Dakota County Newsletter - Fall/Winter 2025 - Fix-It Clinic: Bring it. Repair it. Enjoy it.

It takes time and money to handle all the waste we throw away. Buying fewer items and instead extending the life of what we already own cuts down on what goes into local landfills. It also reduces demand for new raw materials and energy.

You can extend the life of your items by getting them repaired for free while learning useful repair skills at an upcoming Dakota County Fix-It Clinic. Clinics also help build community and reduce waste.

Clinics are held on the third weekend of most months, usually at a Dakota County Library location. Clinics are first come, first served, and no pre-registration is required to attend. Items must be able to be carried into the clinic, and there is a three-item limit per person at each clinic.

Volunteers with tools and supplies will help troubleshoot and repair your items. They’ll also provide practical advice on how to maintain and fix the items in the future.

Volunteers repair 85 percent of items brought to clinics, which saves money on replacement items.

Items repaired at Fix-It Clinics include:

• Blenders

• Clean clothing to mend

• Coffeemakers

• Fans and lamps

• Jewelry

• Radios and stereos

• Sewing machines

• Toasters and toaster ovens

• Toys

• Vacuums (must be empty) Our clinics also are looking for volunteers to help with repairs. You could make an impact with your skills in sewing, tinkering, soldering, electronics repair, woodworking or general maintenance. Volunteers choose the time and frequency of volunteering. Not a fixer? No worries — more volunteers are needed to greet residents and provide event support.

Volunteers have helped keep the Fix-it Clinics strong since the program started in 2016. They have spent more than 5,941 hours helping to fix more than 5,000 items. That’s kept more than 27,000 pounds of materials out of our local landfills. Every fixed item can make a huge difference.

For more information, visit www.dakotacounty.us, search fix-it clinics.