Fall Repair Café Coming Nov. 15

For over 25 years, the Environmental Center has worked to encourage the people of Bend to incorporate environmentally conscious practices into their daily lives. Their Rethink Waste Project has been setting up Repair Cafés across Bend since 2013, helping to eliminate waste by repairing over 200 items.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15th from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m the organization will hold their Fall Repair Café at the local makerspace, DIYcave. Volunteers at the Fall Repair Café are prepared to fix a wide variety of household items including electronics, appliances and furniture, but also outdoor gear and more. DenFor the first time we will also be including a Hair Repair station. They have been done at Repair Cafés in other locations, and when a local hair stylist attended the event last spring she was open to trying it out. She will be doing minor things like trimming bangs, fixing self-cuts, and other quick things to fix people’s hair styles,” says Denise Rowcraft, Rethink Waste Project Manager.

The timing of the event lines up with America Recycles Day, a national initiative that helps organize events in smaller communities. Attendants of this season’s Repair Café can trade in old compact fluorescent (CFL) lightbulbs for free LEDs. CFL bulbs contain mercury and are unusually difficult to recycle, so the event offers attendants an easy way to safely get rid of their old lightbulbs. Although the use of DIYcave usually requires a membership, attendance of this season’s Repair Café is free. DIYcave offers training and provides the use of their wide variety of equipment.

“We're excited to be hosting the Repair Café again. DIYcave is a perfect place to have this great event because we're all about using the resources we have to make something great,” said co-owner Dave Danek. “The goal of the Repair Café fits right in with that ideal.”