The document describes the Bolton Repair Café, a free community event where volunteers help repair items like electronics, furniture, and clothing to promote reuse, save people money, and keep items out of landfills. The Repair Café has been held 11 times since 2013, with over 70 guests attending the last two events. On average, volunteers are able to repair 71% of items brought in. The document provides details on how Repair Cafés started, how to start one, tips for finding volunteers and locations, and addressing liability issues.

1. Bolton Repair Café
Since September 2013
By Ray Pfau
ray.pfau@alum.mit.edu

2. Acknowledgements
• Most pictures by Ken Horton
• Some by Catherine Pfau
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3. Repair Cafe Purpose
• Reuse things
– Less things in landfills
• Save people $
• Less raw materials and
emissions making new
things
• Offer a service to people
• Publicize your organization
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4. How it Works
• Guests bring in items
• We help fix them for free
• Guests only pay for
needed parts
• Guests can help, watch,
and/or have a snack
• Open to anyone
• Not competing with
professional repair shops
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5. How It Got Started
• By Martine Postma in the
Netherlands
– In October, 2009
– Intl Repair Café week was
held in Oct, 2016
• Started the Repair Cafe
Foundation in 2010
• Over 1,200 Repair Cafes
worldwide
• Only 25 in the U.S. so far
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6. Types of Items We Can Fix
• It all depends on the
volunteers
– Electrical
– Sewing
– Furniture
– Sharpening
– Computers
– Bicycles
– Outdoor Power
Equipment
– Jewelry
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7. How Have We Done?
• Have Held 11 Events
• Number of Guests
– 30’s, then 59 and 40’s
– Last two events 70+
• Number of Volunteers
– 20 – 25
– Last two, 28 and 31
• Repair Success Rate
– 58% - 83%, Average 71%
• Satisfied Guests - 98%
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8. Ongoing Plans
• First Repair Cafe in
Bolton in Sep, 2013
• Hold events 3 times a
year
– Keep volunteers coming
• Reach more people
– Get the word out
– Help others start Repair
Cafes
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9. Other Repair Cafés in our Area
• Westborough – by Public
Library and Westborough
Rotary
– Next one April 8
• Stow - by Stow Council on
Aging
– Next one April 22
• Goal – have them in the
area once a month
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9

10. Tricks – To Start a Repair Cafe
• Find an organization
that might be interested
• Talk to them
• Cannot find one, you
can still do it
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11. Tricks – Register with the Repair Cafe
Foundation
• www.repaircafe.org
• For a small one time fee
you get a lot of help
– “How To” booklet
– Sample documents
– Logo files
– List location on web site
• You agree to
– Use the Repair Cafe name
– Use the logo
– Refer to the web site
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12. Tricks - Get Good Volunteers
• Talk to friends
• Contact local service
groups
• Ask people to suggest
others
• Talk it up
• Keep them happy
12Bolton Repair Cafe

13. Tricks – Miscellaneous
• Find a location
• Get people to come
– Press Releases
– Web Sites
– Social Media
– Flyers
– Emails
– Signs and Banners
• Cover costs
– Put out donation jars
• Keep things positive and fun
• Use written registrations
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14. Ongoing Issue – Liability
• Have guests sign a
waiver
• Rotary Club has liability
insurance
• Other options
– Volunteer homeowner’s
insurance
– Other insurance for
organization sponsoring
the event
– Event insurance
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15. Come to An Upcoming Event
• Westborough – Sat Apr 8
– 9 am – 12 noon
– Westborough Public Library
• Stow – Sat Apr 22
– 9 am – 12 noon
– Stow Community Center
• Fixit Clinic at MIT – Sat Apr 22
– 10 am – 1 pm
– Edgerton Center at MIT
• Bolton - Sat May 20
– 9 am – 1 pm
– Florence Sawyer School
• Not in the area, check
www.repaircafe.org
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16. Find Out More
• www.nashobarotary.org
• www.facebook.com/nashobarotary
• www.boltonlocal.org
• www.repaircafe.org
• Boston Globe article
– May 20, 2016 Boston West
• NY Times article
– Jan 18, 2017
• Facebook by ATTN: Video
• Contact me
– ray.pfau@alum.mit.edu
– (978) 779-5545
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17. Any Questions?
?
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