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Rough Riders Provide Special Van For Library Attack Victim

News Channel 8 photo by PAUL LAMISON

The van is outfitted to transport someone with medical needs.

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By JEFF PATTERSON

News Channel 8

Published: December 16, 2008

Updated: 12/16/2008 05:55 pm

TAMPA - In a case that resulted in a minor being charged with rape, a teenage girl leaving a book at a night depository at Bloomingdale Regional Public Library in April was attacked and left for dead.

Now the Rough Riders, a Bay area civic organization, has chipped in to buy her a van outfitted to transport someone with medical needs.

The family still is struggling with the day-to-day care of the girl, including the complications of transporting her for medical care.

"Without the van, we would have to call a week in advance for a bus to come pick us up, and then we would have to get ready two hours ahead of time from the departure, and we would just have to sit and wait," her sister said.

The family is not being identified because of the nature of the crime.

The sister says the long wait in a wheelchair is difficult for the teen. Long rides on the medical transport bus nauseate her.

A friend of the teen's family contacted Bill Bunkley, a past president of the Rough Riders, asking whether he would approach the group for help in purchasing the van.

Time was short, Bunkley said. The family needed it right away.

Bunkley approached the Rough Riders board of directors, telling members, "This young girl did nothing wrong, and now she needs help. Is there anything we can do?"

Bunkley said he knew the request was bigger than the budget the Rough Riders have for charitable donations.

During the board meeting, members Bob Martin, Mike Strickland and John Colman said they would donate their own money to help buy the van.

The Rough Riders board of directors then voted to donate the balance.

Today the Rough Riders met with the family to give them the keys to the van. Several high school friends of the victim came to check out her new ride.

"It's incredible," Kristen Zemina said. "I really didn't expect it from everybody, and for people who didn't even know her to stand up and do something that they felt was right, it's really great."

Colman said he was proud to help. "I think the Rough Riders are sympathetic to a lot of causes, and I think we are going to continue that tradition as long as I'm a member of the club."

The victim's sister says the community has been amazing in its support.

Still, needs remain. "Prayer. No. 1. We need lots of prayers, and I think financial, but I think the community has done a really good job of pinpointing that need so far."

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