FORT SMITH (KFSM) — Students at Tilles Elementary got a surprise on Thursday morning (Sept. 1) when they were given sleeping mats woven by members of the community.
Jeanne Ledbetter, organizer, said a group in Fort Smith collects plastic bags and weaves them into mats for the elementary students to use while they sleep.
It takes roughly 250 plastic bags, which are cut into strips, to make a single mat. The mats create a moisture barrier between the mat and the floor to help keep kids dry while they sleep.
The group has donated mats to Tilles Elementary for several years, and are planning to make another donation soon.
The group is looking for volunteers. They meet every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon at the First United Methodist Church on 15th and B Streets.
