SAN ANTONIO, Texas-- Nearly 80 children's charities in the San Antonio area on Friday were handed their share of $8 million as official beneficiaries of the 2010 Valero Texas Open Benefit for Children Golf Classic. Valero's annual fundraising golf tournament, held in connection with the Valero Texas Open Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour event, benefits nonprofit children's charities selected by Valero employees across the nation.
The San Antonio charities will split $2.2 millionan increase from the $2 million distributed in 2009. The overall $8 million was [image-nocss] divided among children's charities at all Valero refining and ethanol locations across the nation over the next several weeks.
"The needs of children continue to be an important part of Valero's community involvement, and we are especially proud to support these organizations during difficult economic times," said Bill Klesse, Valero's chairman and CEO. "The generosity of our business partners and the hard work of thousands of volunteers allow us to continue these efforts and help so many children. We also thank Golf San Antonio for their tournament management and support."
Once again, the Valero Texas Open is expected to be the top charitable fundraiser on the PGA Tour this year. Valero became the tournament's title sponsor in 2002 and since has distributed $53.5 million to children's charities with the help of nominations by its employees. Many of these employees devote hundreds of hours of volunteer time and serve on the boards of these nonprofits year-round. Their insight helps ensure these funds are delivered to the most worthy and effective charities in the areas where Valero employees live and work.
"Our employees are our eyes and ears in the community, and we are thankful for their dedication," Klesse said. "Without them, it would be difficult to reach as many organizations as we do. These are partnerships built over time, and they are important to the children who need these agencies so much. We are honored to help them all."
San Antonio-based Valero owns or operates 15 refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 2.8 million barrels per day. Valero is also a leading ethanol producer with 10 ethanol plants in the Midwest with a combined capacity of 1.1 billion gallons per year, and is one of the nation's largest retail operators with approximately 5,800 retail and branded wholesale outlets in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean under the Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar and Beacon brands.
Click herefor the full list of charities.
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