This is a guest article submitted by Megan Hobza, co-director of the Whittier Free Store.

I attended my first Repair Cafe Pasadena event on August 27, 2016. It was Transition Pasadena's 37th Repair Cafe, and I was there to learn. In Whittier, where I co-direct the Whittier Free Store, we've planned our first Repair & Share Fair on September 17.

I was inspired by Transition Pasadena's ability to work closely with the City of Pasadena. The event even took place at the City's Jackie Robinson Center, and the City dedicated staff time to the event, including four Junior Ambassadors (three cheerful, one grumpy, all helpful). Pasadena has a local leadership training program that introduces aspiring community leaders to individual City staff, departments, and nonprofit partners. Wow! Every city should do this!

I was also inspired by the Repair Cafe's volunteer retention rate. Did you know that over 90% of Repair Cafe Pasadena volunteers return to volunteer again? People just like the work. This story from the event might explain why:

My young friend Rilee, who is 11, had a beloved but old Nintendo DS that needed fixing. The repair person, Michael, worked on it valiantly for over an hour, and managed to fix it — but then another part broke. He soldiered on. Two and a half hours had gone by when a cry went up in the repair room. Everyone cheered and clapped thunderously -- the devilishly difficult repair had been achieved! Rilee bragged about it the rest of the day. She had the toughest repair—and the best story —of the whole event. 

It was wonderful to see old friends from the days of the Altadena Urban Farmers Market. A few of us who reconnected are even working on new partnerships that we hadn't anticipated. The Repair Cafe isn't just about repair — it's about creating and growing too. Thank you to everyone who works so hard to make this important community event a reality!

— Megan Hobza
Catalyst Network of Communities
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Rob Hopkins, the founder of the Transition Network, recently called for Transition Initiatives to submit stories about how Transition is working all around the world.  Rob will present 21 stories at COP21, the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in December 2015  in Paris, France.

Sylvia, Laurel and Greg accepted the challenge! What followed was a Skype meetup between Rob Hopkins, Sylvia and Laurel.  A lot of stats and numbers were assembled from various Transition Pasadena projects. Rob chose to focus the story on Repair Cafe Pasadena. The idea that this project–Repair Cafe Pasadena–which has completed 30 events and has repaired nearly 1800 items, will be offered as a story to inspire others, gives us great delight.

What the participants have contributed to is now leaving the local arena. People from all over the world will hear how coming together to repair broken stuff can be fun, and can help create a heart shift to caring for The Earth.  It may inspire folks to participate in creating community by sharing skills and the giving economy, doing the things that make a difference in our caring about our broken climate.

Repair Cafe Pasadena is proud to present YOU–all the folks who make Repair Cafe happen again and again. Did you imagine that bringing your sewing machine or soldering gun to Repair Cafe would be an idea shared with people around the world?  These are the ripples you set forth.
Thank you one and all!

— Therese Brummel

Villa Parke was abustle before the clock struck ten. A line had formed. The Repair Cafe had about 35 volunteers ready for triaging, repairs, keeping order in the Really, Really Free Market and playing music.  Someone brought in 64 tomato plants propagated lovingly from seed!  89 repair tickets were issued, and gleeful folks came in and left with rejuvenated appliances and clothing and newly sharpened tools and knives.

Repair Cafe is conceived as a project whose primary purpose is to build local community resilience. I was particularly thrilled to see a young man sitting with a seamstress who was teaching him to darn a sock. I saw a young woman learning to program something on her iPad, and I saw a woman having a heartfelt conversation while her earrings were being polished. This kind of sharing and connecting holds immeasurable value. 

But the most wonderful fallout I experienced from this Repair Cafe came a couple days later. At the Arroyo Food Co-op, I ran into a seamstress who had done clothing repairs at recent events. Curiously, she was in the process of putting a box of plates, kitchen tools and clothing into a case in the store.  When I inquired what she was doing, she said she was seeding the new “Free Stuff case inspired by the Really, Really Free Market at Repair Cafe.  She said this was all about the ripple effect and feeling a sense of abundance which she wanted to nurture within herself.  She may not know the ripples of her actions.  I trust one day she will.

