Don Harris won the figurine of "Friends Forever." Laura DeRamus of Canada Goose Gallery in Waynes-ville, Ohio, and Mike McFall of West Des Moines, Iowa, were crowned king and queen for the best costumes.

Even some of the servers got into the mood by dressing appropriately. Some of them delighted the crowd by performing a little dance.