Parking: We have made arrangements with PAMF’s Flea Market property next door for parking and direct access through our gate to the warehouse. Please enter one driveway east of Chanticleer to the first flea market entrance and continue to the end. Parking volunteers will be on hand to guide you. See you here!

A desk lamp brought by Peggy deVecchis of Santa Cruz was rejuvenated by volunteer electrical coach, Ron Pomerantz. “I’m so happy that he was able to help me save my favorite lamp. I’ll get to continue using it for some time to come,” she said elatedly.  Seamstress Judy McNally mended, among other things, a wetsuit and three backpacks. “I only brought one needle for my machine, and fortunately it worked.”

When the students were asked what their favorite part of the tour was, the overwhelming answer was, “I liked everything!” Special thanks to Westlake first grade teacher, Tina McGlashan, the Grey Bears volunteers and staff, the chair yoga students who were sweet to let a bunch of 7-year olds stretch with them, and to all of the intrepid parents for helping make it such a fun morning!

Get a Windows 7 desktop computer with keyboard/mouse for $100. And choose from other electronics items, audio/video gear, appliances and more in our Computer Electronics Store. Thrift Store Hours: Mon-Sat, 10am-3pm.

• Make 2/3 of your plate green veges at each meal.
• Split the remaining third of your plate with a protein or healthy starch.
• Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily.
• Sip hot water during the day during allergy season.
• Learn to use a netty pot, rinsing the nasal cavity with a stream of warm, salted water helps wash the allergens away.
• Vitamin C helps block the release of histamine from the inflammatory cells. Get plenty of vitamin C-rich foods, including citrus fruits (grapefruits are in season), papayas, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers and kale.
• Drink dandelion root tea – or any herbal teas with dandelion root in its formula. 2-3 cups daily during allergy season.

Come to chair yoga classes at Grey Bears, and practice at home. For those suffering from joint pain and arthritis, try taking the herbal formula, “JointEase Plus” by Native Remedies, available at your local health food store.

by Suzi Mahler, CMT, NE and Grey Bears chair yoga teacher

Healthy Spring Recipe

Quinoa with Vegetables and Greens
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup pure water
Any mixture of the following veges, finely chopped, 1/4 cup each:
shredded cabbage, grated carrot, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper or green beans
1 cup baby spinach leaves, washed and trimmed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1.  Toast quinoa in a pot for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, in a skillet or wok (or similar), add the olive oil, veges and pepper, cumin and paprika. Stir well to mix. Saute for 6-8 minutes until vegetables are fork tender. Then remove from pan and set aside.
4.  Add spinach to hot pan and stir lightly until wilted, 2 minutes or so.
5.  Make a bed of the spinach on plates.
6.  Add the vegetables to the quinoa and stir lightly with a fork to fluff the grain and blend.
7.  Mound mixture over spinach on the plates. Drizzle with lemon juice and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.

The next Grey Bears Repair Cafe is Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10am – 1pm

For more information, please read the FAQs below, email email hidden; JavaScript is required, or call 831-479-1055.

1) What exactly is the Repair Café?
The Grey Bears Repair Café is a volunteer-driven program patterned after the Repair Café movement that started and now flourishes in the Netherlands. The aim of the Repair Café movement is to reduce the amount of stuff that ends up in the waste stream by helping you fix items that you might otherwise throw away.

2) What kinds of things should I bring?
Sewing repairs, small household items like lamps, kitchen appliances and vacuum cleaners, as well as small furniture and mechanical goods like weed-wackers and lawnmowers. We have a very low success rate fixing CD players and DVD players, and we’re not able to tackle microwave ovens. Nor do we have a safe set up to do welding projects. Due to the anticipated demand, please bring only one item per person.

3) Can you tell me in advance if you can fix my broken item?
Unfortunately, it is impossible for us to know whether we can fix your broken item unless you bring it to the Repair Café.

4) What do we pay for this service?
Repair Café doesn’t charge for repairs. If the purchase of repair parts is required, and they are available, you will be asked to pay for them. For convenience, our partner, ACE Hardware in Santa Cruz, will offer a substantial discount on small parts you may need that day. (Of course, donations to help cover other expenses, like miscellaneous supplies and spare parts that we keep on hand, are always appreciated. See below.)

5) When and where is the next Repair Café?
Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10am to 1pm at Grey Bears, 2710 Chanticleer Ave (www.greybears.org). Please try to arrive by 12:45 at the latest, as this increases the likelihood of our having enough time to fix your item.

6) What should I expect when I come to the Repair Café?
You will be given a number and directed to the appropriate repair station when your number is called. We will attempt to accommodate everyone, minimize wait times, and make it easier for you to move through the repair process. Come equipped with reading material and ready to enjoy the community spirit of the Repair Café. Coffee and refreshments will be available while you wait.

7) Do you only service items for Santa Cruz County residents?
Grey Bears Repair Café is open to the whole community. However, we discourage you from driving long distances to participate. It just doesn’t make good ecological sense for you to drive a long way to repair your broken toaster. Please consider accessing one of the following other area resources if they are closer to you.
Palo Alto Repair Café — repaircafe-paloalto.org
Fix It Clinic, East Bay — facebook.com/FixitClinic

8) Can I make an appointment for a set time?
We may introduce an appointment system in the future but not just yet.

9) What if you cannot help me fix my broken item?
Often, if our volunteers can’t fix your item, they can offer advice on what you might need to fix it yourself. If an item is beyond repair, you can recycle it right here at Grey Bears.

10) How can I support the Repair Café movement?
Volunteer – Send us a note here if you’d like to volunteer.
Donate – Contributions of any amount are always greatly appreciated to help fulfill our mission. To donate, please either mail a check or drop off your donation at Grey Bears, 2710 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95065. You can also donate online by credit card on our secure website, greybears.org/support-us.