The Masons presented 36 brand-new bikes to students for reading books. They visited each school over the last two weeks to participate in assemblies to honor the students for their achievements in reading.

“The kids work hard and deserve the recognition,” said Master Mason Bob Bruning of Alpena Hopper Lodge No. 199. “We only played a small part in it.”

MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena provided 36 bike helmets to the students who won bikes for completing books.

“We always look for ways to make our community safer, and one way that we do that is provide kids with bike helmets,” said Tanya Rouse with MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena. “We’re happy to participate, and we hope we get to again next year.”

Courtesy Photo Pictured, from left, are Bro. Bob Bruning, Katie Bowen of Flowerland Designs (sponsor), Tanya Rouse from MyMichigan Medical Center, Bro. Mark Stoinski, Bro. Taylor White, George Studley from Dean Arbour Ford (sponsor), Bro. Bill Daugherty, and Ella White students with their new bikes and helmets.

“It’s a program that was started by the Michigan Grand Lodge,” said Worshipful Master Shaun Rogers after helping a Lincoln student put on his new bike helmet. He said they were looking for “programs that we could do to entice more people to do good things.”

He said he couldn’t think of anything better than “reaching out to the students and trying to help them read to educate them more and get them to be our future leaders.”

“We wanted to do this, too, because the last two years, with COVID, they really got behind with their reading and their math, and we wanted to try and inspire them a little bit with this program,” Bruning said. “We thought getting bikes to them would help do that … Hopefully, they keep on reading through the summer months.”

The Alpena Masons are grateful for the support and coordinated efforts of Alpena Public Schools administrators, especially Meaghan Gauthier, assistant superintendent of K-12 curriculum, according to Bruning. He said she deserves a “huge shout out for allowing us to have the opportunity to come into the schools with our program and helping us contact the school principals.”

The Masons credit the principals as well: Ella White Principal Meaghan Black, Lincoln Principal Courtney Fredlund, Besser Principal Stephanie Hitchcock, Wilson Principal Jennifer Marceau, Hinks Principal Jean Kowalski, and Sanborn Principal Pauline Burnham, who is retiring after over 30 years as an educator.

Courtesy Photo Pictured are Tanya Rouse from MyMichigan Medical Center, Bro. Mark Stoinski, Bro. Taylor White, Bro. Bill Daugherty, Ellie Kindt from HPC Credit Union (sponsor), Pam from L&S Concrete (sponsor), and Wilson students with new bikes and helmets.

Bruning added that the sponsors really made this Bikes for Books program possible.

“Without all our sponsors, none of this would be possible, so another huge thank you to all of those in our community that donated in some way,” Bruning added. “We had a lot of support this year from our sponsors.”

Sponsors include Alpena Buick GMC, Alpena Car Care, Alpena Furniture, Alpena Supply Co., Art and Kathy Laatz, Ball Tire, Banner Realty, Bedrock, Besser Co., Bill and Dorothy Daugherty, City of Alpena Dress Down, Dean Arbour Ford, Fitzpatrick Hardware, Flowerland Designs, Huron Distributors, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, HPC Credit Union, James L. Vedder, D.D.S., Jen Del Home Improvement, L&S Concrete, McDonald’s, Meijer, Bob and Lei Bruning, Meridian Contracting, Nicolet Bank, Northern Eye, Perch’s IGA, Real Estate One Alpena, Robert Centala, Ron Shumaker, Starbucks, State Street Barber Shop, Walmart, Wolverine State Credit Union, and UP North Contracting.

“Our goal is to help the community,” said Rogers. “We’ve always helped the community, but we don’t toot the horn.”

They said they want to let people know what they have been doing.

Courtesy Photo Pictured, Bros. Shaun Rogers and Bill Daugherty hold the banner in front, while Bros. Ron Shumaker and Bob Bruning give thumbs up in back with the Sanborn students who won new bikes and helmets through the Bikes for Books program.

“We’re the oldest fraternity in the entire world,” said Steward Mark Stoinski. “We have over 123,000 members worldwide. They certified us in 1712, and they say that we’ve been around much longer than that.”

They will continue to offer and expand the program in the future.

Reach Darby Hinkley at dhinkley@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5691.

Courtesy Photo Pictured are Tanya Rouse from MyMichigan Medical Center, Bro. Bill Daugherty, Bro. Mark Stoinski, Bro. Shaun Rogers, Bro. Bob Bruning, and Hinks Principal Jean Kowalski, with Hinks students who won bikes and helmets for reading books.

Courtesy Photo Pictured are Tanya Rouse from MyMichigan Medical Center, Loren Jackson from Wolverine State Credit Union (sponsor), Officer Jason Culligan, Jennifer Berant from Alpena City Hall (sponsor), Bro. Mark Stoinski, Bro. Taylor White, Bro. Bob Bruning, and George Studley from Dean Arbour Ford (sponsor), and Besser students.