Happy Campers : Girl’s Letter to Company Saves School Outing

Eleven-year-old Marcela Morfin was upset when her school canceled a three-day science camp because of the county’s bankruptcy. So she turned to the Toshiba Co. in Irvine for help.

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“The problem is Orange County lost all our money, and that has really hurt us,” the Santa Ana fifth-grader wrote. “The school was helping to finance our trip, and now they can’t and we may not go because of it.”

Marcela requested $140--enough for a single student to go to camp. But Brian Merriman, a vice president at Toshiba, immediately offered the entire $3,000 that Harvey Elementary School planned to contribute for the March outing.

“We had a chance to make a lot of children very happy,” Merriman said.

The company’s donation leaves the class $2,000 shy of the $8,000 needed for the trip. But teacher Spring Teague said Thursday that the youngsters should be able to collect the rest of the money if they stay on track with fund-raising efforts.

“I was basically in shock” after hearing about the contribution, said Teague, who had encouraged students to write area businesses for help.

“My heart dropped and my chin went to my chest,” she said. “We think Toshiba has been our guardian angel. We’re really pleased that they came through for us. The kids are so happy that we’re all going.”

Marcela was thrilled that her letter had brought such good news.

“I’m really, really happy a whole lot because now I get to go and before I thought I wasn’t going to get to go,” she said. “It feels kind of special. It makes me feel very good inside.”

At the science camp, held in the Cleveland National Forest, students learn about the environment, wildlife habitats, hiking and fire safety. Teague said many children who plan to attend are from low-income families and have never been camping. The trip is planned for March 6-8.

Merriman said the donation is a way to help those hurt by the county’s financial troubles. He said he will present Marcela and school officials with a check Monday.

“It’s not fair to have that taken away from a child who’s 10 years old,” he said. “These kids had worked for a year. It’s a damn shame if kids have to ask for $140 now to go to camp.”