The Alternative Press

SUMMIT, NJ - Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that would give you new hands-on skills?  Maybe you have some chairs or a table that needs to be repaired or refinished. Or, you may just be curious as to what SAGE Eldercare’s Furniture Restoration Workshop is all about.

Now you have the chance to learn more! During the week of July 16-20 from 9 am to noon each day, SAGE Eldercare’s Furniture Restoration Workshop, located on the lower level of 290 Broad Street in Summit, will be holding an Open House. There will be workers available to give tours of the facilities, items for sale, including some restored chairs and tables, and you can learn about volunteer opportunities or bring in your items for a repair estimate.

“We have a great group of volunteers who work here on a regular basis – most of them have learned how to cane chairs and rush on-site and they come from all walks of life.  For example, we have workers who were previously a dentist, surgeon, watch maker and engineer. Another worker is currently an ESL professor and he has recruited two of his students to learn some of the trades,” stated Al Kessler, manager of SAGE’s workshop. 

SAGE Eldercare’s Furniture Restoration Workshop is one of the few places in the state that you can take your chair in to have it recaned. They also handle rushing and seat cover replacements, as well as basic sanding, staining and repairs. Chair caning and rush seat weaving are all terms for different designs and techniques used in the process of weaving the seat of a chair. The 7-step method of hand chair caning is often tedious and time-consuming, but when completed, the seat is strong and durable. It can take 40-50 hours to complete the weaving process for one chair.

“Many people are thrilled to find out that we can fix their chairs. Not that many shops have the knowledge of these trades anymore and we can help bring new life to chairs that are often passed down from one generation to the next,” said Peter Daley, a former banker and volunteer at the workshop.

“What also makes our workshop truly unique is that we will teach volunteers and they can come in as often as their schedules allow,” added Marsha Foregger, a volunteer who has trained several other volunteers, including another female who is legally blind and works in the shop one to two days each week.

When customers come to the workshop with their items for repair, SAGE will provide an estimate and completion date for the furniture. The benefit to bringing the items to SAGE is that the pricing is competitive and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit SAGE’s programs and services for local seniors and their caregivers. 

For more information on the open house or to inquire about your furniture repair needs, call 908.598.5531 between the hours of 9 am to noon, Monday through Friday or visit www.sageeldercare.org.