Why is Mark Wahlberg smiling on Fairview? He just did something nice for us, Boise.
Coronavirus pandemic got you worried about children returning to classrooms? Cheer up, Boise.
Actor Mark Wahlberg just threw some “good vibrations” at Treasure Valley schools. (That was a music reference, kids. I guarantee that a funky bunch of Gen-Xers know it.)
Thanks in part to Wahlberg, Idaho students, teachers and staff have 100,000 additional three-ply, disposable masks to help slow the spread of COVID.
An electronic billboard ad debuted recently at 9615 W. Fairview Ave. featuring Wahlberg and a message thanking America’s essential workers. It’s part of a campaign from the actor’s Performance Inspired company and the active lifestyle brand LifeToGo.
Performance Inspired and Accelerate, which runs LifeToGo, announced this week that they’ve donated 1.3 million masks in 13 states across the country. That includes 35,000 to the Boise School District, 33,000 to the West Ada School District and 32,000 to the Nampa School District.
“When we were putting together our pandemic operations plans, we knew that masks would be essential to ensuring the health of our staff,” Coby Dennis, Boise School District Superintendent, said in a press release. “On behalf of every teacher, classroom aide, custodian, food service worker and administrator, thank you Performance Inspired and LifeToGo, for your contribution of 35,000 masks and your dedication to the safety of our schools.”
“This is a great opportunity to partner with LifeToGo and help our students and educators across the country to stay healthy and safe so they can focus on education,” Wahlberg added.
It’s not the first time that Boise has received a nice gesture from Wahlberg.
Remember four years ago when he tweeted congratulations to Oregon high school football player Jordan Happle for signing with Boise State?
(Oof. I know Wahlberg just donated masks, but maybe he could tweet again, asking the redshirt senior to change his mind about entering the transfer portal?)
Whatever the case, if you notice Wahlberg smiling while you drive by on Fairview, feel free to pull down your mask, grin back and give him an Idaho wave.
This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 4:33 PM.