Crocheted 'Mercy Mats' help those in need and the environment

WEST ALLIS, Wis. - Since she was 11 years old, Donna Reimesch has been hooked on her crochet. It's become so comfortable, she doesn't have to watch her hands at work.

"I enjoy it. It's one of my passions. I make a lot of different things," Reimesch said.

That passion is why a group of ladies comes together every so often, even during the pandemic. They're known as "Mercy Mats."

"Mercy Mats is a group that we put together to help the community, those in need, help the environment by keeping plastic out of the landfills," Reimesch said.

Inspired by a similar group out-of-state, Reimesch got started in Wisconsin after retiring from her career. She assembled a team to turn the bags so many of us throw away into something useful.

"We have so many people that are out there that have no place to sleep," she said. "They're under bridges. They're in cardboard boxes."

It's a process that takes a lot of time and resources. Just one mat is made from 700 bags, and it takes about 100 hours of work to come together.

That's where Mikayla Ney knew she and her UW-Platteville classmates could help.

"You wouldn't think that it would have the impact that it has had with it being just plastic bags," Ney said. "But yeah, anyone can do it. It's so easy, and it really does make a difference."

On their own accord, Ney and Platteville's National Society of Leadership and Success students lent a hand to Mercy Mats.

They collected bags on campus as part of their service project, then got to work — saving a lot of up-front hours for Donna and company.

She insists it's really a simple process.

"You take the bag and you fold it in half the long way, and then you fold it in half another time, so it's like a long strip," Ney said. "And then you cut off the bottom and the handles, and then you take what you have left, it's like a long rectangle, you cut that into like inch squares. And then it makes a loop, and you string those together."

The result is a big ball of plastic yarn, or 'plarn' as they call it.

"When our crocheters get it, it comes in the form of a ball. And then we'll be able to put them onto the mat and start crocheting away," Reimesch said.

And when all is done, the end product is a 3 feet wide, 6 feet long colorful mat. It's enough for a person to cover themselves — keeping them dry and keeping bugs out.

It also just happens to warm the hearts of everyone that has a hand in making them.

"I love to see our youth doing something helpful, and recognizing that there's a need, and that they can be a part of such a great mission," Reimesch said.

She calls it a mission to serve, which ends with the delivery of those mats to Repairers of the Breach in Milwaukee.

Executive Director James West said the mats are used every day, under sleeping bags, or in their warming shelter. He said they couldn't be more grateful.

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"That's how we make it. You know, this isn't just some elderly people who don't have anything to do with their time. It's a solution," West said.

Reimesch said she's received requests from Madison and Kenosha to help launch similar groups there. To date, Mercy Mats has made 635 mats, which has saved 444,500 bags from going to waste.

If you're interested in helping, you can contact the group on Facebook.