The Township of Georgian Bay is pleased to share the success of the Repair Café held on Saturday, June 6, at the Baxter Ward Community Centre as part of Climate Action Week.
The event welcomed approximately 45-50 community members through the doors, bringing together volunteers, repair experts, and residents with a shared goal of reducing waste, extending the life of household items, and supporting local sustainability initiatives.
In partnership with Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere, volunteer repair specialist successfully repaired 14 items, preventing approximately 65 pounds of material from entering the landfill. An additional 56 items were sharpened, diverting another 96 pounds of material from waste streams. Remarkably, only one item couldn’t be fixed.
The event also served as a hub for pick up of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Native Plant Sale as well as a collection point for several community initiatives.
The Baxter Ward Lions Club hosted a hygiene drive in support of the Port Severn / Honey Harbour Food Bank. They collected well over 80 essential personal care and household hygiene items, including soap, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant moisturizer, feminine hygiene products, socks, hand soap, aluminum foil, and sandwich bags. Many of these items will be repackaged into smaller portions to help serve a greater number of households accessing Food Bank services. The generous donations will provide much-needed support to local individuals and families facing food insecurity and financial challenges throughout the community.
Additionally, the Lions Club collected:
- 140 pairs of shoes and boots
- 100 pairs of eyewear
- More than $500 worth of returnable cans and bottles
“The Repair Café is a wonderful example of how small actions can make a big impact,” said Mayor, Peter Koetsier for the Township of Georgian Bay. “Participants keep valuable items out of landfill, and they also supported neighbours in need through generous donations to the Food Bank and other community collection programs. It was inspiring to see residents come together to repair, reuse, recycle, and give back.”
The Township extends its sincere thanks to the volunteers, repair experts, the Georgian Bay Biosphere, the Baxter Ward Lions Club, and everyone who attended and contributed to the event’s success.
Events such as the Repair Café demonstrate that climate action starts at the community level. By repairing instead of replacing, and by supporting local sharing and donation initiatives, residents are helping build a more sustainable and resilient Township of Georgian Bay.
