CITGO Lemont Refinery Makes the Holidays Brighter for Local Families

LEMONT, Ill., Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The CITGO Lemont Refinery spread holiday cheer with its participation in the Village of Romeoville's sixth annual Operation Christmas program in December. CITGO employees "adopted" 16 local families in need, providing gifts and monetary support to ensure these families had a brighter holiday.  

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140204/PH57574 )

"We are so inspired by the work the Village of Romeoville is doing to help neighbors in need this holiday season," said Pete Colarelli, Government and Public Affairs Manager and member of the CITGO Community Action Team (CCAT) at the CITGO Lemont Refinery. "This is our fourth year supporting the program, and each year our employees want to help more families. The level of participation in Operation Christmas has far exceeded my expectations. I am continually amazed at the compassion of my fellow employees. All of us here at CITGO are grateful that we are able to help make the holidays special for members of our communities."  

This past December, CITGO employees "adopted" 16 local families, providing gifts for a total of 50 children.  Employees also sent personalized cards wishing each family a happy, peaceful, and safe holiday which included $400 in CITGO Gift Cards to help the families offset daily travel expenses.

"One of the most important parts of this program is how our community partners like CITGO step up, and step in, to assist our local families in times of need," said Pastor Suzanne Anderson-Hurdle, Coordinator of Romeoville's Operation Christmas Program. "The CITGO Lemont Refinery has been one of our biggest supporters since getting involved in Operation Christmas in 2010. I try to share with CITGO the joy and smiles that I am lucky enough to see from the parents who receive the gifts for their children. The involvement of the generous CITGO employees makes it possible for us to continue to provide a special holiday for those who might not otherwise have it."

The CITGO Lemont Refinery employs more than 800 local residents on a full-time and contract basis in support of the local economy. In addition to producing high quality fuels for a large portion of the network of nearly 6,000 locally-owned CITGO stations across the country, Lemont refinery employees also make a major positive impact on the community. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars are given in support of community programs such as Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Way and a variety of environmental and preservation programs. For more information on the CITGO Lemont Refinery, visit www.citgorefining.com/Lemont.

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

SOURCE CITGO