The date reads 10/10/2026. It’s 12:30 p.m. 

The place: the Old School in Brandon.

There are no classes to be held here today. The classrooms upstairs have not seen blackboards being written on in decades, and the building has not heard the bell ring to begin a day of learning in many a year, yet the downstairs newly refurbished workshop is busy. It’s the day of the Repair Fair.

Instead of a set curriculum being covered on this day, any broken, not currently working household item might be coming into the shop to — hopefully — be restored. Several volunteers are ready: with tools, expertise, know-how, eagerness, and a good dose of “let’s see if we can’t fix this” attitude.

From items purchased at the local thrift and antique stores to attic finds, from treasured heirlooms to “trash to treasure” items … anything goes and gets the full attention of the Old School crew. Sometimes it’s one volunteer attending an item, sometimes several heads lean in to consult and suggest what course of action might be successful. They surely don’t give up easily.

In the hour I was there, eight lamps and one dehumidifier were brought back to life, and several more lamps were still on the operating table by the time I wrapped up my visit.

Locals who came to the event had read about it on Front Porch Forum, seen the banner on the Old School, or had seen it announced in the Neshobe Current. All of them were glad they had come. One lady shared that the repair shop in Rutland she had gone to in the past was no longer there. Another person — newly moved to town — was excited about the local resource, too. Another had come to the event once before and was happy to return with a new challenge she needed help with. All of them had the same reaction when their ‘broken’ item came back to life: a huge smile on their faces and expressions of much gratitude to the volunteers. 

P.S. Let’s help keep the workshop stocked with supplies and tools. Donations are welcome.