– Therese Brummel

Repair Cafe Pasadena was visited in February by LA Times writer, Nita Lelyveld and photographer Robert Gauthier. The article is now up on latimes.com!

“Just what was being fixed at the Repair Cafe?

Jessica Ferree brought in a toaster with a lever that no longer held slices down. Sade Musa had a torn skirt with a sagging elastic band. Jean Prinz hoped to get the blades of her scissors honed and have holes drilled into her compost bins.

Anyone with things in need of TLC is welcome to show up at the free monthly event, and volunteers with a range of skills do their best to get the items back in working order. Together, they reduce waste by not just throwing out the old and buying new.”

Read the rest, (a subscription to latimes.com may be required):

August‘s warm summer evening Repair Café was highlighted by the versatile Debra Penberthy‘s songs on the twinkly-lit patio at Throop Hall. Thanks to Don for adding some panache and style to the event with hair cutting and to Jessica for wrangling the yummy potluck food. 15 tinkers and tailors hustled for three hours!

An enthusiastic crowd gathered and about 60 repairs were done including native garden consults, and conversation with the Theodore Payne Society representative, Lisa Novick.  The Really Really Free Market was overflowing and the Neighborhood Fruit Harvest had bushels of grapefruits, apples and figs this month. No one left empty-handed!  

A number of Time Bank newcomers came with food in one hand and repairs in the other. Many came offering to help with the repairs.  The Repair Café team senses the evolution of this project growing and changing. Repair people become skill-sharing people, newcomers want to learn, people who do things that are not technically repairs want to be involved too. It is this spirit that builds resilience in our community.  This economy of sharing breeds caring and a strong network outside the money economy!

Stay tuned for the dates for upcoming fall Repair Cafés.  Find out where you might fit in.

— Therese Brummel

The June event at the Humane Society was another big success for both Repair Café fans and the Humane Society.  The Really Really Free Market yielded a mountain of puppy toys and bowls and beds and treats that was donated to Pasadena Humane Society.  This is the result of a sharing economy.  Patrons of Repair Café feel the great gift and find this a way to give back.

As Repair Café celebrates its second birthday, we find more and more folks want to be involved in the operation of the Repair Café.  Several folks appeared unexpectedly this month saying “I am here to help.”  One older woman, who brought a hedge-trimmer for repair, insisted on doing some hand-sewing while she waited.  One woman appeared with satchels on each shoulder; when I asked if they were items for repair, she told me she came to help. I asked what kind of repairs she could do she replied, “Anything!”  She had brought tools, glue, a sewing machine, jewelry repairing supplies all the way from Hollywood. She sat down and didn't stop for three hours!  One fellow said he had a big TV and asked could we fix it.  Scoops, Lead Tinker invited the man to bring it in and offered tools so the fellow could open it himself.  Our tinkers primarily loaned tools and offered observations and advice.  This fellow was grateful for the opportunity to have a mentor coaching him.

Will Repair Café evolve to more of a DIY opportunity, or a classroom situation with experts on hand? 

Stay tuned, or drop by and find out.  On July 13 from 5–8 pm we will help the Echo Chamber launch their own Repair Café in their pop-up space, the former Echo Curio, 1519 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, 90026. They will have a garden-themed Really Really Free Market, and a seed and seedling swap. For more info, contact Therese Brummel.

— Therese Brummel

The marathon six-hour Repair Café at Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival on May 3rd had an unexpected outcome!  We know that most folks do not want to trot their appliances along with the kids for Earth and Arts Festival – although one woman did bring a very heavy sewing machine in on a trolley.

We did 19 sewing and appliance repairs, and Jonathan was busy all afternoon at the bike repair station repairing about 6 bikes! We attracted lots of attention with our solar sewing machine supported by Scoops' dresser-drawer solar battery setup.  Passers-by loved his innovative contraption!  They also loved our crisp new Transition Information Boards and the Cool Roofs info postcards.  

