Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
FOUR BIKES park at Ironwood's Carnegie Library waiting to be won by some lucky young readers near the end of summer. Dusty Boggs donated the bikes to the library to encourage young people to read more.
By BRYAN HELLIOS
Ironwood - The Ironwood Carnegie Library is giving away four bikes and various other prizes to encourage children to read this summer.
Lynne Wiercinski, director at the library, said the contest is open to local youth and the incentives are working.
"When you heard one little girl downstairs who said, 'I never liked to read, but then there was the bicycle drawing and I started reading and now I really like to read,'" Wiercinski said. "It was like wow, it did work - it did what it was supposed to do."
To participate, young readers keep track of their time reading and document it in a log. The total number of minutes is tallied. For every two hours of reading, Wiercinski said readers earn one entry into the drawing for the bikes. The more time spent reading, the more entries are earned. The logs are due by Aug. 10.
Dusty Boggs, of Ironwood, donated the bikes to support his community. He said economic conditions are not ideal in this area and believes "every kid should have a new bike."
"Last year the kids were really excited when they gave them away," he said adding that he doesn't mind donating because the library inspires people to learn.
"Lynne does a very good job at running the library," he said. "With the budget she works with it's magic what she can do."
Chloe Meyer, who will be entering fifth grade in Ironwood, has her eyes on the orange bike.
"My bike at my house is a little to small," she said. "I'm trying to get a new one."
There will be a drawing for each bike, and the young readers will be able to choose which bike contest they want to enter.
Her goal is to read 30 books this summer
Sundy Meyer, Chloe's mother, planned on having her kids read 20 minutes a day to keep their brain engaged, but said this contest offers a "little carrot" as encouragement.
"A new bike - what's not to be excited about," she said.
Besides bikes, Wiercinski said they have moon shoes, pizza coupons, movie passes and other prizes.
"There's lots of reasons to read at the Carnegie in the summer," she said.
For more information about the library and its program, visit joomla.uproc.lib.mi.us/ironwood, or call 906-932-0203.
