In perhaps his final campaign stop ahead of the Thurston County primary election in August, Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders hosted a two-hour meet and greet event on Saturday, July 11, at the 507 Taproom and Filling Station in Yelm.
Attendees at the event were able to have face-to-face conversations with the sheriff throughout the two hour window he was at the local pub. Additionally, supporters were able to contribute to the campaign to receive a Sanders for Sheriff t-shirt or yard sign.
“This is a meet and greet, a little fundraiser we’ve got going on,” Sanders said last Saturday. “It’s been a huge hit. We’ve got a lot of shirts going and all of our signs are gone, again. This is just an opportunity for people to come and meet me, and just kick it. It’s super casual. We’re listening to good music. There’s no structure tonight. It’s meant to be a casual way to hang out with people and let them know how we’re doing.”
Sanders added that he wasn’t receiving many questions from those in attendance, but rather complimentary conversations thanking Thurston County Sheriff’s Office for being an agency they can believe in.
Hearing compliments like those made Sanders feel proud of the work his agency has put in throughout the last three years.
“I think we’ve come so far as an office. I think we are set up for the future, and that we have everything we need to succeed at this point in time. The community is seeing real results,” Sanders said. “People are saying, statistics aside, that they feel safer. They feel like they’re in the know. The community is taking care of us and we’re doing our best to take care of the community.”
Sanders jokingly said he wanted to have his meet and greet event at the 507 Taproom and Filling Station in Yelm primarily because of how good the food is at the local establishment. In all seriousness, the sheriff said the lively and loose environment at the local pub is the real reason he wanted to have this event at the 507 Taproom.
“People are like, ‘oh, you’re campaigning at a bar?’ Obviously, my expectation is that everyone here is responsible and does the right thing,” Sanders said. “But look at the vibe. This is such a cool area. They’ve got live music and people are having a great time. It’s a great place to intersect with people when they’re already in a great mood. A lot of times, I encounter people who are having a bad day. This is a good break from that, to be around people who are having a good day.”
Bill DeVore, owner of the 507 Taproom and Filling Station and a former law enforcement officer, told the Nisqually Valley News that the meet and greet event with Sanders went really well.
Between the camaraderie of meeting those who serve you to the band playing in the background during the evening, DeVore believes the environment last Saturday was one of the most memorable in his establishment’s history.
“I think he gave out like two cases of shirts and all of the signs were taken. It was a good response by the people who were here,” DeVore said. “The band playing was Sounds Like Delores — they’re a band out of Pierce County. They’ve been voted No. 1 band out of Pierce County for a couple of years.”
Additionally, DeVore stated that any local candidate running for office is welcome to host a campaign kickoff or meet and greet type of event on the patio at the 507 Taproom and Filling Station. He noted it’s not an endorsement or a judgement on who they’re voting for, but rather wanting to create an environment where local candidates can feel comfortable meeting their constituents.
“I’ve told everybody that’s running for an office, if they want to do an event here they’re more than welcome to,” DeVore said. “Garrett Kady mentioned it that night and I’ve talked to him before about it. I talked to Derek before when he came in and asked about using the facility. Even during the mayoral race a few years ago, I texted every candidate that if they wanted to use the patio, they’re more than welcome to use it.”
Sanders was thankful of the opportunity to use the 507 Taproom as the setting for what could be his final campaign stop before the 2026 Thurston County primary election. The sheriff said he doesn’t know what comes next on the campaign trail, but said he’s seen nothing but overwhelming positivity throughout his journey.
“I tried to doorbell the other day and people were just like, ‘you’re wasting your time. We’re already voting for you.’ I think at this point in time, we’re just waiting to see what the primary results are,” Sanders said. “From there, we’ll calibrate, but we’re taking this race seriously. I know that I’m the right man for the job.”
Sanders is running against challenger Kevin Burton-Crow for the position of Thurston County Sheriff. The two will appear in August’s Thurston County primary election, and again this November in the general election.
