CITGO Lemont Refinery Raises Money To Help End Cancer

LOCKPORT, Ill., Aug. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row the CITGO Lemont Refinery hit the track at Lockport Township High School's East Campus to raise much-needed funds and awareness to help put an end to cancer. The CITGO Fueling the Fight Against Cancer team, made up of 30 refinery employees and contractors, raised $2,200 in the Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, participating from 6 pm on Friday, July 20 to 6 am on Saturday, July 21.

The CITGO team captain for the event was Tracy Rathbun, a contractor at the refinery who is also a three and a half year cancer survivor. Rathbun has pledged to continue to participate in Relay for Life for the rest of her life and even showed her dedication this year by shaving her head at the event to show her support for cancer victims who struggle with hair loss.

"This year our team had a blast! We had a really great committee that helped us stay extremely organized and I cannot wait to see how this success continues into the future," said Jim Cristman, Vice President of the CITGO Lemont Refinery. "The support of such a large group of CITGO employees and contractors is inspiring."

Relay for Life is an international relay event presented by the American Cancer Society. Every year more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities take part in the phenomenon. Because "cancer never sleeps," Relay for Life is held overnight in local communities across the country. During the event, team members camp out and take turns walking or running on the track in order to honor those who are currently fighting cancer or those who have lost the battle.

In addition to the relay itself, the night is also full of food, games, and activities to keep everyone up and going until sunrise. The uniqueness of the event fosters a true sense of community for participants because children and adults from throughout the area have the chance to come together and recognize that cancer is something that affects everyone in one way or another.

The CITGO Lemont Refinery employs more than 800 local residents on a full-time and contract basis in support of the local economy. While Lemont refinery employees produce high quality fuels for a large portion of the network of nearly 6,000 locally owned CITGO stations across the country, they 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, 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 Petroleum Corporation