Fairview Heights IL police officer donates bike to security guard ...
Belleville News Democrat. Nick Bonness, a local security guard, shakes hands with Fairview Heights Police Officer Clay Mason.

BY KELSEY LANDIS, klandis@bnd.com, Belleville News Democrat

Officer Clay Mason is a shy kind of guy who doesn’t enjoy a whole lot of attention, but his act of kindness for a local security guard just couldn’t be ignored.

 

Nick Bonness works as a nighttime guard at the Stonewolf Golf Club in Fairview Heights, but he lives in Belleville. Every night he’s on the schedule, Bonness walks to work — a walk that can take him up to three hours each way. Bonness has a bike, Mason said, but it’s broken, and he doesn’t have a car.

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Fairview Heights police had noticed Bonness walking along Illinois 159, a busy highway connecting Belleville to Fairview Heights.

 

Sgt. Jeff Peel noticed Bonness walking one night during a snowstorm, and picked him up to give him a ride home, Mason said.

 

It’s through the sergeant that Mason first learned about Bonness. Mason, a native of Paris, Ill., started at the department about three months ago after graduating from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

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One night a few weeks ago, Mason saw Bonness walking as usual and decided to give him a ride home. That’s when Mason came up with a simple idea that could help Bonness get to work quicker and also stay safer.

 

Mason bought a brand-new bike for Bonness, complete with safety lights affixed to the front and back.

 

“I complain about a 30-minute drive (to work),” Mason said. “And Nick has to walk three hours.”

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Mason picked Bonness up one night after work to give him a ride home, and said he had to drop by the station to pick something up. But when they got to the station, Mason surprised Bonness with the new bike.

 

“He was appreciative, but kind of surprised,” Mason said. “He didn’t really know what to think.”
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