A Quick and Easy Guide for the Bikes for Books Program
The Bikes for Books program is one of the most successful public service programs the Masonic Fraternity has ever had and it is simple and easy to start.
Most Worshipful Brother Bill Woods first brought the program to Brewster, Washington and with his support, it has spread throughout the grand jurisdiction.
The program can be used in the elementary school or your local library, as a incentive to encourage young people to read. This program has provided many heartwarming stories in our communities.
This is how it works:
1) Contact your local school or library and inform them that the local lodge would like to supply two bikes, a boy and girls bike to encourage reading.
2) Explain that they are in charge of selecting the recipient, by developing a lottery or a point system to determine the winners. That they are responsible for determining the length of time the contest will run and when the bikes will be awarded.
3) Although the Award of the bikes may be presented in several ways, the program should be worked out ahead of the presentation with our local partners. Discuss refreshments, to ensure it is clear who will provide them, the time and place when the event is to occur. In addition to the local school or Libraries, you have the option to request the involvement of the local fire department, who are often willing to provided bicycle helmets and local and/or county police who will discuss bicycle safety and the local paper, which often wants to cover the presentations.
4) Another point to be aware of is several of the large department stores provide grants and discount prices on bicycles. Watch the AD’S
Examples of this in practice are,
1) Skykomish awards three bikes (one to grade 1 and 2, one to grade 3 and 4 and one to grade 5 and 6) presented at the end of the school year assembly at Skykomish.
2) Sultan Monroe Masonic Lodge has provided two bikes to their local library for their summer reading program.
3) Brother Jack Houston, Sultan-Monroe, took on the task of providing 44 bikes for the Sno-Isle Library System for their summer reading program, where two bikes were given to 21 libraries and one book mobile. This program was supported by several of the lodges and the brothers in the Snohomish and Island County that make up the Sno-Isle Library system.
If additional assistance is needed for a Bikes for Books Program in your community, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
John Mathers, Chairman, Public Schools Committee
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