A broken toaster, a torn jacket, or a wobbly chair—rather than tossing them, the upcoming Repair Café in Estevan on March 29 invites people to bring their damaged items and get them fixed for free.
The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council is excited to bring the event back to the Estevan Public Library for a fourth time, and once again, local volunteers with repair skills are needed to make it happen.
Bobbie Duns, Events Coordinator and Finance Administrator for the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council, explained what attendees can expect.
"Repair Cafés are free, one-day pop-up events where people can bring in broken items and have them repaired," she said. "So, of course, we're looking for people who can repair various kinds of items."
Duns emphasized that the Repair Cafés are community-driven events where volunteers play a crucial role.
"For each event, we try to have a sewing and mending station for clothing and textiles, a small appliance station, and a computer repair station," she said. "We also often see stations for bike repair, shoe maintenance, jewelry repair, small engines, and even knife sharpening. We like to have a glue and tape station, too, so if you're handy but don’t specialize in a particular skill, there's still a place for you."
This will be the fourth Repair Café in Estevan since 2022, and Duns said its popularity continues to grow. "We usually host them in the fall, but since last year’s event was so successful, we decided to add a spring one."
Those interested in volunteering can register at www.saskwastereduction.ca/events.