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Thu, Jan 08, 2009 - 06:56 PM EST  —  AAPL: 92.70 (+1.69, +1.86%)  |  NASDAQ: 1617.01 (+17.95, +1.12%)

Youths who lost homes in California wildfires given iPods donated by Apple
Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 02:14 PM EST

"More than 100 high school students in the Poway school district [northern San Diego County, California] who lost homes in the October wildfires have received a surprise gift – iPods donated by Apple," Michael Burge and Blanca Gonzalez report for The San Diego Union-Tribune.

"Kari Afshari, 15, a sophomore at Rancho Bernardo High, said she was told last week to drop by a classroom for pizza and was surprised when she and fellow students were handed nano video iPods," Burge and Gonzalez report. "Bill Chiment, a Poway Unified associate superintendent, said Apple Inc. donated the iPods."

"The company indicated it intended to put an iPod in the hands of every high school student in the county who lost a home in the fires, said Poway resident Steve Boyack, who asked Apple for the donation," Burge and Gonzalez report. "Boyack is the husband of Poway City Councilwoman Merrilee Boyack, and the Boyack family is involved in fire relief efforts through the San Diego Community Fire Relief Team, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

"He said there were toy drives for youngsters, tool drives for fathers, and holiday drives for mothers. 'It seemed like the high school kids were being left out,' Boyack said. 'Having four boys, I thought what would be nice for the kids, and I thought iPods are an accessory most kids like and can't live without,'" Burge and Gonzalez report. "So he e-mailed Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple," Burge and Gonzalez report.

Boyack said he didn't hear back from Jobs, but was instead contacted by Michael Foulkes, Apple's senior manager for state and local government affairs, who wanted the program to go countywide and "said Apple officials didn't want any publicity," Burge and Gonzalez report. "'It was strictly from the heart and just wanting to help,' Boyack said."

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Feed Mertz" for the heads up.]

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Reader Feedback: ( = registered)

Dec 05, 07 - 02:26 pm Comment from: Wun Dum Gai

Thanks for the iPod, but . . .


how do I load my songs without my computer?

Dec 05, 07 - 02:28 pm Comment from: Angelus520

That was I was thinking but still, that was really cool for Apple to do that.

Dec 05, 07 - 02:29 pm Comment from: Angelus520

Wow, we so need an edit feature grin

Dec 05, 07 - 02:31 pm Comment from: Gman

hmmm, free iPhones for all Apple employees..free iPods for unfortunate kids in the south land...that's a whole lot of devices turning into write offs...Apple must be having one helluva year!

Dec 05, 07 - 02:33 pm Comment from: Respect

According to Apple, "'It was strictly from the heart and just wanting to help,'.

People need to respect that fact and NOT turn it into a PR issue.

Those that lost their homes are truly grieving from a tragic loss of stability in their lives and Apple was attempting in a very small manner to ease the pain.

Respect.

Dec 05, 07 - 02:34 pm Comment from: Allan

We hear so many stories about horrid companies and their capitalistic greed. It is wonderful to hear someone we admire doing something good and not seeking any marketing publicity. Way to go!

Dec 05, 07 - 02:37 pm Comment from: Respect

Gman...

You supported my point exactly.... get a life if you think it was only for a write off.

A.. hat!

Dec 05, 07 - 02:45 pm Comment from: Ampar

They came pre-loaded with:

Light My Fire - The Doors
Fire - Jimi Hendrix
Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
The Heat is On - Glenn Frey
The Flame - Cheap Trick

Dec 05, 07 - 02:50 pm Comment from: Respect

Ampar,

Normally I can find humor.

But this a truly tragic loss.

I'll try to lighten up a little though and get a little giggle from your post.

Dec 05, 07 - 02:53 pm Comment from: Ampar

"But this a truly tragic loss."

I agree.
People often look for humor when they are down or confronted with tragedy. For some it gives them strength. And it sure beats being depressed.

Dec 05, 07 - 02:55 pm Comment from: Respect

Thank you for being human.

Dec 05, 07 - 02:58 pm Comment from: MacademiaNut

Children will be fired from the school, if they try to sell the iPod and make money off it.

They will not get $50 refund when the price of nano drops in January.

