TOWNSEND — The Montana Unified School Trust (MUST) stopped in to meet with Townsend Superintendent, Erik Wilkerson for a surprise visit.
“It was a very pleasant surprise when representatives from MUST came into my office to visit with me for a moment and then actually donated all of these masks and hand sanitizer," says Wilkerson.
MUST provides health benefit plans to member schools. The trust announced they received an anonymous donation of 1,200 N95 masks for school staff and students. 700 of those masks and hand sanitizer went to the Townsend School District. Schools were gifted based on a criteria. N95 masks have a very close fit, forming a seal around the nose and mouth and are efficient at filtering airborne particles
"We looked at schools that are members of MUST and we looked at needs,” says Andy Holmlund, MUST CEO. “Those districts that are still using masks, we want to support them and try to offset their cost."
The superintendent says their school has been in-person all year long (with some students in distance learning), but not without the constant need for supplies. He says they go through several boxes of masks a day to maintain COVID-19 precautions and keep students in the classroom.
"As you can imagine with over 650 students, over 100 staff members, we go through the [Personal Protective Equipment] stuff quickly and so this is a great donation at absolutely a perfect time," says Wilkerson.
The school trust says the remaining masks will be donated by next week.