We garnered accolades from the stage manager, who invited Ginko, Scoops and Mary on stage to share the behind-the-scenes story of Repair Café. That was not the unexpected outcome, however. What was unexpected, was the hacker repair team bonding with each other, collaborating on the day's light workload – perfect for catching up with each other and enjoying the camaraderie and the refreshing breeze in Memorial Park.  Beware fellas!  We handed out 100 flyers for the next Repair Café – June 14 at the Humane Society! 

It will be jumpin'!

— Therese Brummel

It all started with the allure of the Throop Church patio's exquisite 100 year old Bottlebrush tree, in full bloom, buzzing with bees in the sunlight. It was a natural canopy of flowers that could define the marriage spot. The bride and groom chose the tree and set the plan: that the wedding from start to finish would be as simple, yet as meaningful as possible, with little out of pocket expense and as low a carbon footprint as possible and zero waste.

Throop UU Church, where I have invested hundreds of gardening hours over the last three years, but where I am not officially a member, graciously offered its hall at a discount rate for our son's wedding. Ah! The sharing economy at work!

Inventory of Throop Hall found it well-equipped with tables, chairs, chafing dishes, wedding china, and a mishmash of stainless steel utensils adequate to deliver food to mouth. No wine glasses, though! Yikes! A quick message to the Time Bank and I was flooded with offers for borrowing wine glasses and champagne flutes. Collecting 100 was not a problem!

When the auspicious day came, arriving guests were invited to meander through the garden to fill their senses with the vibrance, abundance, and peace found in a lively garden. The garden cooperated magnificently with blooming sages, sweetpeas, sunflowers, scarlet runner beans, and apple trees in bud and bloom.

The officiant was an aunt who gave the ceremony as a gift. The groom, being a musician, called in favors for a jazz trio. The wedding ceremony was enhanced by the gift of a violin solo and another gift of a song on guitar by another guest as a lighthearted recessional.

A cousin with a previous life in a florist shop created the brides simple bouquet and arranged a single exuberant bouquet of fragrant lilacs and freesias collected from the farmers market that morning and from backyard clippings. A few simple tulips in 36 rescued juice jars bobbled on each table which was simply set with rented cloths and napkins.  

The menu and serving it was a challenge, but as Goethe said, "Make a bold move and mighty forces will come to your aid". The intention for self catering was set when Time Bank Chef, Jennie Cook told me they were booked up for that date. Time Bank friends who would not be on the short invite list offered kitchen help. A week before the wedding, the realization dawned that Throop's kitchen does not have a functional dishwasher. Another quick post to the Time Bank yielded two Time Bankers willing to wash dishes. One of them I had never met! Barbara later thanked me for including her as a dishwasher! Her note said she was delighted to find that kitchen drudgery could be fun with new friends.

As the menu developed we also worked to stay with fresh, locally grown food to keep the carbon footprint low. Each of seven dishes for 100 was made by one person in the community. As a final touch, butter for rolls was decorated with nasturtiums and lemonade floated with lavender blooms, fresh from the Throop Garden.  The bride baked her own wedding cakes, a gluten free coconut layer cake, with the help of gathering wedding guests. No plasticware was used except a few lemonade cups that were biodegradable corn base. No "disposable" foil trays were used for food. (when you throw it away where is away?)  No paper products were used for nut cups or party favors, napkins or towels. Repurposed Christmas twinkly lights lit the tree as the sun set. The evening ended all too soon.

A week after the wedding, a group of us were discussing the meaning of the title of the new Charles Eisenstein book, The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible.  I could not help but think how lucky I am to know a slice of that world. It is grounded in appreciation of the natural beauty around us, the sense of abundance found in community, in the gift of sharing, and in gratitude for the love and energy of dear friends, even the ones we have not yet met.

— Therese Brummel