BOLTON — With the New Year comes a chance to make something feel like new again.
So gather items that need fixing — that small appliance, computer, lamp, bike or unwearable piece of clothing, and head to the next Bolton Repair Café at The Florence Sawyer School Cafeteria on 100 Mechanic St. in Bolton.
An all-volunteer project of the Rotary Club of Nashoba Valley with help from Bolton Local, the Bolton Repair Café will run Saturday, Jan. 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Staffed by knowledgeable volunteers, the Repair Café helps make possible repairs on just about everything except a broken heart.
“We started in Bolton in the fall of 2013, and we run the Café three times a year, one in the fall, spring and winter, and they’re all run by volunteers,” said principal organizer Ray Pfau, who noted he became intrigued by the Repair Café concept after reading about the first ones founded in the Netherlands by Martine Postma in 2009. As reported in the New York Times last year, Repair Cafés now number more than 1,100 sites in almost 30 countries.
“It’s really caught on particularly in Europe, but in the U.S., there are only about 35, so it’s just kind of getting going,” said Mr. Pfau, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an admitted “tinkerer” all his life, always fascinated about the puzzle and the challenge of putting broken things back together.
“When I read about Martine, that got me interested in helping others and encouraging other people to fix their own things,” Mr. Pfau said, adding that the Repair Café Foundation, based in Amsterdam, has been a helpful source of information along the way.
The New York Times article also stated that Café Repair organizers “count as small victories” any broken goods that can be repaired and kept out of the trash, citing the fact from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that in 2013 Americans generated about 254 million tons of garbage including furniture, clothing and appliances.
“We throw away lots of things that often have nothing wrong with them, things that could easily be used again after a simple repair,” Mr. Pfau said. "The Cafés are also meant to put neighbors in touch with each other in a new way to help people save money, and discover that a lot of know-how and practical skills can be found close to home.
"If you repair a bike, a CD player or a pair of trousers together with a previously unfamiliar neighbor, you look at that person in a different light the next time you see them. Jointly making repairs can lead to connections in the community.”
Mr. Pfau noted that some items, because they are “too far gone” cannot be fixed. He added that, unfortunately today, many manufacturers make items that are not repairable and actually encourage a “throw-away” mentality.
“The fix is free at the Repair Café,” says the group’s motto. So there is no charge, and one also can grab a free drink and snack while having fun and working with a volunteer to repair the broken item. Only cost may be for any needed parts, although some parts may be supplied such as wire or thread.
“The high-volume items brought to the Café involve sewing, things like clothing that need a hem or a button replaced. Also what’s big is sharpening for knives, scissors, garden tools and lawn motor blades, anything that has a smooth edge,” Mr. Pfau said. “We get a lot of lamps too, needing sockets or cords. And, of course, computers, cellphones and other appliances.”
Repair Cafes are meant to “break even” financially, but a donation jar is on hand to help pay for some needed parts.
For more information contact Mr. Pfau at (978) 779-5545 or ray.pfau@alum.mit.edu.