CITGO and Mid-State Petroleum Team Up with Emily’s Kids Foundation
Organization’s 5th annual motorcycle ride supports families dealing with pediatric cancer
HIGH POINT, N.C., October 8, 2015 /3BL Media/ – CITGO Petroleum Corporation and its local Marketer Mid-State Petroleum recently teamed up to support the 5th annual Emily’s Kids Foundation Benefit Ride held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Nearly 50 attendees participated in the motorcycle ride, raising approximately $2,700. All proceeds from the ride will help provide financial relief to local families for daily expenses that accumulate during pediatric cancer treatment visits such as parking, food, gas and other unexpected costs.
As part of the “poker run” themed ride, participants drew a poker card at five different stops throughout the route for the chance to receive a cash prize for the best and worst poker hands. The ride also featured an auction, raffle, 50/50 drawing and live music provided by local favorite rock-n-roll band TCU. In addition to monetary support, CITGO and Mid-State Petroleum provided 50 CITGO Gift Cards for raffle prizes. Not surprisingly, the majority of the gift cards and cash prizes were donated directly back to the Foundation by the winners.
“With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, this is the perfect time of year for us to hold this fundraiser,” said Emily’s Kids Foundation founder, Craig Field. “Because our organization is made up of only volunteers, we are able to give 100 percent of funds raised directly to families in need. We are grateful to our long-time partners CITGO and Mid-State Petroleum, whose generous contributions allow us to continue to fulfill our mission.”
Emily’s Kids Foundation was founded in 2009 in honor of Craig’s daughter, Emily Ann Field, who passed away in 2008 at age 18 from Ewing’s Sarcoma. Throughout her battle with cancer, Emily became increasingly concerned for other patients and their families, especially regarding the unexpected financial challenges that arise in addition to health care costs and how lack of financial support can often prevent parents from visiting their child in the hospital.
Since inception, Emily’s Kids Foundation has given away more than $200,000 directly to families affected by pediatric cancer. The annual benefit ride alone has raised nearly $20,000 over the past five years.
Last month, Emily’s Kids Foundation also established its Gold Ribbon Scholarship program – as gold is the color signifying childhood cancer and September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – to help defray the cost of tuition, books and other fees for pediatric cancer patients in school. Students in college, high school or middle school who have been diagnosed with hematology or oncology issues before the age of 18 are eligible, and through the scholarship also become Emily’s Kids Foundation Ambassadors to raise awareness about pediatric cancer and survivorship.
“We’ve been in business for more than 50 years, and are proud to call North Carolina home,” said Tony Perez, President, Mid-State Petroleum. “Partnering with CITGO to support organizations such as Emily’s Kids Foundation really allows us to make a difference in the lives of people in our very own community, and we look forward to participating in events like the benefit ride every year.”
Support from CITGO and Mid-State Petroleum is part of the CITGO Fueling Good program, which encourages everyone to get involved in their communities and share the responsibility of improving the lives of others.
To learn more about Emily’s Kids Foundation and how you can get involved, visit www.emilyskidsfoundation.org. For more about how CITGO is fueling good in the community, visit www.fuelinggood.com.
About Mid-State Petroleum
Mid-State Petroleum, Inc. is a privately held company consistently ranked in Grant Thornton’s list of the Top 100 largest private companies in North Carolina. For more than 50 years, it has been a reliable Full Service Distributor of petroleum products throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia as well as operators of its branded POP Shoppe convenience stores. Mid-State Petroleum strives to give back to the surrounding communities and is a proud supporter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Emily’s Kids Foundation.
About CITGO
CITGO is committed to giving back to the local communities it serves through its network of locally owned CITGO locations. CITGO Marketers and Retailers in North Carolina own and operate approximately 500 CITGO locations and are proud to support their communities and organizations such as Emily’s Kids Foundation. For more information on the positive impact of the locally owned CITGO stations, visit www.fuelinggood.com.
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.
