Are you clinging to a broken item – for example, a lamp or piece of jewelry – that you want to keep but don’t know how to fix? If so, you may be in luck. On Sunday, October 18, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Westwood Environmental Action Committee and Charles River Repair Coalition will host their quarterly Repair Café.

At repair cafés, individuals bring broken items to volunteers who donate their time and tools to fix those items. Repair cafés are part of a grassroots movement aimed at reducing consumption and waste while also fostering community bonding. Since 2009, when the first repair café took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, repair cafés have proliferated throughout the world.

How it Works:

1. Show up with the items you want to have repaired. Fixable items include bicycles, clothing, jewelry, lamps, small furniture and small appliances. 

2. One of our "fixers" - volunteers with particular repair skills and tools - will fix your item. Please note: fixing is free but not guaranteed. If your items needs a replacement part, you will need to buy or reimburse the fixer for the part. Some basic parts are available for purchase on site.

3. Mingle with neighbors and enjoy drinks and snacks provided at the event.