GFWC LUTZ-LAND O’LAKES longtime member, ANIKO SOLOMONSON, has single-handedly made a cottage industry of crocheting recycled plastic bags into weatherproof sleep mats which she has distributed to the area homeless since 2014. Ms. Solomonson has taught fellow club members and many other groups how to fold the bags into lengths of “rope” and crochet them into mats. Members, under Aniko’s guidance, have saved countless vehicles full of recycled plastics from going to landfills and have helped those living on the streets with these sleep mats. Aniko alone has produced 300+ mats and delivered many to The Well, which serves the home-insecure population in Tampa. Ms. Solomonson has temporarily halted this project to give priority to sewing more than 70 face masks for various groups and, post-corona, will be resume her “mat” work.
Photo submitted by Patricia Serio