A broken butterfly made its way a mall in Salmon Arm last Saturday, where it underwent a long-awaited metamorphosis.

This small miracle took place at a Repair Cafe held Aug. 27 in the mall, where people could bring in broken items such as small electrical appliances, lamps, clothing and textiles, bicycles and wooden items.

For a donation, they would watch as volunteers with skills in certain types of repairs would take a look at their broken item and, if possible, repair it.

The repair person might recommend the purchase of a certain part and suggest they come back to the next Repair Cafe to have the part installed for them.

Maria Otting, Salmon Arm Economic Development91裸聊视频檚 program coordinator for the Shuswap Makerspace, organized the event, the first for the community. She was bubbling with excitement Saturday, thanks to the response from the public.

In the case of the broken butterfly, she recounts how a woman, probably in her late sixties or seventies, brought in a broken china or ceramic butterfly.

Her father had given it to her mother, and then her mother gave it to her, Otting said.

The woman had tried fixing the broken ornament with glue, but it didn91裸聊视频檛 hold. The butterfly had lain in a drawer, broken, for more than 50 years, Otting explained.

Then it was brought to the Repair Cafe, where it was epoxied and fixed.

91裸聊视频淪he was over the moon,91裸聊视频� Otting smiled.

Lamps, both antique and modern, were the most common item brought in, but other repairs included a jewelry box, a mirror, a remote control toy, a vacuum cleaner, a DVD player and more.

91裸聊视频淭he whole day was so great 91裸聊视频� people were excited, so interested91裸聊视频�The whole reason we91裸聊视频檙e doing it is to get people thinking in a different way,91裸聊视频� Otting said about encouraging residents to repair rather than resorting to the landfill.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 all about changing the mindset to have a more sustainable community.91裸聊视频�

She said people are asked to stay and watch the repair as a way of passing on valuable practical knowledge.

91裸聊视频淎nd showing people how much fun it can be to fix91裸聊视频�Sometimes, the items are just full of dust and hair.91裸聊视频�

Even a person with a sewing machine was there, ready to repair fabric items, including tents.

Otting said the Repair Cafe gets people out volunteering in the community, as well as visiting and connecting after the isolation of the past two years. They get to know who to call or where to go for repairs.

She plans to hold six Repair Cafes in total, one per month.