Repair Café comes to Tusten

As this very cold winter digs deep in, let’s join together in community with beloved but broken items as a team of fixers do their best to repair them, free of charge at Repair Café Tusten on Saturday, Feb. 21 at The Tusten Town Hall, 210 Bridge St. in Narrowsburg, N.Y. . Tools and basic materials will be on hand.

The team starts at 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Various volunteer repair experts will be available to help make all possible repairs on items such as toasters, lamps, hair dryers, clothes, vacuums, a holey hat or gloves, toys, and crockery. Anything that is broken is welcome and can more than likely be repaired. The Repair Café specialists almost always have the know-how.

There is a limit of two items per person, which should be brought in clean. Gas-powered, microwaves (unless the broken part is mechanical such as the door not closing), or items labeled “smart” are not accepted.

Please note that the team will be short three of its mechanical/electrical repair coaches on Feb. 21, and, as they are the busiest fixers, some items may not get fixed this time around.

This repair café will offer repair coaches in things wooden, mechanical, electrical, picture frame repair, electrical, costume jewelry, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and screening (please bring replacement screen and the proper cord [spline] which holds the screen in).

Our coaches will have the basics for repairs, but should your item need something specific, that item may become a consultation to bring back next time with the part(s) you need. The only guarantee is that it will be an interesting time and the interactions with the team will be enjoyable.

Donations are always welcome – a dry or canned donation for the Ecumenical Food Pantry.

The Repair Café concept arose in the Netherlands, in 2009, and was formulated by Martine Postma, at the time an Amsterdam-bases journalist/publicist. In 2010, she started the Repair Café Foundation. This foundation provides support to local groups around the world wishing to start their own Repair Café and supports the Repair Café in Tusten.

For more information, email repaircafetusten@gmail.com or log onto repaircafehv.org.