Volunteers gather in the basement of a Lincoln church one Saturday each month to give broken things a new life.
The Lincoln Repair Café meets at New Visions United Methodist Church. From 1-2:30 p.m. Community members can bring damaged or broken items to volunteers who will try and fix them, free of charge.
Volunteer Larry James, who has been with the Lincoln chapter for around a decade, said the mission goes beyond fixing lamps and sewing buttons.
“We try to keep as much as we can out of the landfill. And to fight that whole, ‘It breaks, throw it away, buy a new one’ mindset, because it’s ruining our society,” James said.
The Lincoln chapter has operated for over 10 years. It’s a part of Repair Café International, a nonprofit founded by Martine Postma in Amsterdam-West in 2009.
While Lincoln’s is currently the only chapter in Nebraska, James said groups from Omaha and Grand Island have expressed interest in starting their own.
Volunteers fix a wide range of items, from lamps, fans and small appliances to clothing and costume jewelry. Nanci Kettler, who hosts the monthly event, said the variety keeps things interesting.
“I'm just always fascinated by the stuff that people bring in. You never know what's going to come in. And we do our best. We can’t ever guarantee anything, but it’s always fascinating,” Kettler said. “I think for a lot of people it’s something that's important to them. And then there’s the whole ‘I shouldn’t have to throw out everything.’”
James said the café has a way of turning a simple repair into something bigger. He mentioned one afternoon when the sewing table was backed up.
"The line was taking a little long, and the person second in line said, ‘All I wanted was a couple buttons sewed on,’ and the third in line said, ‘Well I know how to do that.’ And so, number three taught number two how to sew on a button. It's like a sense of community teaching.”
Volunteers range from retired tradespeople to hobbyists, James said. Many, including himself, grew up fixing things out of necessity.
Repair Café International supports local chapters with a starter kit, documentation, branding and guidance.
The organization also advocates for right-to-repair legislation. James noted that Apple products and John Deere equipment were examples of items becoming increasingly difficult for owners to fix themselves.
The Lincoln Repair Café accepts new volunteers and welcomes walk-in visitors. More information is available through the group’s Facebook page.