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MATTAWA — Mattawa Police Officer Alex Zesati was able to get over $3000 of school supplies for the Inspire Development Center in Mattawa.

Zesati heard that the Walmart in Pasco was giving away school supplies that were left over from one of the school districts in the Tri-Cities giving their students free school supplies.

“Walmart over-ordered,” Zesati said. “They were going to write it off and throw them away.”

Zesati contacted the store manager and was given the go-ahead to take the school supplies for free. He transported them to the Mattawa Inspire Development Center. Center employees calculated that the supplies totaled $3347.43. Supplies included items such as pencils and crayons.

In addition to the school supplies, Zesati was given three boxes of Texas Instruments scientific calculators. Each box contained 10 calculators. The calculators were given to one of the math teachers at the high school.

Getting the donations was Zesati’s community policing project that Mattawa Police Chief Joe Harris requires of his officers.

“This is a phenomenal project,” Harris said. “It’s really amazing. The math teacher at the high school was beside herself that she got scientific calculators.”

“When I joined this profession, I wanted to help those who need help,” Zesati said. “I come from a family similar to the community here. I know what it’s like to need extra help.”