Dec 05, 07 - 02:59 pm Comment from: iamdj

I go burned in the stock market in 2000.

Gimme!

Dec 05, 07 - 03:09 pm Comment from: Macintosh

The comments that people left on the actual article are pretty lame... If there is no publicity, they aren't doing it for a PR stunt or anything... It's awesome.

Teens love iPods, there is no doubt about that.

One thing though, I bet when they had that ten minutes to grab their valuables and get out of there, Mom grabbed the pictures, Dad grabbed his beer, and little Johnny grabbed his friggin' iPod.

Now the teens have two iPods.

Dec 05, 07 - 03:11 pm Comment from: Respect

iamdj,

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I was there with you, my friend.

Just curious... was your home still intact after the loss?

Dec 05, 07 - 03:16 pm Comment from: Darth Mac

Lose your home... win an iPod. What do people need to lose to get iPhones??? Especially people who are living on the campus of Redmond...

Dec 05, 07 - 03:30 pm Comment from: Ampar

"What do people need to lose to get iPhones???"

Body parts.

But to get a Zune all you have to lose is your self-esteem. And the cash.

Dec 05, 07 - 03:33 pm Comment from: Respect

Gotta hand it to you... that was real humor!!!

Dec 05, 07 - 04:04 pm Comment from: Crabapple

Straight from the heart! What a nice Apple!!!!!

Dec 05, 07 - 04:11 pm Comment from: Ampar

Oops, I left one out:

Wildfire - America

Dec 05, 07 - 04:16 pm Comment from: @ Ampar

"Wildfire" was Michael Murphy.

Dec 05, 07 - 04:16 pm Comment from: MacBill

This is just a weird & strange move on Apple's part. Apple is giving free iPods to an arbitrary set of students who lost their entire HOMES? How does this get their homes back or help them with food/clothing/shelter/etc? And why these 100 kids?

Dec 05, 07 - 04:19 pm Comment from: Darth Mac

If you're poor, starving and naked... don't worry, you'll get an iPod. If you're even more desperate, you night qualify for the Zune.

Dec 05, 07 - 04:23 pm Comment from: Twisted Humor

Ampar's first post almost killed me. I was eating an orange which threatened to become lodged in my nose!

I heard they were also loaded with the movies: Chariot of Fire, St. Elmo's Fire, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and for anyone poo pooing humor: Backdraft

Cheers to Apple

Dec 05, 07 - 04:27 pm Comment from: Ampar

"'Wildfire' was Michael Murphy."


Yep. I squat corrected. Thanks.

Dec 05, 07 - 04:33 pm Comment from: iestynw

Lol ampar, you're pretty good at this!

People wonder why Apple has so many fanatical followers.


I can't see why it's so hard to understand...

Great products. Great people running the company. And then they go and do this stuff, and manage to not turn it into a PR stunt.

Apple are just awesome. Full stop!

Dec 05, 07 - 04:37 pm Comment from: Respect

MacBill,

Like I said....

Those that lost their homes are truly grieving from a tragic loss of stability in their lives and Apple was attempting in a very small manner to ease the pain.

What exactly have you done for those arbitrary 100 or the countless others?

I know that I can sleep soundly tonight.

Dec 05, 07 - 04:38 pm Comment from: Ampar

"Thank you for being human."

I have a choice?

wink

Dec 05, 07 - 04:42 pm Comment from: Respect

Oh course you do wink

Dec 05, 07 - 04:50 pm Comment from: Buster

Ampar...you left out a song title

From the kids themselves:

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it

(Billy Joel's We didn't start the fire)

Dec 05, 07 - 04:50 pm Comment from: Whatever

Homeless but get an iPod? Oh Apple you are SOOOO generous.

BS. Just PR crap that does nobody any good except Apple.

Dec 05, 07 - 04:52 pm Comment from: Buster

@Whatever

Yeah peddle that cynical comment that to the kids that received them.

Merry Xmas oh jaded one! Bah humbug.

Dec 05, 07 - 04:53 pm Comment from: Ampar

Then just for one day I'd like to be a mountain gorilla with the speed of a puma. I would rule the local mall's food court. At least until the SWAT team arrives.

