About $500 has been collected so far in an effort to acquire a tool that should go a long way toward helping eliminate spray-paint vandalism in Toppenish.
The tool that’s needed is a paint sprayer, which will make covering the graffiti much faster and easier, and will also help reduce the number of paint brushes and rollers needed to get the job done.
The sprayer would be used by participants in the “Love Thy Neighbor” Ministries, a grass-roots movement initiated by about 14 local church congregations.
According to one of the individuals involved in that ministry, the advantage of the sprayer is that it makes it much easier to cover the oftentimes very rough and uneven surfaces that are vandalized.  
Pastor Frank East of the Hope of the nations Foursquare Church said what’s needed is a paint sprayer and a generator to provide electrical power to operate it.
Jim Rathbun, owner of Rathbun Iron Works, confirmed that he has offered a new sprayer to the group at his cost.
East estimated that about $1500 is needed for the purchase of the sprayer and generator.
He said anyone wishing to make a donation is encouraged to contact him at the church.
Contributions so far for the equipment have come from the Toppenish Chamber of Commerce and from downtown merchants, according to chamber president Mike Gordy.