Appreciating the Repair Cafe

I had the opportunity, pleasure and privilege of using the services of Oak Park's Repair Cafe the first Saturday of June and wanted to take a minute to express my appreciation for living in a community that supports something like this.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Repair Cafe is open every first Saturday of the month, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Fox Park Rec Center. Repairs to all sorts of items are made for free (donations cover small commonly used parts, donuts and coffee) by a cadre of extremely handy and dedicated volunteers.

The cafe, which is the second in the U.S., is now in its 10th year. I came in with a problem with the cord retraction system on my vacuum; while I was there I saw other folks come in with a string trimmer, a tuner, a lamp, a leather bag missing a rivet, and more.

Whether you are interested in saving money, keeping items out of the landfill, just keeping items you love, or taking part in a true community experience, I highly recommend the Repair Cafe.

One of the many things I love and am proud about Oak Park.

Deborah LevineOak Park