By Jodie Wagner

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer BELLE GLADE —

More than 400 bicyclists are expected to gather at Lake Okeechobee Feb. 23 for the third annual Loop the Lake For Literacy fundraising event.

Last year's event drew 341 riders and raised $62,000.

Founded by Steve Leveen, a long-time reading tutor and chief executive officer of Levenger — a Delray Beach company that sells products for writers and readers — the event features four separate bike rides that begin and end at Torry Island at the Belle Glade Marina Campground.

March 1st was one of the greatest days of my life. All 21 of the seniors I had mentored graduated from the Take Stock in Children program and all of them will soon use their full-tuition scholarships for college. That night I received the biggest hug from Tonya. “I got into Florida State University,” she said. “Thank you so much for all of your help!”

Milestones like these are far from ordinary, especially in her hometown of Belle Glade. When Tonya was inducted into the program in the seventh grade, she faced several challenges. Labeled the “weird quiet girl” and picked on by students in her class, she felt like an outcast and often sat alone at lunch, passing the time by drawing and reading. During her time in the program, both her mother and father passed away from cancer. Tonya’s grades dropped, as did her enthusiasm and excitement for school.

A big thank you to the top 15 individual fund raisers of the 2011 Loop the Lake Event. Your support is impacting children and families as we further the cause of literacy in Palm Beach County! Thanks again to you and your supporters for “going the extra mile!”

A big thank you to the top 15 individual fund raisers of the 2011 Loop the Lake Event. Your support is impacting children and families as we further the cause of literacy in Palm Beach County! Thanks again to you and your supporters for “going the extra mile!”

I’m sure most of us have a nice little Saturday planned,  go to Home Deport, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed Bath & Beyond. I don’t know. I don’t know if I’ll have time.

But if you don’t have plans this Saturday, you could always decide to pedal 124 miles around Lake Okeechobee on a whim.

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County is hosting it inaugural Loop the Lake for Literacy bicycle ride on Saturday morning. Cyclists can choose between a 25 kilometer, or roughly 7-mile ride, a 50 kilometer ride from Belle Glade to Clewiston and back, a 100 kilometer ride from Belle Glade to Moore Haven and back or the big kahuna, a 200-kilometer, of 124 mile ride all the way around Lake Okeechobee.

Literacy Coalition CEO Darlene Kostrub said she got the idea for the bicycle ride fund-raiser from one of her reading tutors, Steve Levine, who is also the CEO of Levenger, a Delray Beach-based company that makes reading-related products.