Masonic Bikes for Books rides again

Thanks to a collaboration between the Sno-Isle Libraries system and Sultan-Monroe Masonic Lodge No. 160, four Sultan School District students received brand new bicycles last week.

The Masonic Bikes for Books campaign is a nationwide initiative aimed at enhancing community literacy by getting kids to read more. The campaign has been enthusiastically embraced by staff at the Sultan Library, who have organized a reading contest for the past several years for the giveaway.

This year's contest was available to kids kindergarten through eighth grade, who were asked to submit a written entry telling the library about a book they read in April. As an alternative, they were allowed to sketch an artistic rendering of their favorite scene in the book.

The library handled the logistics of the contest, which was promoted at both Sultan Elementary and Sultan Middle School. The four winners were randomly drawn from the pool of entries.

In addition to receiving new bicycles funded by the Masons, the kids were given bike helmets and locks, funded by Snohomish County Fire District No. 5 and the Friends of the Sultan Library, respectively.-á -á

Three of the winners, Alfonso Saldana, 12, Joesiah Day, 13 and Kiana Kypreos, 10, received their bicycles in a surprise awards ceremony on Monday, May 23, at the Sultan Library. Sultan-Monroe Masonic Lodge No. 160 Junior Deacon Fred Grannan was there to present the bikes, while District 5 Chief Merlin Halverson and firefighter Steve Tonkin presented the helmets.

Sultan Library staffer Dawn Kaestner didn't tell the children they had won until they were all seated in the library. She revealed a ceremonial awards certificate honoring the three, who were then presented with their new bikes, which had been stashed out of sight.

She explained the bikes were purchased for them by the Sultan-Monroe Masonic Lodge, and introduced Grannan.-á

"Their main goal is to foster literacy in kids in the community and to have you reading, because it's so important,GÇ¥ Kaestner said. "That's why Fred and all the members of his group wanted to recognize you for reading.GÇ¥

Tonkin, who manages the district's bicycle helmet program, gave the kids a brief safety talk about the importance of wearing a helmet while riding. He reminded them that the shiny red ambulances used by firefighters are neat, but being injured and having to ride in one is a whole different story.

"It's fun to look at but it's no fun to ride in the back of that,GÇ¥ Tonkin said.

Tonkin is an advocate for youth safety, and has given school-wide presentations at Sultan Elementary School. As a part of the bicycle helmet program, Tonkin rewards kids wearing them with gift certificates donated by the Sultan McDonald's.-á

Saldana, Kypreos and Day wore ear-to-ear grins upon receiving their new bikes.

Day said he read "Call of the Wild,GÇ¥ by Jack London, and wrote a short summary about the book. Saldana read "The Terrible Two,GÇ¥ by Jory John and Mac Barnett, and Kypreos read "Little Women,GÇ¥ by Louisa May Alcott. Kypreos, a student at Gold Bar Elementary School, said she really enjoyed the story.

"I loved it,GÇ¥ Kypreos said. "It was awesome.GÇ¥

Joesiah Day is the son of Cathy and Aaron Day, the founders of Crosswater Community Church in Sultan, which will celebrate nine years in Sultan this September. Cathy said she tried to keep the award a surprise, and didn't tell Joesiah why they were heading to the library.

"I think once we got here he kind of had an idea,GÇ¥ Cathy said.

The fourth winner, Elianna Emmons, received her bicycle during an assembly at Sultan Elementary School on Friday, May 27.

For more information about the Sultan Library, visit www.facebook.com/SULLibrary/?fref=ts.-á For more information about the Masons, visit www.lodge160.org.