What Does the COA Fix-It Shop Repair? Almost Anything!

The Council on Aging’s Fix-it Shop volunteers had some quiet time to work on their projects after a cluster of visitors departed – Image (c) JMcCT, 2018 all rights reserved

By Susan McDonough

Don’t throw it away, get it fixed.  Is your lamp broken?  We’ll fix it.  Does your chair wobble?  We’ll glue it.  Are your knives dull?  We’ll sharpen them.  Has your watch stopped?  We’ll replace the battery.  Is your vacuum not working?  We’ll get it going again.  Etc., etc., etc.  The senior volunteers are actually whiz kids!

The Fix It Shop is sponsored by the Friends of the Bedford Council on Aging (FBCOA).  It provides an opportunity for retirees to use their skills, socialize, and contribute to the community.  Most of the volunteers have career experience in engineering or electronics.  They love finding creative ways to make something whole again.

Clocks are among the most popular items brought in for repair – Every kind of clock, from this 19th C. beauty to vintage wristwatches and new models in need of batteries, are welcome – Image (c) JMcCT, 2018 all rights reserved

No matter what you have, the Fix-It Shop will try to repair it.  They have put handles back on suitcases.  They restrung a resident’s venetian blind.  An antique cradle that was in pieces was made new again.  Broken children’s toys get their sound and light restored.  They take apart microwaves and mixers, for example, to find the tiniest bit of grime that may be hindering correct operation. The volunteers can coax bits of wire, cord, or string into replacement parts for many mechanical items.

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The minimum charge for each item is only $2.  Additional donations are gratefully accepted.  If a major part needs replacement, the customer is consulted before the work proceeds.  All profits go back to the FBCOA.  They are the fundraiser for the Council on Aging.  The money is used to buy coffee and popcorn, rent movies, subsidize trips, maintain the pool tables, and to support the COA in any way.  When necessary, the volunteers repair the COA’s chairs and tables and inspect wheelchairs and walkers to make sure they are safe.

The shop is located on the 2nd floor of the Town Center Building at 12 Mudge Way.  It is open from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from September through June.  Click this link to print the Fix-It Shop poster to hang on your fridge as a reminder!

Look around your house, talk to your family and friends.  Surely, something needs to be fixed.

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