On the first Saturday of each month, the team led by initiator Peter Kiefer will work together with the owners of the respective items from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM to repair them jointly. Currently, the team consists of ten people who volunteer their time in the spirit of sustainability. Under the motto "Help for self-help," items that might otherwise end up in the trash are given a second life.
Together with the local head of Macherbach, Jürgen Nürnberger, and several other local heads from the municipality, Eppelborn's mayor Andreas Feld officially opened the repair café on Saturday morning.
He was convinced by the concept from the very first conversation. "Repair instead of throwing away – help for self-help, that is good for our environment," emphasized the mayor and welcomed the idea and commitment of the volunteers. "On the one hand, it is nice that people come together here to ensure that everyday items that no longer work do not end up in the trash immediately. On the other hand, I am pleased that such an intensive exchange with good conversations takes place. This makes the repair café at the same time a vibrant meeting place in our community," said the mayor. The purpose of the offer is to repair defective everyday items that are brought in collectively in a pleasant atmosphere, added local head Nürnberger. The goal of the initiative: avoid waste, save resources, and thus protect the environment.
By the way: In keeping with the spirit of sustainability, fair trade coffee and cake made with fair trade ingredients are served at the repair café. Mayor Andreas Feld presented the local head with a basket of fair trade products that meet the requirements of international Fairtrade standards. Irene Horras, spokesperson for the Fairtrade steering group of the municipality of Eppelborn, said, "We want to anchor the idea of sustainability in the repair café. This is especially fitting here," she explained.
Of course, after the welcoming remarks, there was also time to carry out the first repairs and, if this was not successful, to begin an initial troubleshooting.
Among other things, a vacuum cleaner with a torn cable and a lamp were made operational again. The team, currently consisting of six electricians and one goldsmith, is well equipped to handle problems with electrical appliances or goldsmithing work. The participants would very much like to take on a few more women as reinforcement in order to offer help for self-help in the area of textiles as well. "Anyone who is skilled with needle and thread or sewing machine and wants to volunteer is warmly invited to support us," emphasizes Peter Kiefer.
For more information, contact Peter Kiefer at Tel.: (0 68 06) 8 35 12. The next meeting is on Saturday, October 1, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Macherbach Community Center.
