Mats for Vets

Calling all who can help with a much-needed project for our homeless vets. Together we will be making plastic mats that will help them while living through the elements that nature brings. These mats are light weight, easy to transport, waterproof and an insulator from the wet and cold ground.

Here’s how you can help:

Collect and/or donate plastic shopping bags (Giant Eagle, Wal-Mart, Shop N Save, etc.) – it takes 700 bags to make one mat! That’s a lot of bags so please save them and ask your friends and neighbors to save them too. (It’s also good for the environment!)
Learn how to cut the bags and make “plarn” (plastic yarn) – don’t worry, we will show you how!
Crochet the plarn to make the mats. You say you don’t know how to crochet? No problem we will teach you! Maybe you know someone who can help crochet that isn’t an Elks member, we need them too. Anyone can help!

A bag donation bin marked with a “Plastic Bag Drop Off for the Vets” sign is located outside the front door of the lodge.
Mat making: Join us at 7 p.m. every Monday to cut the bags, make “plarn” or crochet, whatever works for you. Plus, this is a great way to get to know fellow Elks members. This project can be for everyone! Men, women and teens.
Remember, WE NEED YOU to make this project work!