Walmart has donated 126,000 disposable masks to Rochester Public Schools, which passed along some of those masks to other local organizations, according to a press release from the school district.

The district received the masks last week from a Walmart distribution center in Raymond.

The coverings will be available to students and visitors to the city’s public schools who don’t have masks, the district said in a news release. The donation is worth about $45,000.

Spaulding High School science teacher Kara Strohecker let school officials know about the donation program.

“Thank you to Kara Strohecker and her family for letting us know about this incredible opportunity,” Spauld High Principal Margaret Callahan said. “We are proud to have such thoughtful staff who have worked tirelessly over the last year to ensure that we all have the resources we need to learn safely during the pandemic.”

Rochester is requiring students, staff and visitors to its schools to wear face coverings as part of its reopening plan.

All told, the district received six pallets of traditional surgical masks, according to the press release. The district kept one pallet for itself, shared two with Strafford County offices for use within county facilities. Local non-public schools shared a pallet, and the town of Barrington and the city of Rochester each received one pallet.

“We are grateful for this support and to be able to share this resource with our community,” Superintendent Kyle Repucci said. “Moments like this show that working together can have a positive impact on preventing any further spread of COVID-19 and helping us all remain safe during the pandemic.”

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