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Books for Bikes donates bikes to local students

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Winners of this year’s bikes include Stephen Davis, Max Teele, Lucy Bobson and Amelia Chick. Behind them stand Masons Lodge 20 former Master Gerry Gilman and current Master Shane Cote.

FARMINGTON – The third annual Books for Bikes celebration was held Tuesday morning at W.G. Mallett School to draw the winners of six new bikes. Students have been working hard since the end of March to read as many books as possible, entering their names into the drawing for every book completed.

90 students participated in the program, reading more than 600 books- a huge accomplishment for elementary kids over the course of just four weeks.

“You all know something really exciting is about to happen, and we’re all going to cheer on whoever gets lucky enough to win. The important thing is you have all done lots and lots of reading,” Principal Tracy Williams said.

The concept of “getting lucky” is a difficult one for young kids, especially those who just worked hard to read hundreds of books with the hopes of winning a new bike. Staff members at Mallett School have been teaching the concept of getting lucky throughout the program, along with highlighting the pride students should feel for reading such a large number of books.

“We basically have to teach them how to lose,” Librarian Amanda Roberts said.

Roberts spearheaded the program, encouraging her students to check books out and get their tickets in before the big day.

The Bikes for Books program operates throughout the state, with the statewide Masonic organization, the Grand Lodge of Maine, reimbursing local lodges to provide bicycles, helmets and t-shirts to participating elementary school students. In Farmington, representatives of Maine Masonic Lodge No. 20 organize the giveaway at Mallett and and Cascade Brook School. Other lodges coordinate the event at Cape Cod Hill School and the two Wilton schools: G.D. Cushing School and Academy Hill School.

The program got its start in Maine nine years ago when Mike Theriault proposed the idea to Euclid Masonic Lodge No. 194 in Madison, where he is a past master. Maine Lodge No. 20 of Farmington adopted the program in 2015 after witnessing the results in other programs.

The Maine Masonic Lodge No. 20 will give out 128 bikes to kids in the region this year, with the statewide program donating an estimated $51,000 worth of bikes to the program.

“I hope everybody had a great time reading,” Officer and Lodge 20’s Mason Master Shane Cote said to the wiggling crowd.

Winners of this year’s bikes included Kindergartners Brylen Kelley and Lilly Holbrook, 1st graders Max Teele and Amelia Chick and 2nd graders Stephen Davis and Lucy Bobson.

For more information regarding this program, you can contact the Grand Lodge of Maine at 207-843-1086 or check out their website at www.masoniccharitablefoundation.org.

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