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'This is something we can do'

Post-Bulletin - 6/2/2017

June 02--Grappling with depression and health problems, Ginger Petersen sought a new purpose.

Shortly after visiting the National Alliance on Mental Illness Southeast Minnesota, Petersen, 69, wanted to do something to help herself and others.

"I needed a new purpose because I can't do what I used to," she said. "Sitting at home is not good for anybody."

Three months ago, Petersen started Operation Bedroll MN, a local group that collects and crochets plastic bags into half-inch thick, six-foot long sleeping mats for Rochester's homeless population. The group will hold its first open house on Saturday, where Petersen hopes to boost membership.

The group currently has six members and meets at a house at People of Hope Church every Tuesday. Members crochet the plastic mats with "plarn" -- made by cutting plastic bags into strips, looping them together and rolling them into balls. Roughly 700 to 1,000 plastic bags are needed to crochet each mat.

Crocheting can be time-consuming, Petersen said, sometimes taking weeks to complete. So far, the group has made around seven mats. When the mats are finished, Petersen and members deliver them to Rochester's Dorothy Day Hospitality House -- where they're distributed to those in need.

For Petersen, the social interaction the group has provided has been a "lifesaver."

"It made me realize there's a lot of people, especially elderly, that sit at home with nothing to do. This is something they can do," she said.

Chris Miller, a 62-year-old Rochester resident, was one of the first members to join Operation Bedroll MN. Miller was volunteering at the Dorothy Day House one night when she encountered Petersen's husband, who was picking up plastic bags. She joined the group a week later.

"I'm a person of faith, so I've been kind of praying for something to come my way that would make me feel useful," Miller said. "The homeless, that group is something I feel strong about serving."

Courtney Lawson, executive director for NAMI Southeast Minnesota, a sponsor of the group, said she tries to direct people who need social interaction to Petersen.

"Just that social component of someone dealing with poor mental health or a mental illness, it's critical to wellness," Lawson said.

The work could have a substantial impact on Rochester's homeless community if more people get involved, said People of Hope Pastor Dan Doering, who's provided space for Petersen to work over the last two months.

"They're working really hard to make these bedrolls, but it's just a labor-intensive ... process," Doering said.

As the first open house approaches, Petersen said she welcomes people of all backgrounds to join in -- regardless of crocheting experience.

Volunteers are welcome to do anything from gathering bags to preparing the plarn for crocheting, she said.

Eventually, Petersen said she'd be willing to visit nearby communities, like Austin, to start more groups.

"When I started it, I could see the whole state of Minnesota doing it," she said.

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