VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Oct. 14, 2015 – Fueling good for the fourth consecutive year, CITGO Petroleum Corporation and local petroleum marketer PAPCO Inc. recently teamed up to bring “Books and Beats” to the Virginia Beach community. With books provided by the mobile literacy program Bess the Book Bus and beats provided by drumming and singing organization Giving Tree Music, both children and adults came away with big smiles from Seatack Elementary and the 42nd Annual Neptune Festival.
Prior to the community festival, more than 400 students at Seatack Elementary, an Achievable Dream Academy and Title 1 school, climbed aboard Bess the Book Bus to choose their very own free, brand new books. Afterward, they also participated in interactive drumming and singing circles to help foster a musical foundation and a sense of empowerment and self-worth.
“We so appreciate any chance for our children to experience unique and engaging opportunities like this,” said Vincent Darby Sr., Principal, Seatack Elementary.
Patti Porter, Assistant Principal, added “This was such great fun for these kids. They so deserve it.”
Since Jennifer Frances founded the program in 2002, Bess the Book Bus has traveled across the country visiting schools, community centers and libraries, distributing approximately 500,000 free books to more than 100,000 children in need. Virginia Beach marked the final stop of the Book Bus’ 2015 tour, supported by CITGO.
Both Bess the Book Bus and Giving Tree Music also participated in the annual Neptune Festival, however, a pending hurricane forced a change in venue. The Virginia Beach Convention Center hosted the festival’s Art and Craft Show, featuring more than 240 artists from around the world. More than 1,500 attendees participated in the drum circles with Giving Tree Music, and approximately 900 of those participants were children who also received books from Bess the Book Bus. Attendees were also encouraged to download and “check-in” with the Club CITGO mobile app for the chance to receive a $5 CITGO Gift Card. Other activities included a prize wheel, face painting, giveaways and much more.
“Bess the Book Bus and The Giving Tree Music program have a real positive impact on kids,” said Frank Daniels, PAPCO Director of Marketing. “It is a privilege to partner with CITGO in ways that offer such a deserving group of students and staff, as well as the attendees at the Neptune Festival, the opportunity to experience these programs. Being part of the Neptune Festival each year is the perfect way for us to support this local community that means so much to us.”
In addition to the Art and Craft Show, the Festival also included its signature event – Neptune’s International Sandsculpting Competition – as well as the Neptune 5K and 8K and Festival headlining bands Eric Lindell, the Marshall Tucker Band and Dumpstaphunk. As a private non-profit 501(c)(3) organization governed by a volunteer board of directors, the Neptune Festival is focused on serving the City of Virginia Beach.
To learn more about how CITGO and its local Marketers are fueling good in the local community, visit www.fuelinggood.com.
About PAPCO, Inc.
PAPCO is a leading energy solutions supplier in the Eastern United States and markets refined fuels, lubricants, risk management products and fuel card fleet management programs to a broad customer base, including industrial, retail, marine, and commercial transportation companies (trucking, transit, railroad, marine) and federal, state and municipal government end users in the eastern United States. PAPCO backs its value-added services with its secure fuel supply capabilities through proprietary fuel storage locations and supply agreements with an established network of refiners, pipelines, terminals and transportation providers that have been expanding since 1976. PAPCO leverages more than 30 years of experience in petroleum hedging and product trading to offer innovative price risk management solutions, allowing fuel users to better manage operating budgets and fuel cost.
About CITGO
CITGO is committed to giving back to the local communities it serves through its network of locally owned CITGO locations. CITGO Marketers and Retailers in Virginia own and operate nearly 275 CITGO locations and are proud to support their communities and organizations such as the Neptune Festival. For more information on the positive impact of the locally owned CITGO stations, visit www.fuelinggood.com.
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.