Broken lamps, jewelry, clothing and some electronics got a second chance Saturday as residents gathered at the Port Washington Public Library for a Repair Café aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
The event, held Dec. 20 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., was hosted by North Shore Libraries in collaboration with several Nassau County libraries.
Skilled volunteers, including hobbyists and repair experts, helped community members fix items that might otherwise have been thrown away.
The Repair Café was part of the Nassau Public Libraries Repair Café initiative, a cooperative effort involving the Port Washington Public Library, The Bryant Library, Shelter Rock Public Library, Sea Cliff Library, Bayville Free Library, Gold Coast Library and Locust Valley Library.
Community members worked side by side with volunteers to diagnose problems and learn basic repair skills.
Organizers said the event helped reduce waste by keeping usable materials out of landfills while also encouraging sustainability through reuse and repair.
The Repair Café movement began in Amsterdam in 2009, founded by Martine Postma to encourage local, sustainable solutions to consumer waste. Since then, it has grown into an international initiative, with communities around the world hosting similar events.
Library officials thanked the volunteers and participants who helped make the Port Washington event a success and said future Repair Cafés are planned throughout Nassau County.
