San Lorenzo Church raises funds with Kermez

CLINT, Texas (KVIA) - San Lorenzo church continued its Kermez, a way to raise funds for church activities through community support Saturday with catering from local vendors.

This isn't just about the church though according to one volunteer, Alexis Reyes, who told ABC-7 that is definitely a part of it but it's also about the spotlight being put on the Clint community itself.

"It really brings more people to San Lorenzo. People come and they see how beautiful the church is and how kind the people are and then be like 'I think I want to come to this church more often," Reyes said.

That community spotlight Reyes pointed out extends to the people not working as staff for the day, with one person ABC-7 spoke to, Greg Velez, saying it's a time to reconnect with friends he hasn't seen for a while which is why he likes coming back after growing up in Clint himself.

"I really like it, it brings the community together," Velez said. "Sometimes you get friends that move out of town, and we all come back here and eventually we meet up once again."

This extends to the family businesses who are still small but look to grow after being presented with this kind of exposure like Deleyna Nerí, who helps run her family's business Dulcería Neri that began with her grandparents and said bringing their sweets to places like the Kermez has been a big opportunity for them.

"We barely started coming to this Kermez last year and honestly has been I feel like one of the best things we could have done because it has opened so many doors," Neri said.

With the church connecting itself to experiences like this for the people of Clint, Velez said he's glad what he calls a staple of the community in the San Lorenzo Church able to bring people together like it has through events like its Kermez.