Dec 05, 07 - 04:56 pm Comment from: Ampar

Buster: And Too Hot (Kool and the Gang)!

Dec 05, 07 - 05:04 pm Comment from: toonie

Seems to me they need many other things much more than they need iPods. Homes, money to rebuild, beds, food, etc.

If it wasn't for the PR then why'd they tell everyone?

Dec 05, 07 - 05:10 pm Comment from: blue

I think it's a great gesture. But what do I know...

Dec 05, 07 - 05:32 pm Comment from: moof

Don't forget Beds are Burning - Midnight Oil

@toonie, Apple isn't responsible for replacing the houses. They have insurance for that. They were asked to provide iPods and did so. Apple did not tell anyone, do you see any quotes from Apple?

Thanks, Apple. Posted from Rancho Bernardo.

Dec 05, 07 - 05:33 pm Comment from: Respect

Whatever, toonie....

I don't know your real names and you don't know mine, but I'm glad that I met you during the trying times attempting to extinguish the flames. With soot on our faces, we did the best that we could to salvage what ever was possible...... I don't recall a single time that we believed that iPods or Zunes were the most important thing to save. We saved whatever was possible.

By the way.... I was able to keep my shares of AAPl stock through the fires (probably more than you can imagine). I personally don't want the profits gained by any PR (or cynicism) to be on the shoulders of those less fortunate than myself.

Regardless if you want to acknowledge it or not, we are ALL in this together.

Namaste

Dec 05, 07 - 09:19 pm Comment from: Philanthropist

Awwwwwwww..... How sweet. [/sarcasm]

Dec 06, 07 - 07:09 am Comment from: fenman

Having lived through being burned out twice during my growing up years (I was 10 and 16 years old then) I can tell you that you have very little time to think about what to grab other than something to sleep in and something to carry stuff with. The first time we had about an hours notice of evacuation and so could be a bit more rational about what we grabbed. Mostly me and my younger sisters were told to carry this or that by mum. Dad was away and trying to get through the road blocks to reach us. The second time we had less than 5 minutes notice as the fire crossed the back paddock boundary in a tree top crown fire travelling at nearly 60 mph. That time all we had time to do was grab a woollen blanket soaked in water, put on our shoes, and run like hell for the car. When we reached a safe spot the car was a mess, all scorched and stuff and the water had evaporated from the blankets.

What I am trying to say is that in the emergency of a bush fire you usually do not have time to choose to take some sort of gadget or toy, even as kids. It really is about survival. In the days that followed I would have been really happy to have even a radio to listen to (no walkman back then). If someone had donated more than the practical stuff to me and my sisters then the following weeks would not have driven us loopy.

As for these kids and no computer, what about internet cafe's? Schools, etc.? They will be able to load some music, podcasts, etc., on them and it will provide a temporary escape from the misery of survival.

Good on Apple. Never knock a good deed regardless of what you think about the motivation or whether you agree with the choice of action. A good thing is still good.

Dec 06, 07 - 07:32 am Comment from: Fred

Nanos! God Apple is so cheap.

Dec 06, 07 - 07:38 am Comment from: Confused Aussie

Is it true Americans keep rebuilding wooden houses in tornando belts. Theres a morale to the 3 little pig story. I'm just saying (and we have it in oz too) why do people spend millions on posh houses in known possible disaster areas. A sizable quake must be due soon too.

Dec 06, 07 - 08:35 am Comment from: Steven Bird

Don't remember Apple doing the same in New Orleans...

Wonder why?...

Dec 06, 07 - 12:52 pm Comment from: Noodles Noodlemann

Nice to know that no good deed goes uncriticized.

Dec 06, 07 - 11:57 pm Comment from: MacSheikh

@ Confused Aussie

Now that you mention it, yeah. Can someone clarify this?

When i watch those american tv shows where they build homes for people, it seems like the walls are practically hollow. It's basically two pieces of wood (or whatever) with a hollow frame in between. Is this how many homes are built in the us? Doesn't seem very secure to me.

Obviously, I'm not knowledgeable about construction. grin

On topic though, i guess Apple's just doing one part as i'm sure there are other organizations doing other "serious" things like providing food, shelter, etc. So its pretty nice they're doing something to help cheer the kids up.

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