Vandals hit bookmobile that supports Thurston County kids. Nonprofit needs $70k
The question of who would vandalize a bookmobile remains unanswered, but the South Sound Reading Foundation has a fundraising plan after its Chevy cargo van was vandalized not once, but twice, the executive director recently told The Olympian.
The Lacey-area foundation, which has been around for more than 20 years and has operated the van for nearly as long, used it as part of its mission to distribute free books.
“We were out in the van nearly every day, following the food bank lunch mobile program, visiting meal sites, community-based summer camps, summer schools, Boys and Girl Clubs and Y-cares’ (the YMCA’s) before and after school programming, and community events and fairs,” said Executive Director Jennifer Williamson-Forster in an email last week.
The van was first vandalized in fall 2024 and then it happened a second time in January 2025, according to the foundation and the Lacey Police Department.
Jennifer said the organization has been planning next steps for some time. It also helps that the foundation is in a more secure location than it previously was in Hawks Prairie, she said.
The foundation can now be found at the newly renovated Raj Manhas Activity Center in Lacey near the corner of Sleater Kinney Road and Martin Way.
“Let’s make sure we can keep our investment safe,” said Williamson-Forster about the decision to raise funds now.
In the interim, personal vehicles were used to distribute those books, according to the South Sound Reading Foundation website.
What happened?
On Jan. 2, 2025, the foundation discovered the van had been vandalized at its previous location in the 2800 block of Willamette Drive Northeast. It was then reported to Lacey police on Jan. 9, said Sgt. Derek Thompson on Thursday.
The key ignition was “punched” – a way to start a vehicle without a key – wires were ripped out from underneath the steering wheel and the battery was stolen, he said. Holes, too, were drilled into door handles, the gasoline tank lid and the gas tank itself, Thompson said.
There was no video camera footage in the area, so police do not have a suspect, he said.
Rather than repair the van, the foundation now seeks to raise $70,000 to buy a new vehicle and customize it, Williamson-Forster said.
The customization: security screen, the necessary shelving, an exterior awning, sponsor-recognition graphics, and, if possible, a ramp, she said.
“Our goal is to have our new book van fully operational and available for the important summer months, our busiest time of the year,” Williamson-Forster said.
Donations can be made through the South Sound Reading Foundation website. The fundraiser went live on the website last week, so the amount raised so far is just $150, she said.
“Our book van used to roll through the South Sound delivering free books, big smiles, and a little bit of magic to kids and families. After it was vandalized beyond repair, we’ve been making do with our own cars – but we miss the magic,” the fundraising campaign message reads.
