Yarmouth Repair Meetup

We’re always looking for volunteers! Interested in becoming a Yarmouth Repairer? Fill out this form.

Is there something around your home that needs fixing? Maybe it’s a cherished item you can’t quite bring yourself to discard, or an appliance or gadget you know could be repaired but don’t know where to start.

Bring it to the Yarmouth Repair Meetup, where volunteers will help you repair or mend your broken items – and who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two along the way!

Give your things a second life: 

• When: October, 17th from 10:00am – 1:00pm
• Where: Community Room – 200 Main Street, Yarmouth, ME – Use Rear Parking-lot
• Cost: Free

Drop in anytime during the event! For the best chance of getting your item repaired, we recommend coming early, as repairs are handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

What can I bring?

Bring a broken, damaged, or well-loved item and our volunteer repairers will take a look. If you have an idea of what your item needs to be repaired, please bring any relevant parts or supplies with you. While some of our volunteers may have supplies on hand, we can’t guarantee that they’ll have everything needed for your particular repair.

At this meetup, we have volunteers able to repair:

• Knife Sharpening
• Clothing & Textiles – Darning, patching, hemming, and other fabric repairs
• Jewelry & Accessories – Jewelry and related items
• Furniture & Woodwork – Furniture repairs and other wooden items
• Small & Medium Electrical Appliances – Vacuums, lamps, coffee makers, toaster ovens, electric kettles, and more
• Household Items & Kitchenware – Ceramics, cookware, kitchen tools, trinkets, and other non-electrical items
• Plants & Gardening – Garden tools, plant health, repotting, and more
• Recreational Equipment – Bicycles, skis, inner tubes, and other recreational gear
• Musical Instruments – Instrument repairs and maintenance

We will have many skilled clothing and cloth menders, so bring your sweaters, pants, blankets, and anything else you can find that is in need of repair.

The goal of this event is to build community and teach repair skills to those who are interested. Keeping useful items out of the landfill is a great outcome, but not the main goal.

What to Expect

Step 1: Find your damaged item
Step 2: Come! When you arrive, someone will meet with you to sign in and assessed where you should go based on what you brought in
Step 3: Meet with your volunteer repairer
Step 4: Repair your item with the volunteer!
Step 5: Grab a snack and talk with other people
Step 6: Take your newly repaired item home or leave with a plan on how to repair it.

A Few Things to Know

• Repairs are not guaranteed.
• Some repairs may require a replacement part or additional work after the meetup.
• Volunteers will determine whether an item can be safely repaired.
• Please bring only items that you can safely transport yourself.
• Items should not be dropped off with the intent to have them picked up later.
• Participants are expected to get assistance with their repair – this could be through instruction and guidance given by the volunteer or by the participant simply watching and talking with the volunteer.

Before You Come

If you can, bring:

• The item that needs repair
• Any relevant cords, accessories, or removable parts
• The owner’s manual or instructions
• Replacement parts you already have
• Information about what happened when the item stopped working
• A snack to share!

Why Repair?

Repairing instead of replacing can save money, preserve items we value, reduce waste, and help build practical skills within our community. The Yarmouth Repair Meetup is an opportunity to learn from one another and give broken items a second life.

Contact:

Christy Phillips – cphillips@gpcog.org

Meddy Smith – msmith@yarmouth.me.us