It's year eight for local repair cafes, and the season kicks off soon.
Mid-month, Ridge Meadows Recycling Society will launch this year's pop-up events aimed at fixing broken items rather than seeing them sent to the recyclers or landfill.
But the events are about more than just repairing the one item. The volunteer “fixers” are also on hand to teach fellow residents (young and old, alike) how to repair their small appliances, lamps, electronics, jewelry, clothing, bicycles, small toys, or furniture.
Since launching local repair cafes in 2018, Ridge Meadows Recycling Society and its community partners have hosted 46 repair events and residents have brought more than 2,600 items to be fixed, including 1,124 electrical appliances, toys, or tools, 746 textiles (clothing, bedding, stuffed animals, etc.), 281 pieces of jewelry, and 66 bicycles, said Leanne Koehn, cafe coordinator and community engagement manager for Ridge Meadows Recycling Society.
Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy congratulated organizers on the "incredibly successful" program.
"[It] strengthens our commitment to sustainability and highlights that we are truly driven by community," said Ruimy.
"The fact that we have been recognized as one of the top 10 repair cafe programs in the world is a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and the innovative spirit of our community," enthused the mayor.
“Our repair cafe volunteers are very dedicated!” Koehn explained.
“They love new challenges and helping the community. We also love welcoming new people who want to join our team as fixers or assistants to help with registration, event setup and takedown, or monitoring the Tinkerbell Station,” she added.
"Do you or anyone you know have repair skills, want to learn more about repair, or just want to help out in your community?" Koehn queried. "Become a repair cafe hero."
The first repair cafe of the season will be held Saturday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Maple Ridge Library, 22470 Dewdney Trunk Rd.
After that, the next is set for March 15 at the Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre, 12150 224 St., then as part of the Earth Day festivities there will be a repair cafe on April 26 in Memorial Peace Park.
On Saturday, May 17, organizers will mark their 50th repair cafe at the Albion Community Centre, 24165 104th St., with members of the Ridge Meadows Quilter’s Guild on hand. The events will continue on monthly through the rest of the year, through to late November.
Koehn encourages those interested in being involved to complete the online form at https://rmrecycling.org/repair-cafe-volunteer-information or to email her at leanne@rmrecycling.org to volunteer as a fixer, apprentice, or helper.
Similarly, more information is available on the website at: www.mrrepaircafe.ca, on the Maple Ridge repair cafe Facebook page, or by calling Leanne at 604-463-5545.
