Repair Clark County volunteers Fred Davis, Les McKown and Zach Thomas sharpen dull knives and tools at the January 2020 repair event.

********* For Immediate Release**********

  [VANCOUVER, WA, February 9^th, 2024] Columbia Springs is holding its first in-person Repair Clark Count event since June 2023.

What: Repair Clark County event, where you can bring your broken household items to be fixed -for free!

When: 10AM to 12PM on Saturday, March 16^th, 2024

Where: Bradford Hall, Vancouver United Church of Christ, 1220 NE 68th St, Vancouver, WA 98665  

Conservation Through Repair. Columbia Springs’ Repair Clark County program fixes hundreds of household items in our community each year – for free! In July of 2023, the program was put on pause, due to a lack of funding. However, in the first six months of 2023, fixers were still able to repair nearly 450 household items, with an impressive repair rate of 92%, and sharpen over 200 knives and tools!  Items repaired included appliances, electronics, and sewing projects. 

In the words of one happy client, “This program really worked to make the concept of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ more than just idealistic words. I don’t know anywhere else where you get your beloved belongings repaired or restored to working order, at no charge – avoiding simply throwing them away.”

Next month, Columbia Springs is thrilled to be offering their first in-person Repair event in over six months, followed by events in June, September, and December. This is made possible through the time and dedication of volunteers, who will be running each event.

“When we received notification that our funding would not continue, we were devastated,” says Executive Director, Katherine Cory. “I am so grateful to our dedicated volunteers who are the essential element in returning these essential events to serve the community.” 

You can bring your broken household items to the event from 10AM -12PM on Saturday, March 16th and volunteer “fixers” will do their best to send you home with working items, extending the life and preserving the resources embedded in our everyday “stuff.” With repair rates regularly reaching above 85%, the odds are good you’ll go home with working items.

The beloved Repair Clark County program is run entirely through enthusiastic volunteers that believe in the value of providing this service to all community members – for free! The program supports the sustainability efforts of Columbia Springs and builds community ties.

Another past client says “The program is amazing! There is so much unnecessary garbage filling our landfills. This program helps alleviate waste, saves money, saves energy by not creating more materials since we are reusing what we already have, and creates a sense of community because those who need help repairing items are getting it for free.”

Dedicated volunteers make this program possible, and Columbia Springs is looking for people to join this incredible community to support upcoming events. If you have any interest in volunteering with Columbia Springs for Repair events, reach out to us at repairclarkcounty@gmail.com 

More details about our event will be on the website soon www.columbiasprings.org/repair.

About Columbia Springs: 

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Located on a 100-acre natural area in the City of Vancouver, Columbia Springs provides outdoor recreation and science education close to home. Our mission is to provide a unique setting and educational experiences that foster a greater awareness of the natural world and inspire stewardship. The Repair Clark County program serves the community by offering free fixing events, repair skills workshops and other waste reduction programming throughout Clark County.

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