OFFICIALS CALLED FOR DOCTORS TO TREAT FIRE EVACUEES: AREA LIONS CLUB MEMBERS
PROVIDED FREE MEDICAL CARE
Thursday, November 1, 2007. A team of doctors and nurses,
all members of Lions Clubs in the San Diego and Imperial Valley area,
administered free general first aid to fire evacuees in the City of Ramona
(Inland Valley)at the Rmona Senior Community Center, 434 Agua Lane on Saturday,
October 27, 2007. The medical team was lead by Retired Army Col. Dr. Ceferina
Ruiz, a member of the San Diego Lions Club.
Evacuees with medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes as
well as those suffering with eye, nose and lung irritation from smoke inhalation
were in need of medical assistance. Area officials called for help from the
community. A medical team, comprised of three doctors and seven nurses, all
Lions, members of clubs from the San Diego and Imperial Valley, donated their
services to examine and assist fire evacuees. Lions Clubs International (LCI)
www.lionsclubs.org is the largest volunteer service organization in the world,
with over 1.3 million members.
"We Serve" is the motto for Lions Clubs around the world. Members join
Lions Clubs to be able to give back to their communities and help their fellow
man. At one point, it became apparent that there needed to be a mechanism to
assist Lions in helping their neighbors in emergency disaster situations. As a
result, the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) Emergency Disaster Fund
was formed to provide immediate funding for basic necessities in emergency
situations. Within two days of the fire evacuations, a $10,000 grant was
received from LCIF, by District Governor Art Arboleda, leader of Lions in the
San Diego area. It was spent to provide package meals, bottled water, personal
hygiene items, children’s toys and blankets for fire evacuees. An additional
$15,000 will be forthcoming from LCIF, along with $5,000 from MD-4, an entity
representing Lions club members throughout the state of California. Emergency
disaster funds were put to use following 911 attacks, the Tsunami hit areas as
well as Katrina devastated towns.
Dr. Ruiz's medical team is no stranger to medical missions. They have traveled
as a group to various parts of the world providing medical care to those in need
including Viet Nam and Haiti. A Lions sponsored Global Medical Mission was
completed in 1996, in which the team provided care for people in the outskirts
of Nairobi, Kenya including the Athi River and Giant Shumba Valley, 11 cities in
India and three cities in the Philippines. Over 10,000 patients were seen by Dr.
Ruiz and her team of Lion volunteers/ trained medical professionals.
Tax-deductible contributions to support the continuing efforts of the local San
Diego and Imperial Valley Lions are being accepted. Visit: www.lions4L6.org
Email: roaringlions@aol.com or call 619-813-2764
Medical Team of San Diego/Imperial Valley: Dr. Ceferina Ruiz, Dr. Danish Farook,
Dr. Priscilla Ruiz
Nurses: (assisted by other medical practioners) Luz Galindez, Ida Tumalad,
Merlin Pizarro, Lydia Duro, Alice Legaspi, Barbara Altbaum, Rose San Pedro
Lions Clubs ability to execute community operations such as this is one reason
Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) have been ranked best NGO worldwide:
http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lions_lcif_times.shtml
Contact: Marva Murphy, Burbank Noon Lions Club, www.burbankwire.com/lions
