Students at Houlton Elementary School gathered to watch a special presentation on June 12, as Principal Candace Crane welcomed members of the Masonic Lodge No. 96.
The Masons presented bikes to four students in first and second grade for their participation in the Books for Bikes program. Winners were Nikki Deng, Nathaniel Roldan, Aubree Sutherland and Ryland Shaw.
The event began in 2011, when the Houlton chapter awarded six bikes. This year they presented several dozen bikes and helmets to the winners at schools in and around the greater Houlton area. Through the years they have presented hundreds of bikes.
To be eligible, younger students read books with an adult at home and submitted a coupon for each book they had read. Older students recorded the minutes they had spent reading at home.
The elementary students read several hundred books.
Chairman David Rairdon made the presentations at the school and encouraged students to wear their helmets, to walk their bikes across roadways and always tell their parents where they intend to ride their bikes.
