Free fixes: MCC’s first Repair Fair unites broken stuff with people who can mend it

People came to McHenry County College on Tuesday night with broken lamps, bicycles, clothing and small household appliances with hopes that community members could give their items a renewed life so they wouldn’t have to end up in a landfill.

Co-sponsored by the MCC Sustainability Center and the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, the Repair Fair brought in local experts and everyday people to help fix whatever came their way – at no cost. The event was the first of its kind in McHenry County, said Kim Hankins, manager of sustainability at MCC.

[ See more photos from the MCC Repair Fair ]

“By extending the lifespans of our possessions, we can reduce waste and minimize environmental impact,” Hankins said in an MCC news release. “It’s a simple yet powerful way for individuals to make a difference in protecting our planet.”

The concept comes from Repair Cafés in surrounding areas such as Romeoville, Oak Park, Chicago and Evanston. People bring in their broken household items, and expert volunteers work to fix the items, with an educational component to teach attendees how to fix the items themselves. Hankins got the idea for the event in McHenry County after hearing about Joliet Junior College’s repair cafe, which held an event earlier this month.

“We’re such a throwaway society right now that we kind of forget that there are options to fix things,” Hankins said. “Now, obviously, not everything is fixable, and we cannot guarantee that we’ll be able to fix them, but we’ll do our best, and hopefully we can help people out.”

Hankins and her team found their fixer-uppers through word-of-mouth and the Facebook “Buy Nothing” pages. MCC facility workers and bicycle mechanics also pitched in.

“People have been really generous with their time,” Hankins said. “They get the whole notion behind supporting the community and also keeping stuff out of the landfill.”

Repair Fair attendee Roger Ferris brought in a hand vacuum and an espresso machine to the MCC campus in Crystal Lake. The steamer components on both appliances were broken “for a long time,” he said.

“Every few months, I would look at them and think, ‘I need to throw these out,’” he said.

When Ferris saw an ad for the Repair Fair, he decided he could try to give his items a second chance. Christian Baker of the Crystal Lake-based electric bicycle shop Becky’s Bikes tinkered away at the hand vacuum.

“It’s nice to help people when I can,” he said.

Baker said he enjoyed chipping away at the puzzle of Ferris’ hand vacuum because it was an older appliance. Older items were built to be fixed, while newer items tend to be built to throw away, he said. Baker said he has been taking apart and fixing things since he was a kid.

“If you’re good at breaking things, you start getting really good at fixing things,” he said.

Ron Cagle of the McHenry County Bicycle Advocates group brought in mechanics from local bike shops for fixer-upper help. He hoped that with his help, the event would be a success and will continue in the future.

“It’s a great resource to engage with the community,” Cagle said.

The owner of Spec Bicycles in Crystal Lake, Josh Davis, immediately wanted to help when Cagle, a loyal customer, asked for his expertise.

“I love working on bikes,” Davis said. “This is more of a passion project for me.”

About an hour into the event, Davis already had helped fix multiple bicycles, including one that needed repairs on the front wheel, handlebars and gears. Typically, a tune-up ranges from $60 to $90, he said.

As for future repair fairs in the area, Hankins hopes to possibly continue the fairs or to support other organizations if they want to host the event.

If some items are a lost cause and destined for the garbage, the MCC Sustainability Center recently published the Green Guide on how to correctly recycle items from electronics and batteries to appliances and paint. The group also is aiming to create a recycling latex paint program later this year.

The sustainablity center’s Green Living Expo returns Nov. 1 after taking last year off, Hankins said. More information can be found at mchenry.edu/green.