03/16/11   Heart and Hands of Plymouth, is an organization that has provided services to the Marshall County immigrant population for over 10 years.  They provide Educational opportunities in literacy, English as a new language, GED, citizenship classes and computer literacy with locations in Plymouth and Bremen. 

Heart and Hands also provides important services to the community businesses and organizations by providing translation services, Spanish classes and diversity training programs. They also bring the Latino Festival to Plymouth each year in June.

This Saturday, March 19th they have planned a Kermes.  What is a Kermes?   It’s a Latino fundraising event where different people of the community come together to raise money for a cause.  Typically selling food provided by different families.  The event is similar to cafeteria style dinning where you go through the line and decide from different tables what you would like to eat.  You might decide to have a traditional Tamale from one family and a Flan desert, similar to a custard from another family.  They’ll have Pozole, a red soup made with pork, similar to our chili and a white soup made with chicken.  You’ll also find steak tacos, and horchata which is a rice milk drink along with pop and coffee.  To pay for your meals you’ll purchase tickets at $1 each and use the tickets are the various tables to select what traditional Mexican food you want to try. 

Becky Griffey, Executive Director of Heart and Hands explained that Hispanic families typically come together to host a Kermes as a way to raise funds to help a neighbor or a cause.  Many times it is to help a family with medical costs. 

Along with the meal “Perla Bravo” a 13 piece band made up of members from aw far away as Chicago and Indianapolis will entertain from 7 to 10.  Cost for the dance is $10 and Perla Bravo will provide traditional Mexican music.”

The Kermes and dance will be held at the National Guard Armory at 220 West Madison Street in Plymouth.  Dinner is served from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the dance is from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.  All proceeds will benefit Heart and hands, a non-profit agency who is also a United Way Agency.    

Griffey said, “We look forward in seeing you there and sharing this cultural experience with us.”