CITGO and the Muscular Dystrophy Association Continue to Fight Against Neuromuscular Disease

MILWAUKEE, October 15, 2012 / 3BL Media /PRNewswire/ -- CITGO Petroleum Corporation and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) are hosting the Wisconsin Muscle Team Event at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. in an effort to raise $150,000 for MDA. The special event pairs children living with neuromuscular diseases with professional athletes, including former Green Bay Packer stars Antonio Freeman and Gilbert Brown and pro wrestling legend Sgt. Slaughter, for an evening of activities and fun. Funds raised will directly benefit adults and children in need of MDA support services, research and educational programs in the Wisconsin area.

"Raising awareness and funds for those living with neuromuscular diseases is an extremely important cause for CITGO," said Gustavo Velasquez, vice president of supply and marketing at CITGO. "We are honored to work with the Wisconsin Muscle Team as they provide local children with memories that will last a lifetime. I can only imagine the smiles that will abound as the kids interact with their favorite athletes, and I can only hope that our ongoing efforts will one day put an end to neuromuscular diseases."

In addition to pairing MDA Buddies with professional athletes, the event involves a variety of pre-dinner activities, including Zumba, bobble head drawing, drawings by a caricature artist, an Austin Boucher photo booth and silent auctions. Tickets to the event are still available to the public at https://secure.mdausa.org/mdamuscleteamwisconsin/default.aspx

"We have been working with the greater Milwaukee community to raise money and awareness for MDA since 1988, and we are so pleased to be a part of the Wisconsin Muscle Team event this year," said Tom Reinsch, vice president at Condon Oil Company, a Wisconsin-based CITGO Marketer. "It is such a joy to have the ability to give these kids hope, and it's so rewarding to know how many people are involved in the fight against muscular dystrophy."

CITGO is committed to giving back to the local communities it serves through its network of locally owned locations. CITGO Marketers and Retailers in Wisconsin own and operate more than 300 CITGO locations and are proud to support their communities. For more information on the positive impact of the locally owned CITGO locations, visit http://www.CITGO.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 PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit http://www.CITGO.com

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