Liz Kirchner
It’s an old idea made new—the idea that our community is stronger when neighbors make it a practice to help each other.
Coinciding with International Repair Café Week, the NRV TimeBank is holding a Repair Café, a free event that promotes repair as an alternative to tossing things out.
The all-day event will be held at the Habitat for Humanity of the NRV at the Habitat ReStore, 1675 N Franklin St, Christiansburg VA on Oct. 14 from 9-3 p.m.
“The NRV TimeBank is devoted to building community through helping neighbors meet and work with each other. A Repair Cafe is an event that brings neighbors together under the pretense of working together to solve problems,” Dan Crowder, a NRV TimeBank spokesperson wrote in an email.
“People can bring their broken items in to be fixed by people skilled in fixing such items. They are a lot of fun and serve to help the community resist the throwaway economy,” TimeBank’s Facebook page explained
This is TimeBank’s first Repair Cafée. Volunteers will be fixing small electronics, wooden furniture, and clothing, as well as providing IT support and knife sharpening.
“Anything we can’t fix we will try to diagnose and make recommendations for where to get it fixed,” the page said.
Extending the learning component of the event, during the Café, a Sustainability Exposition hosted by the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech will be going on in the ReStore parking lot. Representatives will have tips on how to make households more sustainable and there will be hands-on activities for all ages.
“The inherent values in each of these programs are complimentary and the chance to work with Habitat for Humanity of the NRV and the Myers-Lawson School of Construction to make this Repair Cafe happen is our pleasure,” TimeBank’s Dawson wrote.
The Repair Café idea was launched by the Repair Café Foundation, a Dutch non-profit organization.
Like the Repair Café, a TimeBank is an old idea made new that strengthens a community. “The possibilities for exchange are endless and may include home repair, animal care, yard work, cooking lessons, computer instruction, etc. All services are valued equally, and all members are respected for what they have to offer,” TimeBank explains.
For more TimeBank information visit: nrv.timebanks.org/page/2-getting-started-with-the-new-river-valley-timebank
