SAN ANTONIO -- Valero Energy Corp. will conduct its first Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraising campaign in nearly 900 of its branded distributor locations nationwide. Through August 31, customers can participate in the campaign by donating to the Make-A-Wish Foundation at any of the company's participating branded distributor sites.
All customers who make a $1 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation can add their names to individual paper stars to be displayed in the store throughout the campaign. The money raised will benefit the local Make-A-Wish chapter [image-nocss] in each store's community.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions who are at least 2-1/2 years old and younger than 18. Founded in 1980, the organization is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world serving every community in the United States and its territories through 71 Make-A-Wish chapters. The Foundation granted a record 12,550 wishes in 2005 and has granted more than135,000 wishes in the U.S. since its inception.
We're excited to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation because we're committed to making a difference in the lives of these children by helping to make their dreams come true, said Ken Applegate, Valero's vice president of wholesale marketing. With the support of our distributors and customers, we believe that we'll have a successful campaign enabling us to give even more back to our communities and help a lot of children.
Valero has a long track record of conducting similar fundraising campaigns in its company-owned stores for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and Children's Miracle Network. A supporter of the MDA for the past 20 years, the company's retail employees have helped to raise more than $9 million for the fight against neuromuscular disease. Additionally, more than $5.4 million has been raised over the past 11 years for Children's Miracle Network to support children's hospitals in the communities where Valero has operations.
San Antonio-based Valero owns and operates 18 refineries throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean It also operates more than 5,000 retail and branded wholesale outlets in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean under brand names including Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar and Beacon.
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