Repair Cafe PT is now Jeff Co repair: please visit JeffCORepair.com
Participate in the lost art of repairing our things
February 29th, 2020 10am- 2pm
Community Center 620 tyler port townsend
What is a Repair Cafe?
A Repair Cafe is a community event where you bring in your broken items (up to two items per person) and our volunteer specialists will fix it for free.
Though we encourage participants to hang out with the specialist while their item is being worked on, one can also spend time at the reading resource table or snack area.
Event History
The Repair cafe was created by Martine Postma from the Netherlands in 2009. Since that time, Repair Cafes have sprouted all over the world and has inspired new events such as "Fix it Fairs" to emerge. Port Townsend will hold its first Repair Cafe Feb 29th, 2020 at the Port Townsend Community Center 620 Tyler St. 10am - 2pm. Our first Repair Cafe is being sponsored by Beyond Waste, Local 20/20, the Food Co-op, and Henerey's Hardware.
Event Highlights
Lots of folks will toss something if it breaks because they don't know how to fix it, do not have the right tools, or lack the time. At the Repair Cafe, people have an opportunity to get their item(s) fixed for free. You might even be able to learn how to fix it. Our volunteer specialists include sewers /knitting (hand and machine), a luthier for stringed instruments, fixers for small household appliances and electrical stuff, bicycle repair, jewelry repair and tool sharpening. Bring your item (up to 2) to the sign in desk and let the volunteer staff know what you want fixed. A greeter will guide you to the correct station or if others are ahead of you, the greeter will lead you to a waiting area.
Participants will be asked to sign a waiver stating that the volunteer specialist is not liable for any damage to your item and cannot guarantee that it will be fixed. Although some generic supplies will be on hand, the fixer may suggest you purchase a part at a hardware store or order the part for a future repair. If you know the repair requires a part, please bring it with you. There is no cost to you but donations are accepted.
Mission and Intent
The Repair Café Foundation has the following goals:
a) to bring back repairing into local society in a modern way;
b) to maintain repair expertise and to spread this knowledge;
c) to promote social cohesion in the local community by connecting neighbors;
d) keep one more item from going to the landfill;
e) to see new value in the items you own.
Our sponsors
Beyond Waste
The Beyond Waste Action Group supports and educates local businesses, organizations and individuals in reducing their contribution to the waste stream.
Local 20/20
Local 20/20 is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization located in East Jefferson County, WA. Local 20/20 is dedicated to promoting self-reliance, sustainability, and resiliency at a community level, moving toward a lighter environmental footprint and a greater capacity to adapt to the challenges of climate change and economic instability.
Food Coop
The Port Townsend Food Co-op is a full-service organic foods market providing affordable organic foods to everyone-everyday! A member owned consumer cooperative serving our community since 1972.
Henery Hardware
"Serving others as we like to be served!"
Henery Hardware Port Townsend
Why A Repair cafe?
Western society revolves around consumption. We increasingly buy more things and throw away more than ever. As soon as our items show the slightest defects – such as a stool with a wobbly leg, a CD-player with a lid that won’t open or a wool sock with a hole in the heel– we throw them away and buy a new product. These days, people don't even think about the possibility of repairing these possessions. Most people no longer know how to repair things. This type of knowledge is noticeably on the decline. People in possession of this practical know-how are often not adequately appreciated by society, yet it is these people who could greatly contribute towards making our society more sustainable.
By having these specialists volunteer their skills during Repair Cafe,
many positive effects can be achieved at the same time: Valuable practical knowledge is passed on, the volume of raw materials and energy needed to
make new products is reduced, repairing instead of throwing away helps to cut CO2 emissions.
Repair Café teaches people to see their possessions in a new light. And, once again, to appreciate their value. Repair Café helps change people’s mindset.
This is essential to kindle their enthusiasm for a sustainable society.
Keep checking back in
Additional Information
Now that you have been introduced to the concept of what is and why a Repair Cafe, this page will include information that is specific to the Port Townsend Repair Cafe scheduled for February 29th, 2020. Check back on this page for updates.
