Bess the Book Bus and CITGO Distribute Books to Children in Scranton

SCRANTON, Pa., July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile literacy program Bess the Book Bus recently visited three locally owned CITGO locations near Scranton, Pa. as part of a national tour to provide books to underprivileged children. CITGO Marketers Santarelli & Sons Oil Company, Prit Petroleum and Fleet Transport welcomed Bess May 26-28 and helped distribute 450 books to help promote childhood literacy and ensure area children have books in their homes to spread the joy of reading.

Fueled by CITGO, Bess the Book Bus celebrated Memorial Day by handing out free books, crayons, and coloring sheets to children at Santarelli & Sons' Oil Company's Pop Pop's Mini Mart in Peckville, Prit Petroleum's Valley Mart in Wilkes-Barre and Fleet Transport's Lorbeez Country Store in Tunkhannock. Pennsylvania was the first stop on the northeastern swing of Bess' 2014 tour; in September, Frances and her team of volunteers will head to Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Maryland and Virginia, before rounding out their visits to the northeast with a trip back to Pennsylvania in December.

"There is so much enthusiasm for reading in these local Pennsylvania communities, and so many children and families who are eager to come out and enjoy a good book," said Bess the Book Bus founder Jennifer Frances. "We are grateful to the local CITGO Marketers and Retailers who helped us organize these events, and to CITGO, who has made it possible for us to continue to visit these communities and form relationships that will allow us to come back in the future."

Founded in 2002, Bess the Book Bus' mission is to promote literacy and provide underserved children with access to new and engaging books. Frances has grown the program into one of the nation's most innovative mobile literacy initiatives. Each year, she and her network of volunteers take Bess the Book Bus directly to underserved communities to read to children and provide what, for many youngsters, is their first new book. Through support from CITGO and other corporate sponsors, Bess the Book Bus has covered more than 48 states, supported more than 60,000 families and donated more than 450,000 books.

For stories from Bess the Book Bus' 2014 tour, including a travel diary and photos from events across the country, visit http://bessthebookbus.org/. To learn how CITGO and local organizations like Bess the Book Bus are making a difference in communities throughout the United States, visit www.FuelingGood.com. To join the conversation, "Like" CITGO Fueling Good on Facebook, "Follow" on Twitter and Instagram, and view videos of past winners at http://www.youtube.com/CITGOFuelingGood/.

CITGO is committed to giving back to the local communities it serves through its network of locally owned CITGO locations. Local CITGO Marketers and Retailers, such as Santarelli & Sons Oil Company, Inc., Prit Petroleum and Fleet Transport, which own and operate nearly 250 CITGO locations in Pennsylvania are proud to support their neighborhoods by partnering with initiatives like Bess the Book Bus.

Based in Houston, CITGO 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 Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.

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SOURCE CITGO