By Judy Goddess

On a Sunday morning last month, a crowd gathered on Irving Street in the Inner Sunset, carrying bags of clothing and dragging lamps, broken chairs, mixers and toasters.

Neighbors turned out for the “Fix-It Fair,” a community event that claims “to fix anything – except electronics and relationships – for free,” in an effort to keep items out of the landfill.

By 10 a.m. on Aug. 9, lines had formed in front of the “triage” workers, whose job it was to decide if an item was fixable or beyond repair. A much beloved and patched teddy bear fell in the latter category being classified as too-far-gone for repair.

After passing triage and given the OK to sign in, items were handed off to runners who carried them to one of the nine sewists or 10 “fixers” (available to repair bicycles, furniture and small motors). Before noon, the first items were ready for their owners.

“We were flooded. We served 99 customers and handled 151 items,” said Barbara, the mastermind behind the event, who requested to omit her last name due to safety concerns.

Although she does not recall the exact year she first started the fair, the event has been a staple in the neighborhood for nearly 15 years.

Kare Campbell, a returning customer, arrived early.

“I’m going on a retreat in Maui, and this will be perfect,” she said, holding a lightweight blouse she had bought second-hand years ago. Two hours later, with the mended item in hand, her smile said it all, “Maui, here we come.”

New customer Sara Perez brought her grandfather’s floor lamp.

“It was from the 1920’s, before they used plastic. It needed wiring and its bulb socket was too large for today’s light bulbs,” she said. When volunteer Martin Hickel finally rang the bell indicating a successful repair, the other volunteers cheered.

“The fair is a tremendous amount of work,” Barbara said. Although she said she is exhausted at the end of the day, she is quick to emphasize that the volunteers do the heavy lifting.

“Most of the volunteers are not retired. This is not their profession, it’s what they enjoy doing. They give up a Sunday when they could stay home and relax and instead bring their tools and share their expertise with strangers. I applaud their willingness and generosity.”

Barbara and her team advise that if someone is uncertain if their item can be repaired, bring it. The triage workers will make the final call. She also noted that it’s important to bring the materials needed for the repair.

“If you want a button sewn, bring the button,” she said. “If a bolt needs repair, bring the bolt. If you don’t know what size bolt you need, buy three and keep the receipt. We supply the talent, not the materials.”

“The fair is the best win-win event for the volunteers who share their skills and the customers who bring their items to be fixed,” Barbara said. “I’m proud of the fair. I don’t know why nobody else in the City is doing this.”

There is another Fix-It Fair scheduled for Sept. 20, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., at the corner of Irving Street and Sixth Avenue.

In addition to the changes to the new sewing guidelines (mending, patching and darning only, no alterations), they have identified volunteers with jewelry repair skills and are looking for a spot welder. Interested volunteers can call 415-246-4748.