Milk bag mats work bee

Angela Bright | Oct 08, 2015

Twenty people were busy as bees sorting, cutting, looping and weaving at the Milk Bag Mat Work Bee on September 28 in Vennachar. With the number of hands processing the milk bags, two mats that were in the very early stages on two looms are just shy of being complete. Milk bags are ideal for making into mats as they hold up very well in hot countries and do not break down like other plastic bags would. The mats are large enough for an adult, or for two children and may be used as a sleeping mat or as a surgical mat, as they are hypoallergenic. So where do the completed mats go? A connection has been made with a couple who volunteers with Ontario Christian Gleaners. The Gleaners are a collection depot for the mats and use them to pack soup bases and dried fruit, products which their volunteers make and send overseas. So the mats end up having a two-fold purpose: providing free packing material, helping to support the work the Gleaners do, and provide a bed for someone in need.

There are still more milk bags to process and more arriving daily, and so another work bee is set for Monday, October 26, 9:30 to 11:30am at the Vennachar FM parsonage, 357 Matawatchan Road. Everyone is welcome. Thank you to all who have donated bags and who continue to do so. Hundreds of bags are needed to make just one mat, so please continue saving your milk bags. Call Nancy at 613-333-2204 if you have bags to donate. You can visit the Gleaners website at ontariogleaners.org to learn more about their amazing projects.