CITGO And Henderson Oil Recognize Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy For Fueling Good

Non-profit Awarded CITGO Gift Cards for Preserving Rural Lands

News provided by

May 02, 2012, 08:32 ET

HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C., May 2, 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.

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

CITGO and local Marketer Henderson Oil recently recognized Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy (CMLC) of Henderson County, N.C., as a 2012 Winter Fueling Good winner. Dedicated to preserving land and water resources throughout western North Carolina, the non-profit received $5,000 in CITGO Gift Cards to help oversee and care for the lands and waterways that it is actively preserving.

"The generous donation from CITGO and Henderson Oil will undoubtedly go a long way to help ease the significant fuel expenses we accrue each year visiting the vast array of our conservation projects among the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina," said Kieran Roe, executive director of CMLC. "With the CITGO support, we will be able to engage in more land protection projects, stewardship and restoration efforts, conservation easement monitoring, outreach events and our AmeriCorps Project Conserve program activities."

Each year, more than 140,000 acres of working farms, forests and other natural areas are lost to unplanned development in North Carolina. CMLC actively protects and cares for the ever-growing regional networks of local farms, forest, parks and other rural lands. Such efforts include the preservation of waterfalls and watersheds, the permanent protection of clean drinking water and wildlife preservation. Since 1994, CMLC has partnered with landowners and agencies to save more than 23,000 acres of land in western North Carolina from development.

"We are proud to support Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and its efforts to preserve the beautiful landscape that we all admire here in the Blue Ridge Mountains," said Barry Edwards, vice president and general manager of Henderson Oil. "With the non-profit's steadfast commitment to conservation, North Carolinians and visitors alike will be able to enjoy this natural beauty for future generations."

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 Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. 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 Petroleum Corporation