News Photo by Darby Hinkley Masons from Alpena-Hopper Lodge #199 kicked off their annual Bikes for Books program on Thursday, presenting bikes to students at All Saints Catholic School for reading books from January through March. Students who received bikes and certificates are pictured at the assembly above. All Saints students who received bikes are, from left, Lilly Oliver, Carson Beauxis, Aaron Donajkowski, Kenzie Anderson, Cephra Mitchell, Elijah Kaminski, and Brantley Ross. Pictured in back, from left, are All Saints Principal Melissa Doubek, Bikes for Books Chairman and Steward Bob Bruning, Worshipful Master Dale Kuehn, Lodge Secretary Mark Stoinski, Steward Ron Shumaker, Junior Warden Leonard Mason, and Tyler Roy Cartwright.

ALPENA — Masons from Alpena-Hopper Lodge #199 kicked off the third annual Bikes for Books program on Thursday, presenting new bikes to students for reading books from January through March, which is Reading Month.

The Masons visited All Saints Catholic School on Thursday, presenting bikes to seven students: Lilly Oliver, Carson Beauxis, Aaron Donajkowski, Kenzie Anderson, Cephra Mitchell, Elijah Kaminski, and Brantley Ross.

This is the third year of the program, but the first time at All Saints. In each of the last two years, 36 bikes were awarded to elementary students in the Alpena Public Schools district. With the addition of All Saints this year, 43 bikes will be awarded, for a total of 115 bikes over the course of three years.

“We got approval to to come in and bring the program in here, and we’re more than happy to do it,” said Bob Bruning, Masonic Steward and Bikes for Books Chairman.

The Masons prioritize educational programs.

“The Masons have supported education all the way back to the inception in Michigan,” said Alpena-Hopper Lodge Worshipful Master Dale Kuehn. “The Masons were some of the original contributors to Michigan State and the University of Michigan. Both universities wouldn’t be in existence, if it weren’t for the Masons.”

Upcoming Bikes for Books assemblies are planned at APS elementary schools, including Lincoln, Besser, Sanborn, Ella White, Hinks, and Wilson.

Each student who receives a bike will also get a free bike helmet provided by MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena.

Tanya Rouse, trauma program manager for MyMichigan Alpena, presented new helmets to students who received bikes at All Saints on Thursday. She presented helmets to students the first two years of the program, as well.

“We really like to partner with the Masons to give away bike helmets to kids who win bikes, because we really think it’s important that kids wear helmets,” Rouse said.

Rouse did a presentation at Thursday’s assembly on the importance of wearing bike helmets.

“Over 130,000 people were injured last year, in the U.S., just from bicycles,” Rouse said. “And helmets can help save their lives.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 140,000 head injuries were related to bicycle crashes last year.

“Unfortunately, once you have damage to your brain, it’s hard to undo that,” Rouse said. “So, we want to keep kids safe. Helmets prevent serious brain injuries, for sure.”

She added that, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “helmets are estimated to cut the risk of death by 37%, and the risk of head injury by 69%.”

Rouse attends various events throughout the summer, educating the public about wearing helmets, including the Alpena Farmers Market’s Save-A-Life Saturday, and the Michigan Brown Trout Festival’s Kids Day.

The Bikes for Books program is supported by the Michigan Grand Lodge and Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation.

“We are 100% community funded,” Bruning added. “It’s been like that since we started, and it just shows where the hearts are in this town. We’re just delivering the bikes.”

The Bikes for Books program is made possible by the following local sponsors: Huron Distributors, L&S Transit Mix Concrete, Thunder Bay Electric, Stanson Floor Covering and Furniture, Alpena Furniture, Walmart Supercenter, Meijer, Alpena Car Care, Nicolet National Bank, Auto-Owners Insurance, Wolverine State Credit Union, Flowerland Designs, Alpena Buick GMC, Bob Centala, State Barber Shop, Alpena Community Credit Union, Besser Company, Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, Northern Eye, Thunder Baykery, Dean Arbour Ford, Alpena Agency, HPC Credit Union, Frank’s Key and Lock Shop, Real Estate One, Starbucks Coffee, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, The Alpena News, Northern Collision and Auto Repair, A&B Storage, UpNorth Property Pros, Builders First Source, and Holcim Alpena Cement Plant.

In addition to providing the bikes, the Masons are also presenting some teachers will gift cards to purchase classroom supplies, thanks to sponsor donations.