Repair Cafe 2022

By Jennifer Ersalesi

This year the Rutherford Green Team will be hosting another Repair Cafe at Lincoln Park on Saturday, May 21st. The Repair Cafe will be much like the Repair Cafes held in the past, however, similar to last year they will be operating under Covid restrictions and there is no need to sign up in advance. Unlike last year, there will be a “cafe” with coffee, tea, and home-baked treats. All free, but people must bring their own mugs—no disposable cups provided. This is Rutherford spoke with Brian Hanson-Harding of the Rutherford Green Team about the upcoming Repair Cafe.

TIR: Which types of repairs will be made at this year’s Repair Cafe?

Brian Hanson-Harding: Unfortunately, our jewelry person will not be available this year, but we will be repairing furniture, clothing, computers, electronics, small appliances, lamps, bicycles, lawnmowers, and sewing machines, and we will be sharpening knives. We ask people to bring only one item at a time to each station (or two knives) and to stay with the person doing the repair—no drop-off and come back. We will also probably have a recycled crafts table.

TIR: Why do you think a Repair Cafe is so important, especially here in Rutherford?

BHH: Repair Café is an international movement started in Holland in 2009 that has spread all over the world. There are currently over 100 in the U.S. and at least five in New Jersey. The Repair Café philosophy is that we should value our objects and care for and repair them rather than throw them out. It also values community: a repair café is a way to bring people together and engender human connections. Repair Cafés are about much more than fixing things: they’re about preserving objects that have meaning to us and creating a sense of community. Rutherford is just the kind of town where people want to help others out and be involved in the community, and it’s also a place where people value wonderful old things.