Members of Axixic Masonic Lodge arrived at the principal plaza in the Lakeside village of San Nicolas de Ibarra April 13 to set up shop for their ongoing ‘Tape-A-Bike’ program.
The Masons initiated the program four years ago when they noticed hundreds of children and young workers along the north shore riding their bicycles, even at dusk or in the dark, without lights or reflectors. As part of the Masonic Community Service programs and specifically directed at their concern for the safety of children, they initiated the Tape-A-Bike service to show up once a year at the six major population centers along the North shore of Lake Chapala to provide reflective tape to the front and rear forks of the kids’ bicycles. So far, the program has provided reflective tape to more than 1,000 bicycles in the plazas of San Nicolas, Santa Cruz, Chapala, Ajijic, San Juan Cosala and Jocotepec. “Tape-A-Bike” is a never ending program as each year there is not only a new crop of bike-riding children, but also new bicycles,” said Mason Wes Weston.”
An addition to the Masonic crew during their work on April 13 was Ana Luisa Raygoza Ibarra, Delegado of San Nicolas. She joined the Masons to thank them for their service to the children of this western-most small village (2,500 population) in the municipality of Chapala. Raygoza then participated in the activities by using the village public address system to encourage all bicycle owners to bring their bikes to the plaza. Multi-lingual, she spent the next two hours helping the Masons with translations and encouraging the local children to participate.The Tape A-Bike program doesn’t stop at sticking tape on in strategic spots, but addresses other safety issues. Masons also clean the bikes, oil the wheels, adjust chains, put more air in the tires and fix flat ones. At each of these events the children become friends with the visiting Masons and, after overcoming their shyness, become helping hands in the process. At the end of the day, not only are the bicycles safer to ride; but new international friendships have been made.
When you hear the Tape-A-Bike program is scheduled in your community, please inform all your Mexican employees and friends to tell their children to take their bicycles to the local plaza. A few inches of reflective tape and the short time to apply them are a small price to pay for the prevention of even one tragic accident.
The Tape-A-Bike program’s next call will be to the village of Santa Cruz de Soledad about June 15. Watch this publication for specific date and time.