The Olympia Washington Kiwanis members and their friends have cost the Washington State taxpayers over $35 million dollars (so far), because of their allowing child abuse at the Olympia Kiwanis Boys Ranch.

Until Oct 1999, I believed that the Kiwanians and their friends were guilty of careless neglect or callous indifference. After hearing frightening audio depositions from some of the abused kids, I now believe that these people were involved with an "active collaboration with evil". The OKBR staff was apparently actively involved in long-term molestation and sadistic abuse of these kids. The Kiwanians and their friends could/should have stopped the abuse.

Some people have complained that this is "guilt by association". Yes it is. If you are a member or friend of the Nazi, Klan, or the Olympia Kiwanis , I believe that "guilt by association" is deserved. Here's some questions for Kiwanians or their friends.

These judges, lawyers, politicians, ect..., who caused, ignored and covered up the OKBR, are still in charge of Thurston County government, the Kiwanis, DSHS, and much of Wa state government and they are not remorseful. They blame the kids or the "system", not themselves. Anyone I've listed who sends an e-mail, saying that "because of the OKBR, I am not a friend of the Olympia Kiwanis ", I will display it prominently HERE. I expect very few e-mails.

Longtime Olympia Kiwanis member (since June 2, 1982) and current Thurston County Auditor Sam Reed is running for Wa St Secretary of State in the year 2000. I (LAB) will also file to run, so that maybe I can publicize that Sam Reed is a longtime Olympia Kiwanian, and maybe some citizen or reporter will ask Mr. Reed, (or any other Olympia Kiwanis politician), if he knew about the Olympia Kiwanis Boys Ranch? If he didn't know, how did he miss all the warning signs?

From the November 11, 1995 Olympian

From the January 4, 1996 Olympian

From the January 11, 1996 Olympian

From the February 29, 1996 Olympian

From the May 24, 1996 Olympian

From the August 31, 1996 Olympian

From the October 18, 1996 Olympian

From the November 21, 1998 Olympian

Below is an e-mail I received from a former Olympia, Washington resident.

From: ~~~~~~~~@aol.com
To: Louis Bloom manaco@whidbey.net
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 11:34 AM
Subject: OKBR
Just came across your pages and felt the urge to respond... In the early 80's (81-83) I was at the OKBR frequently as a young kid walking to/from school, I became friends with some of the boys. At one point a small boy confided to me that he was being raped by another boy in the home. The abusing boy talked about it openly!
Days later I walked the victim to OPD where we both gave statements. Later that evening I began to receive these incredibly threatening phone calls from a woman employee of the ranch who's name I believe was Paulette at my home. She kept calling over and over screaming at me calling me names. It was horrible. I thought I was helping someone. Nothing came of it. Then all these years later, it all comes out ... one of the boys that I had known there left as a young adult and still couldn't get it together, he eventually killed himself. As an adult now I don't often think back to those times but it still saddens me. All those boys that needed a safe nurturing place to be, and how many of them were better off for having been taken there? It's not about money. It cost these boys their lives, their souls, their trust. Those people who knew, who didn't care, they should feel such shame. Just my opinion.

From: louis a bloom manaco@whidbey.net
To: ~~~~~~~@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: OKBR
thanks for your e-mail. from what i've read, dshs, the olympia police department, and other "authorities" didn't consider child on child rape to be against the law. it was considered "normal experimentation". The "paulette" you mention, may have been Collette Queener who was an assistant director at the OKBR. Collette, OKBR Director Tom Van Woerdan, and OKBR counselor Laura Rambo Russell were half-heartedly charged twice, with failing to report a crime. Both times the charges were dismissed by the judges on technicalities. The lawyer who represented Collette Queener said, (Nov. 14, 1996 Olympian), that it was a "witch hunt", and that " a more innocent person (than Queener) you could not have for a client. She's an ex-nun ..... I don't see how you could view her in an evil or negative light."
I congratulate you for doing the right thing, when all those adults looked the other way. I repeat on most pages that the " OKBR has cost the Washington State taxpayers over $35 million dollars (so far)", because I think most people don't care about the kids involved, but they may care that it has cost them (taxpayers) money.
louis bloom
manaco@whidbey.net