Ames Repair Café Returns on April 27; Volunteers Provide Free Repairs for Items

The Ames Repair Café will return to the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, as part of Earth Month activities. Ames Repair Café volunteers have partnered with the Ames Resource Recovery Plant and Ames Public Library to promote waste reduction by repairing rather than replacing items that no longer function properly. The repairs are offered at no charge.

"Fixing items or finding another home for them is a great way to reduce the amount of trash we produce. Along with reduce, reuse, recycle, we also encourage people to look for responsible, sustainable, local solutions," said Bill Schmitt, Resource Recovery Plant Superintendent.

The Ames Repair Café Team is an all-volunteer group with various repair skills. Some items the volunteers are prepared to work on include home and kitchen appliances, lawn mowers, snowblowers, bicycles, computers and laptops, clothing and accessories for mending, jewelry, and small electronics. Participants are expected to bring their items to the library and remain with them throughout the repair process. If volunteers are unable to fix the item or if parts are required, the volunteers will assist in finding a local repair shop. If participants have replacement parts, they should bring them with the item. Volunteers also will focus on sharing basic maintenance tips.

This Repair Café event will also include a seed and plant swap as part of the new Ames Seed Library. Mustard Seed Community Farm and Master Gardeners will be available to answer gardening questions, and the City of Ames will have information about rain barrel, composting, and landscaping rebates. There will be a workshop on soil health at 11 a.m. and a workshop on composting at 2 p.m. in the library's Danfoss Room.

For questions or more information, email [email protected].

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