Lost camera works it way back home to Manila

Joyful tears and tears of gratitude were part of a heartfelt thanks Joyce Haggard of Manila gave to everyone involved in the return of her lost camera.

"It is so good to know there are people in the world who will go the extra mile for others they don't even know," Joyce said. "I was heartsick because I lost my camera. It is special because my daughter and son, Tonya and Chris, and their families gave it to me as a Christmas present. I had pictures on it I could not replace."

Mrs. Haggard's daughter, Tonya Thomas, died with cancer on May 5.

Joyce and her husband Robert were in Mountain View last weekend. There was a huge motorcycle rally in the area and they stopped by a vendor to do a little shopping. Joyce had the camera in a small bag and left it at booth.

"I did not know where I had lost it," Mrs. Haggard said.

The owner of the booth in Mountain View found a receipt from Manila in the bag. She called a local business and was given the name and number of the Town Crier newspaper and employee Yvonne Hernandez. Yvonne and her husband, Frank, are motorcyclists.

Yvonne had the woman mail the camera to the Town Crier office and she assured her she would do her best to locate the owner.

Small town and digital technology proved to be helpful in the return of the camera as Yvonne's co-worker recognized the pictures of Joyce and her family.

Mrs. Haggard thanked everyone who had a hand in the return of the camera. She called the lady in Mountain View to let her know she had received the camera and what its return meant to her.