First Bikes for Books Drawing

In July 2022, the Illinois Masonic Children’s Assistance Program (IMCAP) launched their new program: Bikes for Books. Since the launch, Illinois Lodges from all over the state have been partnering with their local schools to get the program rolling. December 2022, Flora Lodge No.204 became the first Illinois Lodge to complete the Bikes for Books program and hold a drawing for a bike. Worshipful Master Ryan Scott shared his experience with the program and what started his interest in the Bikes for Books program.

Embracing Reading, Then and Now: Flora Lodge No. 204

Our story begins around 1982 with a small boy who was struggling with learning to read. His mother, who loved to read, helped him practice every night after school and would not let him give up no matter how much he begged her. By the time the boy was in Jr High, he loved reading and was continuously checking out books from the school library. Reading was never his best subject in school, but he enjoyed a delightful book and its ability to take him on a journey to another time and place. His mother eventually owned a bookstore and had in her possession more books than any human should be allowed to own. Fast forward 30ish years and the boy was now a man and a member of the masonic lodge. He attended the grand lodge meeting for the first time and found out about IMCAP and their Books for Bikes program. He started getting excited about implementing the program in his town’s grade school. At his next meeting he asked for and was granted permission by his lodge to contact the school. The principal and librarian were incredibly supportive and looked forward to helping get the program started.

Hello, my name is Ryan Scott, Worshipful Master of Flora Lodge No.204. That small boy was me. I want to tell you how our lodge embraced the program and all the support we have gotten along the way. I will start with the people at IMCAP. After submitting our application, IMCAP Director Gale Kilbury contacted me and went over how the program works. She explained that IMCAP would provide us with all the materials we needed. All we had to do was the leg work and purchase a new helmet for the winner. In no time, a huge package arrived full of everything we needed. I contacted the school and scheduled a time to bring the box to them. The principal and librarian were overly impressed with the quality of the resources they were given and excited about starting it at their school.

We collaborated with the school to decide on a time limit and which grades would be best suited for the contest. It was decided that we wanted to draw the winner before Christmas and allow grades 4 and 5 to join. The school librarian, Becky Wood, is in her first year as a librarian and her love of her job and the children glows out of her. We could not have done this without her help, support, and encouragement of the students. Our 3-5 grade Principal, Leslie Carder, was truly a blessing to work with also. She understands her children’s needs and provides for them, and it shows. Just take a walk through her building, and you will see all the kids have a smile on their face when she appears. She exemplifies the saying that a principal is your “pal.”

The last week of school before Christmas break, I contacted the school, and we planned a time to draw out the name of a lucky child. On the day of the drawing, me and another member, Phil Wiley S.S., arrived at the school and was greeted with excitement. Our group gathered in the school office as Mrs. Carder turned on the P.A. system. When the name got pulled out of the box, Mrs. Carder decided to draw the tension out a little. She began by narrowing it down to a fifth grader. After waiting a few moments, she announced it was a girl…. more silence. Then narrowed it down to which room the winner was in…. her name starts with a “K” (there just happened to be three “K” girls in that class) …and finally she announced the winner. In no time, the young girl appeared in the office where we got her information for her bicycle and helmet and took some pictures. I am sure that girl had a great rest of the day, dreaming about her new bike.

Our grade school has around two hundred students in the 4th and 5th grade. In the brief time we ran the program (around 6 weeks), the children read over six hundred books. The school and our lodge hope to see this program continue and plan to apply again next year.

As I kept the lodge informed, the members decided that the other schools in our county would benefit as well. So, we decided to approach them and use our own money to buy the new bicycle and helmet. I personally feel this has relit a passion to help our school system and the children in it. I would also like to say I could not have done it without the help of my lodge, the school officials and Gale from IMCAP. Everyone was genuinely great to work with.

If your Lodge would like to learn more about bringing the Bikes for Books program to your local school, visit https://imcap.org/ booksfor-bikes-reading-program for more information.

W.B. Ryan Scott, Worshipful Master Flora Lodge No. 204

Jessica Petty, IMCAP Coordinator Grand Lodge of Illinois