ISU's Office of Sustainability looks to teach students about repairing old clothes

Illinois State University’s Office of Sustainability will be holding a “Fix It Friday” event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday at Miller Park.

The event will offer free basic sewing, mending and clothing repair services by ISU students. The event’s main goal is to decrease the amount of clothing and textile waste. 

Freshman biology major Jane Hostert spoke about how excited she is to contribute to the event’s mission this weekend. 

“We all have the common goal of recycling what we already have, therefore reducing waste,” Hostert said. “We’ll be able to help the community revamp something old as well as practicing our sewing skills, so it’s a win for everyone.”

Along with saving materials, “Fix It Friday” will serve as an opportunity for ISU students to connect with the Bloomington-Normal community. 

“My favorite part about volunteering for this event is learning about the backstories of people’s items, whether it’s a shirt handed down through generations or a 40-year-old quilt,” senior environmental systems, science and sustainability major Sara Schelinski said. 

Schelinski also spoke about the benefits of partaking in an event with a service-oriented philosophy. 

“‘Fix It Friday’ works to build life experience for students to apply their skills in a service environment. Volunteering for this event enables community connection, builds confidence and sustains the planet,” Schelinski said. 

Hostert said that the Office of Sustainability is taking advantage of the warm weather and looser COVID-19 restrictions to give students and community members the opportunity to attend a service event like this. 

“We’re looking forward to putting on more outside events as the year goes on,” Hostert said. 

Hostert also spoke about the process of getting a group of like-minded individuals together for the event. 

“To form our team, the Office of Sustainability advertised a booth during the registered student organization fair on the quad. The club also posts consistently on Instagram,” Hostert said.

Those interested in volunteering for "Fix It Friday" can email Hannah Oesch at hmoesch@ilstu.edu or sign up through the "Fix It Friday" website at isufixitfriday.org.