Maine Masonry Today

A year ago this past December, Wor Scott Boyington, Master of Benevolent Lodge 87 in Carmel, Maine instituted a community charitable program called “Bikes for Books”.   This unique idea was embraced by the Brothers and all thought that this would be a great program to get behind.  As the initial planning took place, it was decided that we would have the following 3 area elementary schools participate; Etna - Dixmont Elementary, Carmel Elementary and Levant Elementary.   It was to be open to grades K through 5.  It was our intent to have a minimum of 3 bicycles and 3 helmets available per school. .  

This program would work by promoting an interest in reading by offering bicycles as an incentive.  It was purely voluntary and would work through teacher cooperation by placing a student name into a “drawing bucket” per school as a chance to win one of the bikes.  The student would read a grade appropriate book and have a chance to be awarded a bicycle.  The students would receive one chance per book.  We set a start date of March 1 and an end date of May 15 for the students to read books.

 Never in our wildest expectations did we think that this would take off as it ultimately did.  Donations from Lodge members and area businesses started to pour in at a rate that was unprecedented.  A contact to the Brain Injury Association of Maine resulted in a pledge of securing a fitted bicycle helmet for each student through a grant from the Bureau of Highway Safety.  That meant that every child in the 3 schools from Pre K through the 5th grade would receive a helmet.  That translated at programs end to be 654 helmets!

As the May 15th date approached we found that we had far surpassed our goal of 3 bikes per school.  We raised over $3100.00!  There were now 2 bicycles per grade per school to be awarded along with 2 - 3 additional bikes per school given away as “honorable mention”.  That was 45 bicycles in total!    

School assemblies at each school were scheduled for the bikes to be awarded and to fit the children with their own personal bike safety helmet.   The excitement at each school was electrifying.  Added to this excitement was the fact that all 3 of the Bangor TV News Channels covered this “good news event”!

The result of this program was truly a unique way to promote literacy and to take away the cloak of mystery that surrounded our old Lodge Hall.  It promoted Masons and Masonry in a very public and positive way.  We are again instituting this program for 2010. 

For more information please contact Wor. Scott Boyington at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Sec. Steve Hoekstra at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Submitted by: Benevolent Lodge Secretary Steve Hoekstra, Etna, Maine  04434
1857 – 2010, Celebrating Our 153rd Year