Ever since 2013, a group of local patrons has donated bicycles to Great Bend USD 428 as part of an effort to encourage good attendance. On Monday, the school board learned the Perfect Attendance Bicycle Giveaway Program will continue.

The group started by Dale and Karen Shaner typically buys four bicycles for each of the five elementary schools. Students with perfect attendance and no tardies for the entire school year get their names entered into a drawing for a bike.

“It’s a very popular program,” Superintendent Khris Thexton said, adding there is a long list of individual contributors each year. “It’s a great incentive to get kids to come to school.”

School board members commented on how much community support means to the district. Later in the meeting, they approved the latest list of contributions:

• USD 428 received $594 from the Local Contribution School District Checkoff Program, a program which allows Kansas taxpayers to designate an amount on their income tax return as a donation to a Kansas school district. This was an automatic deposit made on Feb. 15. 

• Great Bend High School received $1,200 in contributions from multiple donors supporting the GBHS Community Service Day which will take place on April 24: 

- Pain, Spine & Rehab PA $50 

- Spectrum CPA Partners LLC $250 

- Pryor Automatic Fire Sprinkler $500 

- Farmers Bank & Trust $250 

- Central Kansas Orthopedic Group $50 

- Allstaff Chartered $50 

- Landmark Bank $50 

• GBHS Future Farmers of America (FFA) received a $250 contribution from High Plains Farm Credit. 

• Community Bank donated $300 to assist A Cappella student travel to Washington, D.C. during Spring Break.

• GBHS Class of 2020 received $400 in contributions designated for the Junior-Senior Prom: 

- Al Smith Enterprises $50 

- Rubes Inc. $200 

- Angels Auto Sales Inc. $50 

- Barton Community College $100