CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- To fuel the spirit of BP's sponsorship of the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, Mark Oil Co. is teaming up with Paralympic Sport Metrolina to help raise awareness of the benefits of recreational and competitive sports for youth and adults with physical and visual disabilities. Holiday Hoops for Hope--a free, public event--will take place on November 18.
The event will provide an opportunity for area residents to learn how children and adults with disabilities overcome physical challenges through participation in recreational and competitive sports programs at Paralympic Sport Metrolina, a program of Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation. Club members will be available to teach attendees about the skills it takes to perform various sports as an athlete with disabilities. Demonstrations will include wheelchair basketball, boccia, tandem cycling and hand-cycling.
Event attendees can contribute to Paralympic Sport Metrolina during the event by shooting hoops that will in turn earn the club BP gasoline to help cover travel costs. For every basket made, $1, $5 or $100 in BP gasoline (to the value of $1,000 of BP gasoline) will be donated to the Paralympic Sport Metrolina's traveling teams.
Local triathlete and 2012 Paralympic hopeful Cadie Jessup will be at the event.
Mark Oil will present a $10,000 grant donation to Paralympic Sport Metrolina at the event. The donation is made possible through the BP Fueling Communities grant program, which will help fund the sport activities available at the club, such as wheelchair basketball, tandem cycling, sled hockey and goalball. In addition, BP will make a matching donation of $10,000 worth of sled hockey equipment and tandem bikes for the members of the club.
"With BP's sponsorship of the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, we were inspired to show our support and commitment to Paralympic Sport Metrolina and help raise awareness about the opportunities available through the U.S. Paralympic Team and this truly dynamic and important community-based club," said Bill Tome, president of Mark Oil. "We're thrilled to give back to our fellow neighbors and support this organization that makes a positive difference in the lives of Charlotte residents."
The BP Fueling Communities program provides grants to local organizations that are nominated by BP's marketers to support the communities in which they do business. Fueling Communities helps spread charity and goodwill by giving back to local organizations that support health, education, youth, food and housing.
Charlotte-area residents can also participate in a fundraising effort for this important community program by purchasing a Paralympic Sport Metrolina bracelet for $1 at participating BP sites through January 31, 2012. All of the proceeds will go to the Paralympic Sport Metrolina.
"We are thrilled to be working with BP on this initiative and are very grateful for the Fueling Communities grant and equipment donation, which will benefit the recreational and competitive athletes our club serves," said Gray.
BP markets more than 15 billion gallons of gasoline every year to U.S. consumers through more than 11,000 BP- and ARCO-branded retail outlets and supplies more than four billion gallons of fuel annually to fleets, industrial users, auto and truck manufacturers, railroads and utilities.
BP is the single, global brand formed by the combination of the former British Petroleum, Amoco, Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) and Burmah Castrol. BP is a global producer, manufacturer and marketer of oil, gas, chemicals and renewable energy sources.
Mark Oil distributes BP-branded products to 34 convenience stores and gas stations in the greater Charlotte area. The company has been in business since 1908.
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