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Cinco De Mayo is about independence, a celebration of Mexico establishing it’s own country and culture.

In America it’s been commercialized, canned and packaged for gringos who want to shove lime slices down the necks of Coronas and eat Tex-Mex tacos (which are about as authentic as Taco Bell’s Mexican pizza).

Somewhere in between is what Bobbi Bird and the Bonita Springs Assistance Office are after. The non-profit group is hosting a Cinco De Mayo celebration at Riverside Park along Old 41 Road in downtown Bonita Springs. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Assistance Office’s general fund.

The party starts at noon and will feature a variety of food, music, children’s activities, sodas and alcoholic beverages.

“We really want this to be used as a bridge between the two communities that no one wants to talk about: Hispanics and non-Hispanics,” Bird said.

Southwest Florida is culturally diverse, with a large white population living alongside Mexicans, Cubans, Haitians and Latinos.

Bird said the Bonita Springs Assistance Office wants to bring all types of people and cultures to Riverside Park.

“We’ve got salsa bands, mariachi bands, classic rock. We’ve got traditional Mexican and Latino foods, and ice cream, pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs,” she said.

This is the first year the Assistance Office has hosted a Cinco De Mayo party. Bird said the group has already reserved Riverside Park for the first Saturday in May of 2009 to hold the second version.

Bird said she’s not sure if there is a divide between white populations and Hispanic and Latino communities in the Bonita area. But she did say that each group tends to be solitary, rarely mingling with other cultures.

“I think people sometimes stay in a group they’re comfortable with, whether it’s a church or a socio-economic situation,” Bird said. “And a lot of times, that’s self-contained. What we’re trying to do is create something where the Hispanic families, non-Hispanic families and white families can all feel comfortable together.”

Univision, a television company that broadcasts Hispanic and Latino shows, is one of the sponsors of the Cinco De Mayo celebration.

“I’m super excited about the event,” said general manager Katherine Foster.

The Bonita Springs Assistance Office is a non-profit group formed to help local low-income families. The group provides about $250,000 a year to help families pay utility and medical bills as well as rent and mortgage payments. You can reach the Assistance Office at 992-3034.