Repair Clark County, a program that fixes broken household items for free, has adapted to the pandemic by launching a new drop-off repair service.
It begins today from 4 to 6 p.m. at Columbia Springs, 12208 S.E. Evergreen Highway in Vancouver. The next drop-off date is Sept. 22, and the program will continue every second and fourth Tuesday through Dec. 22.
Anyone can bring small household appliances, lamps, electronics, torn clothing, jewelry, knives and tools for volunteers to repair, patch and sharpen at no charge. Then you come back later to pick up your items in good working order.
The program has a high success rate, with 80 percent to 90 percent of items being repaired, according to program manager Terra Heilman.
If You Go
What: Repair Clark County
Where: Columbia Springs, 12208 S.E. Evergreen Highway, Vancouver
When: 4 to 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month through Dec. 22.
More information: repairclarkcounty.org
Items brought in for repair should be small enough to be carried by one person. Microwaves and bicycles can’t be repaired through the drop-off program, but “pretty much anything else is fair game,” said Heilman in an email.
“Right now, because these items have to be stored and transported, the size rule is even more important and sadly, we can’t work with bikes right now because of this,” Heilman said. “But broken appliances, sewing projects, broken jewelry — we will take a look at almost anything and at least give it a try!”
After items are dropped off at Columbia Springs, skilled volunteers take the items to their homes, where they attempt to fix or mend them in their spare time over a period of two weeks. The items are then returned to Columbia Springs to be picked up.
In order to keep things running smoothly and safely, participants need to register their items and select an appointment time. Register online at repairclarkcounty.org. Registration takes about a minute for each item and is free. The Repair Clark County website also has a handy calendar listing all drop-off and pickup dates.
“We think it’s a great solution, even if it’s fairly different than how we would normally operate,” Heilman said. “We have volunteers who are eager to serve and miss the interaction with the community that our program provides.”
For more information, send an email to repair@columbiasprings.org or call Heilman at 360-882-0936, ext. 224.
