More than 2,000 items have avoided the landfill thanks to the efforts of the Maple Ridge Repair Cafe program, setting a Canadian record.
Run by the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society, this series of events brings together teams of volunteers who have extensive backgrounds in various handyman areas such as carpentry, electrical work, sewing, bike repair, and much more.
These volunteers do their best to fix damaged items brought to them by the public, all they do it all for free.
The concept of a Repair Cafe wasn't new when it was brought to Maple Ridge seven years ago, with the program existing in various parts of Europe.
But it was an immediate hit in Maple Ridge, with the number of people visiting the local Repair Cafes growing exponentially year after year.
And now, the efforts of these volunteers are being recognized on an international stage as the European Repair Cafe Conference released its list of the 10 most productive Repair Cafe programs in the world, with Maple Ridge making the list.
According to data provided by Repair Monitor, Maple Ridge has seen 2,495 items brought in to be repaired, giving it the seventh-most in the world, which Maple Ridge Repair Cafe founder Leanne Koehn said was an incredible honour.
"Honestly, I was in shock when I saw Maple Ridge in the top 10 alongside Repair Cafes from the Netherlands and Great Britain," said Koehn.
"I knew we’d entered a lot of repair data from our seven years, but I didn’t expect us to be that high up on an international list shown to conference participants from around the world."
The Maple Ridge program is the only Canadian Repair Cafe to make the list, with the only entries higher up on the list being from the Netherlands, where Repair Cafes were originally invented.
Now that the Repair Cafe International Foundation is in its 15th year of existence, one local volunteer is looking to contribute to the organization by providing Canada's part of the upcoming anniversary quilt that the foundation will combine and proudly present in October.
Maple Ridge quilter and Repair Cafe volunteer Martha Lopez took up the torch when the Repair Cafe International Foundation asked for flag contributions from each of the 40 countries that now have these programs.
Lopez's design incorporates the iconic red maple leaf and uses pieces of her volunteer shirt.
"The T-shirt already had our name and logo and all the repair volunteers wear this T-shirt at our events," explained Lopez. "The idea of having my design and our group represented along with other Repair Cafes from around the world makes me very proud."
After a brief summer break, the Repair Cafes will soon be returning to Maple Ridge, with the next one at the end of September.
Koehn said that she looks forward to increasing the number of items repaired by even more and adding to the long list of unique and interesting items that have already come through this year's Repair Cafes.
"So far this year, we have fixed a safe, a Christmas tree, a tabletop clothes washer, and a Chatty Cathy Doll," said Koehn. "Our volunteers enjoy seeing some of the more interesting items that come into the Repair Cafes."
The next Repair Cafe will be on Saturday, Sept. 21, in Memorial Peace Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
