CITGO And Wallace Oil Award Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation For Fueling Good

CHAMBLEE, Ga., May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Caring about people and helping to improve the quality of their lives is a deeply embedded value of CITGO Petroleum Corporation and its Fueling Good program. Now in its fourth year of rewarding local heroes, the Fueling Good program has assisted more than 200 non-profit organizations in carrying out their vital missions, from caring for the eyes and ears of the underinsured to providing support for families affected by mental illness to protecting valuable water resources.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110426/PH89704LOGO )

CITGO and local Marketer Wallace Oil recently recognized the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation of Chamblee, Ga., as a 2012 Winter Fueling Good winner. Uniting medical partners and dedicated volunteers to bring sight and hearing to thousands of Georgians each year, the non-profit received $5,000 in CITGO Gift Cards to help keep its mobile clinics on the road and assisting people across the state.

"Volunteers and donors are the heart of Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, making it possible for us to continually increase the number of people we serve," said Christina Lennon, executive director of Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation. "Our mobile clinics are almost always on the go, traveling thousands of miles to visit each of our clinics across the state. And, the cost accrued from gas purchases always adds up quickly.  At the Lighthouse, $5,000 translates to 77 comprehensive eye exams, including one pair of prescription glasses per patient. By refocusing the $5,000 that will be covered by the Fueling Good award, we can immediately use this money to assist 77 more individuals with services that can restore sight and self-sufficiency."

With Georgia's high unemployment rate, many residents find themselves uninsured and in need of costly procedures. The Lighthouse Foundation utilizes 25 vision clinics and travels to each site monthly with its two mobile clinics, providing comprehensive vision and hearing care to uninsured and underinsured Georgians. Free-of-charge and reduced-cost services include eye exams, eye surgeries, prescription eyeglasses, hearing aids and follow-up care. In 2011 alone, the Foundation served 158 out of the 159 Georgia counties, and provided more than 300 eye surgeries, 5,400 eyeglasses, 3,556 eye exams and 1,810 hearing aids.  

"We are delighted to help the Lighthouse Foundation provide vision and hearing care for even more individuals, enabling them to live healthy and prosperous lives," said James Wallace, president of Wallace Oil. "It is impossible to explain how transformative the gift of hearing or the gift of sight can be, and we are proud to invest in the future of vision and hearing care in Georgia."

The principles of Fueling Good can be seen in all aspects of the CITGO brand. In fact, since the launch of the program in 2009, CITGO has fueled more than a million miles of good through its support of local heroes like the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation. During the most recent campaign, nearly 1,700 charities entered and nearly 151,000 votes were cast to help determine the current round of Fueling Good winners.

Registration for the next Fueling Good program will open for all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations within the CITGO marketing area on Sept. 4, 2012. To enter for a chance to win up to $5,000 in CITGO Gift Cards, or to learn how CITGO and local organizations are making a difference, visit www.FuelingGood.com. For regular updates and to join the conversation, "Like" CITGO Fueling Good at www.Facebook.com/CITGOFuelingGood and view videos of past winners at www.youtube.com/CITGOFuelingGood.

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 www.CITGO.com.

SOURCE CITGO