TOPSHAM

It was reminiscient of The Price Is Right at Woodside Elementary School as students were called to the front of the gym Wednesday morning — but the only wheels to spin were attached to bicycles going home with 38 lucky kids.

The event was the culmination of the Bikes for Books program presented by the United Masonic Lodge No. 8 of Brunswick. The Masons challenged the students to read and for every book they read, students had their name entered in a drawing to win a bicycle and bike helmet. On Wednesday morning, Lodge Master Frank Hilton drew the name of a boy and girl from each class and those winners got to take home a brand new Huffy bicycle.

As for those who already had a bike at home? Well, two boys in second grade whose names were drawn consecutively opted not to take one to ensure it would go to a student who didn’t have a bicycle. At least one student told his teacher it is the first bike he’s ever owned.

The Brunswick Masons gave a shout out to the Solar Star Lodge in Bath, which also conducts Bikes for Books and helped get Brunswick’s program up and running. It’s something they hope to expand and take into other schools. Woodside students read 4,654 books for the challenge.

Woodside Elementary School Principal Rick Dedek said the program also wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of teachers, especially coordination efforts by learning commons education technician Diane Hall.

“Our community guests have brought gifts for us,” guidance councilor Helene McGlauflin told students at the start of the assembly, alluding to the line of bicycles on the stage. There aren’t enough gifts for every member of the audience, she noted, encouraging them to practice the clear thought of generosity.

Dedek told The Times Record that while it takes a little extra effort administratively on the teacher’s part to set up the Bikes for Books program, “the Masons have got it figured out.”

“The reason for this is to encourage reading,” she said. “We’ve got the same goal in mind and so a little extra effort to encourage more books to get read and then that other opportunity to celebrate a neighbor’s success, is a win-win learning opportunity for everybody. I would recommend it to any school principal.”

Mason Ed Caron said when lodge members first came to the school to talk about doing the Bikes for Books program, a fifth grader challenged them to read a young adult book, “Ranger’s Apprentice.” As a result, they have been reading the whole series, he said, “so we got something from them as well.”

Mason Jim Saunders said he was struck by the generosity the students exhibited Wednesday, “and that’s pretty deep rooted from my perspective as a parent.”

“I think it’s a testimony to the manner of teaching at Woodside School,” Mason Bob Webber added.

The men recently filled the lodge, putting together the 38 bicycles, which all came in boxes. Webber said the lodge raised about $2,500 for the program, mainly through the membership, but also through sponsorship.

Huffy partners with the Masons in Bike for Books, and provides the bikes at cost and include transportation. Response from the membership was overwhelming “and we’ve got some good seed money for the next event.”

“Our fraternity emphasizes brotherhood in man and making good men better, and our philanthropic work is mostly centered around youth,” Webber said.

This includes Masonic youth groups, through which they convey their moral teachings, he said. Hopefully, he added, those youth will someday become active with the Masons or the Order of the Eastern Star. The lodge also offers a free child identification program — known as CHIPS — several times a year, providing a photo and information to parents to have ready in the event a child goes missing.

They also provide annual $1,000 scholarships to Mt. Ararat and Brunswick high school students, and provide kids with school supplies. Branches of the Masons fund various youth serviceoriented institutions from the Shriners Hospitals for Children to the Childrens Dyslexia Center in Bangor and Portland — programs provided free of charge.

Also attending the assembly were Masons Tim Martel and Andy Caron. The United Lodge No. 8, located on Baribeau Drive in Brunswick, has a website and can be found on Facebook.

dmoore@timesrecord.com