Imagine a child going home after a long school day – rather than turning on the television, they are reaching for a book, eager to log another read.
For more than two decades, Cooper Lodge No. 36 has helped make moments like this possible by encouraging literacy and education through local schools’ Bikes for Books program – a tradition of service shaped by dedicated members and carried forward across generations.
Today, that tradition is led by Brother Dylan Snapp, who serves as Worshipful Master of Cooper Lodge.
Encouraged by his father and other family members who were Masons, Dylan joined the Lodge in 2022. Since then, he has helped continue one of the Lodge’s most meaningful community efforts: a long-standing partnership with local schools that rewards reading with opportunity, motivation, and joy.
“It’s been a great program,” Dylan said. “It’s something our Lodge truly believes in.”
Bikes for Books
Bikes for Books is a nationwide literacy incentive program designed to encourage children to read by rewarding their efforts with bikes.
Signs like these are displayed on each bike donated by Cooper Lodge No. 36 through the Bikes for Books program, highlighting the community sponsorships that help fund their efforts to encourage reading and reward students’ achievements.
Each time a child reads a book, logs it, and submits their reading log to their teacher, their name is entered into a schoolwide drawing for a chance to win a bike – turning reading into an exciting goal and a celebration of achievement.
Throughout the semester, students read with a purpose. Classrooms track progress, anticipation builds, and reading becomes more than an assignment – it becomes an opportunity. At the end of the semester, schools may host a Bikes for Books presentation, where winning students are awarded new bikes in front of their classmates, teachers, and families.
Tradition Reignited
Cooper Lodge’s involvement in Bike for Books dates back decades. While the Lodge’s participation slowed for a time, it was revitalized 20 years ago by WB Roy Cary, Masonic Home Representative and an influential member of both the Lodge and the Boonville community.
Recognizing the program’s ability to encourage literacy and education, Roy worked to bring the Lodge’s involvement back to life. His vision helped reestablish Bikes for Books as a meaningful way for Cooper Lodge to support local schools and invest in the students’ success.
After Brother Roy’s passing in 2022, Cooper Lodge remained committed to carrying forward his legacy. The Lodge honors his impact through an annual Roy Cary Memorial Fundraiser and Raffle, with proceeds benefiting the Lodge’s general fund and its ongoing literacy efforts.
“He wanted to encourage reading and education,” Brother Dylan said. “He saw it as a program that did a lot of good and needed to be brought back.”
Expanding the Reach
Last year, Cooper Lodge expanded their involvement with the Bikes for Books program beyond Boonville to include schools in Blackwater and Harrisburg.
To raise funds, the Lodge hosts an annual peanut brittle sale, bringing Brothers together to make and sell brittle throughout the community.
To spread the word, Lodge Brothers use social media and personal outreach, often going door-to-door, to share the mission and invite community support. By promoting fundraising efforts on Facebook, the Lodge amplifies their message and extends their reach even further throughout the community.
With support from the Masonic Home of Missouri’s Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program’s matching funds and the generosity of the local community, Cooper Lodge has increased the number of bikes awarded and added helmets for students. Last year marked a milestone, as the Lodge was able to provide more bikes than ever before.
Bikes and helmets like these are donated by Cooper Lodge to local schools through the Bikes for Books program, encouraging reading by rewarding students for their efforts.
Seeing the Impact
Cooper Lodge’s most recent Bikes for Books CAP project supported Hannah Cole Primary School in Boonville. With the help of CAP’s 2:1 match, the Lodge provided six bikes and helmets for students participating in the program.
For Dylan, the most meaningful moments come during the bike presentations.
“Seeing the kids go crazy over the bikes, and knowing how much work they put in to get there,” he said, “That is the best part.”
Hannah Cole Primary students proudly stand with the bikes they earned through reading during the school’s Bikes for Books presentation, supported by Cooper Lodge No. 36. Pictured are two members of Cooper Lodge and Tisha Woodard, the Masonic Home’s Partnerships Programs Coordinator.
Last year, one of the schools supported by Cooper Lodge reached 100% participation in the Bikes for Books program, meaning every eligible student in grades K-5 took part.
Looking Ahead
Cooper Lodge encourages other Lodges and Chapters to explore CAP opportunities in their own communities through Bikes for Books.
“I had no idea how many resources the Masonic Home could offer,” Brother Dylan said. “Without their match, we wouldn’t be able to provide nearly as many bikes as we do.”
As Cooper Lodge’s involvement in Bikes for Books continues to grow, so does its impact – strengthening literacy, rewarding hard work, and bringing excitement to students across multiple communities.
For the Brothers of Cooper Lodge, the mission remains clear: to keep making a difference, one book, one bike, and one child at a time.
Your Lodge or Chapter can do it too. Start by finding a school or other organization in your community, and work with the Masonic Home through Creating-A-Partnership to amplify your efforts and make a lasting difference in the lives of children.
