By Natalie De La Garza
Staff Writer
NEW SWEDEN — Reading is its own reward, but a chance to win a free bike never hurt.
Six bikes were given to young readers at the New Sweden School by members of the Caribou Masonic Lodge on June 5. In total, the Caribou Masons were able to give away 36 bikes in Caribou, Woodland, Connor and New Sweden thanks to support from the greater Caribou business community.
For the past three years, the Masons have encouraged reading through their bike raffles; the more books students read, the more raffle tickets they earn, the greater their odds of winning a new bike.
Young reader at the New Sweden School Javier Labbe wasn’t one of the lucky few who won new bikes, but he said that he likes to read even when there aren’t prizes being offered.
“I read a lot of books,” he said, describing his very favorite book series “Geronimo Stilton.”
“It’s about a mouse who lives in a city and he goes on a lot of adventures,” Labbe said.
Even though he didn’t win a bike, Labbe said he had fun reading — which is exactly why the Masons orchestrate the Bikes for Books program, according to David Spooner.
“I hope you all enjoy the books you read,” Spooner said to the New Sweden students during the June 5 assembly. “I hope that you find reading to be a lot of fun and a chance to win a bike is just the gravy on the big heap of mashed potatoes,” he said, which caused the young readers to giggle.
Spooner thanked the students for participating and thanked the local businesses who continue supporting the Bikes for Books program.
Everyone was smiling the morning New Sweden students won bikes for reading books; pictured are, from left, front row: Crystal Forbes, Douglas Butterfield, Tasha Breneman, Evan Margeson and Mikaela Spooner. Back row: Caribou Masons Erich Margeson, Wendell Spooner, Dave Spooner, Duane Walton and Ron Thibodeau. Student bicycle winner Jim O’Meara was absent at the time of the photo.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie De La Garza
Crystal Forbes had quite the reaction to having her name picked out of the jar as the winner of a brand new bike through the Mason’s Bikes for Books program. 
