Masons give back to schools

The Thompson Falls Masonic Lodge presented checks to the Thompson Falls, Noxon and Trout Creek schools last month. The Masonic Lodge had established a trust to support a Bikes for Books program with local schools. In recent years, the money has helped the Masons donate bikes and Kindles to reading programs.

The Masonic Lodge property on Columbia Street in Thompson Falls recently sold, and the Masonic Lodge members decided to close the trust. They divided the money between the three schools.

"The Masons of the Thompson Falls area will be discontinuing the bike part of the award for the reading program but are hoping with these funds each school will continue with the bike award. The Masons of Thompson Falls Lodge will continue with the Kindles part of the reading awards as long as possible, this we hope can extend the program further into the future," the Masonic Lodge said in a statement.