An article in the February 21 edition of the Review and Express for Schuyler County detailed two upcoming events to repair household items and minimize waste. This first Repair Cafe will be happening on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Montour Falls Fire Department, 111 Lee St., Montour Falls. A second cafe will be held in Hector in June, with a finalized date and location to be announced.  The village of Montour Falls and town of Hector are partnering to bring these events to Schuyler County.  

Repair cafes are locally run, pop-up events that promote the repairing household items as an alternative to sending things to the landfill. Volunteer repair personnel can repair a high percentage of the items brought into a cafe. The most common repairs include lamps, vacuums, and small appliances. Mechanical and wooden items, textiles, jewelry, bikes, and computers are among other items that may be repaired. General repairs are offered free for labor, with some replacement parts offered at a little-to-no cost. Donations of funds, contributions of parts for fixes, and lunch for the volunteers are very welcome and help repair cafes operate at a low cost. Volunteer support including greeters and other helpers are also wanted. 

Montour Falls Mayor James Ryan stated that, "This is an international movement brought to you by the Sustainability Committee volunteers and our partners in Hector. Repair Cafes are an important part of the circular economy-they help keep things out of the landfill and save resources, energy, and money." Repair Cafes also meet Climate Smart Communities (CSC) standards for sustainability. Climate Smart Communities is a New York state program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by offering grants, rebates for electric vehicles, and free technical assistance. Gary Judson, chairperson, Town of Hector Sustainability Committee stated, "I am delighted about this new, joint venture in our county to help us reduce waste, keep our landfills from overflowing, and create a more sustainable earth for us all."

North New York, in Montour Falls, will be donating coffee, tea, and pastries in support of the first Repair Cafe. 

There are thousands of Repair Cafes globally that strive to preserve repair skills in society. Repair coaches are needed for these upcoming local events. If you are a friendly, handy, fix-it-type person who wants to minimize waste, keep the Finger Lakes a clean and beautiful place to live, and share your skills with others, then volunteer to be a repair coach. 

To offer your skills to repair things for your neighbors or assist with the event, please email: sustainablemontourfalls1@gmail.com. 

You can also find out more about the international Repair Cafe movement at https://www.repaircafe.org/en/