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About
A wobbly bike. A lamp that won’t light. A shirt with a hole. These aren’t landfill-bound items—they’re opportunities for repair, skill-sharing, and community connection. On Saturday, October 24th from 1–4 PM, the Riverhead Parks & Recreation Department and the North Fork Environmental Council (NFEC) will host a Repair Café and Halloween costume swap at the George Young Community Center, 446 S. Jamesport Ave, Jamesport, NY.
Part of a growing global movement, Repair Cafés are hands-on, volunteer-powered events where community members bring broken household items—everything from small appliances to dull kitchen knives—and work alongside skilled “coaches” to bring them back to life. The result? Fewer items in the landfill, more resources saved, and a stronger, more connected community.
“Repair Cafés are about more than fixing things, they’re about restoring a culture of reuse, learning practical skills, and sparking conversations between neighbors,” said Margaret Rose de Cruz, Board Director of NFEC. “It’s an antidote to our throwaway society.”
Ashley Schandel, Assistant Superintendent, Riverhead Parks & Recreation, adds: “Every time someone walks out of a Repair Café with something they thought was broken forever, you can see the excitement on their face. It’s empowering. People leave with a working item, new skills, and often a new friend. That’s what makes this so special.”
Visitors can expect:
- Free repairs (donations welcome) for items like clothing, bicycles, small electronics, lamps, toys, and tools
- Halloween Costume swap
- Professional repair advice and DIY tips you can take home
- A warm, social atmosphere where people of all ages come together to solve problems, learn, and connect
The Repair Café model has taken root worldwide, with events in over 40 countries. This September’s event marks NFEC’s 8th Repair Cafe collaboration on the North Fork, the fourth in Riverhead. By repairing rather than replacing, participants save money, conserve raw materials, and reduce carbon emissions.
Call for Volunteers & Items to Fix:
As with all Repair Cafe’s, we are seeking volunteers, skilled repairers, and people with broken items to participate. If you can sew, tinker, sharpen, or troubleshoot—or if you have something that needs mending—your skills and items are welcome. Also, we are looking for Halloween costumes. Email [email protected] for more information.
