Driven by love: A teacher’s legacy rolls on with the Scooby-Doo reading van

It was the brainchild of third-grade schoolteacher Rhonda Clements, a grade schoolteacher with a love for her students and a love for reading, so, she and her husband began a labor of love combining the two passions.

“She goes, 'I want a van.' And I said, 'A van?' And she, 'Goes yeah,'” said Leslie Clements, Rhonda’s husband.

But this wouldn’t be just any van; Rhonda wanted a reading van to take to schools for kids to read in, with just one more added task for her husband, Leslie.

“She said I want a Scooby-Doo van,” said Clements.

So, they bought a van and started the recreation process. But sadly, Rhonda passed away from cancer before the van was finished.

“She believed in kids reading, so I’m just trying to keep her dream going,” said Clements.

Initially, Clements wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue the project, but he did, and now, when he is able, he takes the van to schools, libraries and car shows.

“I don’t even charge and stuff. I just take donations and stuff, because I don’t want to make it a job,” said Clements.

And he seldom travels alone.

“This is Fred, he’s the one that drives the van. This is Daphanie, then we’ve got Velma, is the smart one,” said Clements.

And of course, Scooby and Shaggy, and even a couple of the villains. And this van always attracts lots of attention.

“I get flipped off, with a thumb up, I get honked and it’s not road rage,” said Clements. 

With the shag carpet and the personalized Ruh-Roh license plate.

“When you see people waving and honking at you and everything there’s probably somebody in one of the other cars that just had a bad day, and they see the Scooby Doo van and start smiling,” said Clements.

Now again, Leslie doesn’t charge to take the van out, although events are limited. To get in touch with him, visit the Facebook page @ Reading with Scooby and the gang.