Small Fixes, Big Impact: A Look Inside Roxbury’s First Repair Café

June 04, 2025| Community, Environment, Events

By: Patrick Krudop

On May 3, I had the opportunity to help bring something special to life: Roxbury’s very first Repair Café. Hosted at the Roxbury Public Library and Roxbury Fire Company No. 2, the event was a collaborative effort between our team at the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, the Roxbury Public Library, and Roxbury Township Recycling—and it was a bustling success!

Throughout the day, 70 attendees brought in 66 items to be repaired. We saw everything from lamps, bicycles, and sewing machines to computers, textiles, and small kitchen appliances. There was even knife sharpening on-site, all provided completely free of charge. The best part? Our amazing team of volunteer fixers achieved an impressive 74% repair success rate, giving many of these items a second life.

Supporting this event felt like a natural fit for us at the Foundation. Promoting sustainability, reducing waste, and empowering community members to think differently about what can be reused are all part of our environmental mission. Events like this not only keep items out of landfills—they also bring people together, spark conversations, and reinforce the idea that small actions can lead to meaningful change.

We’re incredibly grateful to our partners at the Roxbury Public Library and Roxbury Township Recycling for making this event possible. And of course, the heart of the event was our fixers. These skilled volunteers donated their time and talents with such kindness and care. Whether re-wiring a lamp, troubleshooting a laptop, or patching up worn clothing, their work assisted dozens of grateful attendees. Watching them in action—solving problems, sharing knowledge, and encouraging sustainability—was truly inspiring. We can’t thank them enough.

The good news? Plans are already underway for the next Roxbury Repair Café on October 18, 2025. If you have repair skills and want to be part of something that makes a real difference, we encourage you to reach out to sam.fellman@roxburylibrary.org.

Together, we’re building a more sustainable, connected community—one repair at a time.