Welcome to the start of the 2025 GIRR Repair Series! With funding in place through the CRD’s Rethink Waste Community Grant program, we’re delighted to announce the spring lineup for free repairs on Galiano.
We’re kicking things off with something new this year. Rather than hosting date specific events throughout the year, Small Electrical Appliance Repairs are now being offered on an as-needed basis. This is how it will work: send a photo with a brief description of the problem your electrical device is having to Renée at galianorecycles@gmail.com. Examples of what might fit into the category could be a lamp, heater, blender, or toaster oven – anything that is small enough for one person to carry and has an electrical plug on it (no gas-powered items). Suitable items will be accepted for free repair on a first come, first served basis until we have done 12 repairs. Note there will be a limit of one item per household for the year.
By offering as-needed repairs we aim to get small appliances fixed and back in homes before folks are in the position of needing to buy a replacement. I’ll be tracking the usage of the program throughout the year to see if this is a system that works in keeping items in use, helping to reduce waste and prevent new consumer purchases.
Our other repair events will continue with the same format that we’ve run in past years, offering 3-hour repair events on Saturdays.
On March 15th from 10 am to 1 pm we will be hosting a Garden Tool Sharpening event with Ian Maday, outside the ReDirectory. As you might know, these tool sharpening events are very popular! Bring in your sheers, pruners, secateurs or any gardening tool (except for serrated blades or saws) for their seasonal TLC. Best to come before noon to ensure there will be time for Ian to get to your tools. Depending on the response, sharpening may be limited to 1 or 2 items per household.
Next up will be our all-ages Clothing Swap, Textiles Repair & Upcycling event, on April 26th, from 10 am to 1 pm at the Galiano south hall. Our multi-focus textiles events have been blossoming into a thriving community affair. Come with your clothing items for swapping, textiles in need of repair (by Melissa R. & Hanna K.), and the curiosity for learning new ways of upcycling textiles. We will have demonstrations on hand-mending, deconstruction of clothing items for reuse (by Anna K.), how to use a Viking peg loom (with Kate P.), and an upcycling project (with Oleann) that you can do using excess materials from our clothing swap. A spare sewing machine will also be available for anyone who wants to do their own repair. In the world of fast fashion and low quality garments, finding creative ways to repair or upcycle textiles is essentially activism by saving all these materials from the landfill. Come and be a textiles activist with us!
A note about the swap: Our primary goal in hosting swap and repair events is to keep items in circulation. After we’re done swapping, most items that don’t go back into homes on Galiano will be sent to a charity shop. The reality is only saleable clothing (think cleanliness, seasonal relevance, and condition) is of value to thrift stores. And if our donations are of no value, they could be only one stop away from the landfill or from being shipped overseas to become someone else’s problem. Of course this is something we’d all like to avoid! So please bring your lightly worn clothing freshly laundered and in season to give it the best chance of finding a new home.
In May we’ll be hosting our annual Bicycle Repairs event outside the ReDirectory from 10 am to 1 pm. Pencil May 10th in your calendar while we confirm dates with our repairers. This will be your opportunity to dust off your bike in preparation for summer. Repairers will be available to tend to flat tires, lube chains, make brake & gear adjustments, and give maintenance tips.
As we get closer to each repair event, more information will be found on our Instagram feeds @galianorecycles & @galianoredirectory, and our Facebook page @GIRR – Galiano Island Recycling Resources.
Thank you for taking part in GIRR’s Repair series! We look forward to seeing you at our spring events. Our fall events lineup will be announced later in the year.
