Sumner Phoenix Lodge 154 was awarded the Pillar of Progress for Community Involvement by the Grand Masonic Lodge of Washington state.

The lodge was honored for its contributions to schools, including $1,600 worth of bicycles to Sumner School District grade schools for their Bikes to Books Program and $2,000 in Junior Achievement Award scholarships given to Sumner and Bonney Lake High School students every year.

“It’s just nice to receive a little recognition for the work we’ve done,” Sideliner Garry Gerking said.

The Phoenix Lodge donates the bikes and money, but leaves it up to the schools to determine how they are awarded.

Grade school students receive coupons for each book they read, which go into a boys and girls raffle for the two bikes at each school.

Junior Achievement scholarships are awarded at $500 per student for outstanding essays.