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To support the United Way, employee auctions afghans
By MARY ANN KOSLASKY
© St. Petersburg Times, CRYSTAL RIVER -- Carla Sue McClinnis of Homosassa is really hooked on the United Way. McClinnis, 50, has found a unique way to donate to the annual United Way fundraising campaign, combining her efforts with her employer's campaign. An employee at the Crystal River Publix for five years, McClinnis has crocheted an afghan each year, which then is raffled off at the store. Funds are donated to United Way. This year's raffle will be on Saturday. Tickets are $1 each or seven for $5 at the Crystal River Publix, Kings Bay Plaza, 204 SE U.S. 19. "I'm a widow," said McClinnis, explaining that when the annual employee campaign begins, "I take a set amount of money and buy the supplies to make an afghan. Then I give it to them to raffle off." Using the differing themes each year, McClinnis designs her afghans around the Publix United Way campaign logos used on T-shirts and other paraphernalia. This year the theme is "Recipes for Living" and features a mixing bowl and spoon. Using a picture of the logo, McClinnis transferred the logo to graph paper and painstakingly allotted stitches to the entire picture, including all the lettering. "I wanted it to look like a recipe card," she said. Although many crocheters choose to cross-stitch lettering on their pieces, McClinnis has actually crocheted every detail directly into the afghan. A self-taught crocheter, McClinnis estimates it took about two months to complete the afghan. She has been crocheting for 16 years, ever since her mother-in-law died on her birthday. "I inherited her crochet stuff," McClinnis said. By raffling off the afghan, McClinnis figures, "They probably make more on the raffle tickets than I could donate in a year."
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