Ethel Luzario left ADB in 1981 and joined the United Nations Development Programme as an HR Specialist. After spending 15 years in New York her desire for another change took her to Phoenix, Arizona in late 1996. Wanting to have a flexible schedule so she could spend more time with her son, Nicco, who was nine years old back then, she decided to become a real estate agent.
Knowing no one else except her sister, Marilou Kueny, she started joining different organizations to expand her sphere of influence.
Lions Club
One of the organizations that Ethel joined in 1998 was Phoenix Phil-Am Lions Club chartered in 1985 and involved in many areas of volunteerism: vision and health screenings, supporting eye clinics, collecting glasses, build parks, assist youth (Leo Program), White Cane, distributing medication, giving the gift of sight to the needy, especially the children and the senior citizens, environmental services, participating in Special Olympics and providing assistance to the Philippines in case of disasters. Eye cataract surgical missions are conducted based on requests made by a Lions Club. The Lions International is present in 205 countries with nearly 1.3 million members
Ethel became the Club’s third female President from July 1, 2007 until June 30, 2008. During her term, she led two medical missions in Mexico and the Philippines.
Hermosillo, Mexico
On November 2-4, 2007, Ethel led a delegation of 34 people (two Ophthalmologists, three Anesthesiologists, nine RNs and members) from the Phoenix Phil-Am Lions Club to Hermosillo, Mexico. Hermosillo is the capital of the Mexican State of Sonora and about 200 miles south of the border crossing from Nogales, Mexico. Nogales, Arizona is three hours away from Phoenix. Ethel’s team performed 44 eye cataract surgeries prescreened by the Club’s earlier delegation to Hermosillo in August of 2007. An arrangement was made with the local doctors to conduct follow up visits on the patients.
Ethel’s team chartered a 50-seater bus which allowed them to transport the medical supplies and equipment needed for the weekend medical mission. The medical supplies used in these trips are usually donated by large pharmaceutical companies, while medical equipment, if not owned by team members, are lent by member doctors or longtime supporters.
Caborca, Mexico
On January 31, 2009, Ethel with three other members traveled to Caborca, Mexico to prescreen over 60 eye patients. Caborca is about five hours drive from Phoenix. About 46 patients were identified to receive free eye cataract surgery scheduled on May 21-24, 2009. A 38-year old father and his 12-year old son were identified for Corneal Dystrophy and arrangements were made for both to travel to Phoenix to see a Specialist to prevent impending blindness.
Bacolod, Philippines
Immediately after the Lions Club’s mission in Mexico, the group started to gather the medical supplies and equipment it needed for its medical mission to Bacolod, scheduled for February 14-22, 2008. Arranging a trip for 44 people and getting hotel accommodation proved to be a challenge. Everyone’s wish to be on the same plane from Phoenix to LA on Valentine’s Day did not materialize and there was a wait for several hours in LA to catch the flight to the Philippines. The team comprised of three Ophthalmologists, three Anesthesiologists, two OBY-GYN, several RNs including two who flew in from Seattle, and members of the Phoenix Phil-Am.
The team arrived at the Manila International Airport at 6:00 a.m. and took the 9:00 a.m. flight to Bacolod City where they were met by a contingent of Lions who helped clear the equipment from the airport. Next stop was the over 50-year old local hospital of Corazon Montelibano Regional Hospital to sanitize and preparing the operating rooms.
Patients operated on a day before were seen the day after for a follow-up check up. Arrangements were also made with the local doctors to conduct additional follow-ups.
One of the cases that really touched Ethel’s heart was that of 12-year old April Joy, who we had identified during the eye screening done at the local elementary school. April Joy was in the 6th Grade. Her vision was impaired when a lighted cigarette accidentally got in her eye when she was five years old. After the operation, she belted two songs, ala American Idol style for the doctors that operated on her.
Highlights of this medical mission were: 174 eye cataract surgeries, distribution of over 6,000 eye glasses, over 1,900 eye screening (both at the hospital and in a local elementary school), over 200 Diabetes Screening, and ten OBY-GYN cases.
As a result of these accomplishments, Ethel’s Lions Club was nominated and selected for the Filipino American Journal’s Gabi ng Parangal Award for Outstanding Organization held in May 2008. The Honorable Philippine Ambassador William Gaa and his wife Linda were the Guests of Honor. The Club was also honored as the Outstanding Lions Club in District 21C (which encompasses 54 clubs). Individual awards were also given to Dr. Conrad Ballecer and Ethel. In addition, the Club gave Ethel the Melvin Jones Award, Lions Foundation’s highest honor and represents humanitarian qualities such as generosity, compassion, and concern for the less fortunate.
According to Ethel, funding for their projects are done in several ways: White Cane (Members stand outside the Super Markets, with canes and with photos of our projects displayed on hard boards. Customers going in and out hand in their money donations); Caroling ($5,200 was raised in 2007 when the economy was not that bad and $4,000 last year. Proceeds are split with Filipino Club of Arizona that run the Filipino Community Center in Phoenix. Half of the proceeds are earmarked for the Club’s Medical Mission Fund. ); and through the Lions Club International approval of a $10,000 matching grant for trips to the Philippines (Ethel’s club has to show that they have an equal amount of money in their medical fund to receive this grant).
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Upcoming Eye Surgery Medical Missions April 19-24, 2009, Progreso, Honduras – Ethel’s Club is teaming up with AZ Visionaries, a non-profit organization. October-November 2009, Nogales, Mexico - 40-50 eye surgeries are expected. February 2011, Cavite, Philippines - Plans are being finalized with the local Lions Club in Cavite. An estimated 150 eye cataract surgeries will be performed for the week-long mission. |
The 3000 Club
In April 2008, Ethel was approached and requested by Lon Taylor to help in rescuing the millions of pounds of produce that gets thrown in the dump in Nogales, Arizona. The tough economy forced Ethel to think outside the box and introduce an innovative way of supporting a non-profit organization. Instead of simply asking for donations, they created the membership concept and introduced benefits such as participation in valley wide networking events that they have and continue to set up, blogging, inclusion of members’ names in the web site directory, video appearances in You Tube, twice a year Business Directory and volunteering activities. With the intervention of The 3000 Club, it is now rescuing over 30 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetable, making them available to hungry families throughout America.
Ethel and Lon’s roles have expanded during the last few months when they accepted the challenge to distribute four semi-truck loads of used medical equipment valued at nearly $2.4M! They have entered into partnership with another non-profit, the Southwest Medical Aid (SMA) in Tucson to receive, sort and distribute these donations to the needy. From a small space of 1,500 sq. ft., they have moved SMA into a new office/warehouse space of over 3,500 sq. ft. last December and now calls it The 3000 Club/SMA. The used medical equipment already benefited several Lions Clubs and smaller agencies in Mexico. Ethel is looking into shipping some of these to the Philippines and other countries through collaboration with the Lions Clubs International, Rotary Club, Kiwanis International and other non-profit organizations.
Currently, Ethel’s life has surely taken a different direction, juggling her roles as two-term President of the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Arizona, chairing the International Relations of the Lions Clubs District 21C in Arizona, Co-Founder of The 3000 Club (taking it nationwide and international) and a real estate agent with Arizona Realty One Group. Her 21-year old son Nicco works for her and is also a licensed Realtor.
A hectic life indeed but very fulfilling, giving new hope and joy to many.