CITGO Hosts 2nd Annual Special Olympics Texas Family Night

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, October 20, 2016 /3BL Media/ – CITGO Petroleum Corporation provided athletes with developmental disabilities and their families an opportunity to bond by hosting the 2nd Annual Special Olympics Texas Family Night at the CITGO Miracle League Field. The event, much of which was staffed by volunteers from the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, featured a magic show, dance party and face painting, among other festivities.
 
“With more than 55,000 athletes participating in 22 sports at more than 300 yearly competitions, Special Olympics Texas relies heavily on support from partners like CITGO to help create opportunities for our athletes to thrive,” said Special Olympics Texas President and CEO Margaret Larsen. “CITGO has been a contributor to Special Olympics Texas for nearly 20 years, and thanks to its support of Family Night, we were able to create a space for both athletes and their families to come together, share experiences and feel a part of the Special Olympics community.” 
 
In Texas and across the country, CITGO has worked with Special Olympics to enhance the lives of competitors and their families. This past April, CITGO marked its 18th year as presenting sponsor of the Special Olympics Area 2 (South Texas) Spring Games, which brought together more than 600 Special Olympics athletes. CITGO also was the Official Fuel Sponsor of the Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America, which brought the Olympic torch along three routes across the United States before reaching the 2015 Summer World Games in Los Angeles. The relay helped raise awareness for those with intellectual disabilities while promoting inclusion and respect. This year, CITGO has expanded its support to include other Special Olympics events and programs by serving as the Official Fuel Sponsor of the World’s Largest Truck Convoy and the National Sponsor of the Unified Strategy for Schools.
 
“CITGO is committed to bettering the live of each Special Olympics athlete by creating environments that allow everyone to reach their full potential and have fun,” said Art Klein, vice president and general manager of the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery. “In 2015, CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery volunteers donated more than 240 hours of their time to Special Olympics activities, a testament to the dedication our employees have to building strong and supportive communities for these athletes and their families.”  
 
With more than 80 years of operations, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery strives to make a positive difference in the community in which it operates. In July of this year, refinery volunteers assisted in cleanup efforts at Camp Aranzazu, a camp for children with special needs and chronic illnesses. CITGO also works with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Charlie’s Place and many other organizations in an effort to care for the health and well-being of the Corpus Christi community.  

About CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery
The CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, which celebrated 80 years of operations in 2015, provides more than 1,000 jobs locally, while generating more than $345 million per year in support of the local economy through salaries, services and taxes. In addition to producing high-quality fuels for its network of nearly 5,500 independently owned and operated CITGO branded stations across the country, Corpus Christi refinery employees make a major positive impact on the community. In 2015 alone, CITGO employees in Corpus Christi volunteered more than 2,900 hours of their personal time to local and national charities. Since 2013, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery and its employees have provided more than 10,000 volunteer hours and approximately $3.3 million in support of community organizations such as United Way, Charlie's Place, Muscular Dystrophy Association, The Miracle League, Catholic Charities, the Special Olympics and a variety of environmental and preservation initiatives, such as the revitalization of the Gateway to Corpus Christi, Hans and Pat Suter Park and Adopt-A-Beach Clean Up. The 80th anniversary of the Corpus Christi Refinery last year was preceded by the 70th anniversary of the CITGO Lake Charles Refinery in 2014 and is being followed by the 90th anniversary of the CITGO Lemont Refinery in 2016, with CITGO facilities marking three significant milestones in three consecutive years. For more information on the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, visit www.citgorefining.com/corpus-christi. 

About CITGO
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.