The Santarelli Family Donate More Than 1,700 Books in the Scranton Area

Local CITGO Marketer Santarelli & Sons Oil Company Inc. teamed up with CITGO Fueling Good winner Bess the Book Bus and Miss Pennsylvania 2013, Annie Rosellini, to benefit the local Scranton, Pa. community.

On Thursday, Dec. 19, Ken Santarelli, Santarelli & Sons operations manager, and his daughters Mia, Morriah and Maria, his mother Elaine Santarelli, and his niece and nephew Noah and Nikki Veno visited three children- and family-focused organizations in the Scranton area. With the help of a donation from Bess the Book Bus, the Santarelli family and Miss Pennsylvania gave out more than 1,700 books and read aloud to children at the following locations:

• Marley's Mission: 2150 Port Royal Road in Clarks Summit
• Friendship House:1509 Maple Street in Scranton
• St. Joseph's Center: 2010 Adams Avenue in Scranton

Founded in 2002 by Jennifer Frances, Bess the Book Bus is a mobile non-profit whose mission is to promote literacy through access to new and engaging books. With support from CITGO, Bess the Book Bus has engaged more than 60,000 families and donated more than 450,000 books.

"As a family-owned business that has been a part of the Scranton community for nearly four decades, we appreciate the valuable programs these three organizations provide," said Santarelli. "My family and I are so happy to have been able to meet some of the wonderful children who benefit from the strong support of the Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy programs at Marley's Mission, the Northeast Regional Autism Center at Friendship House, and the early intervention and therapy provided by St. Joseph's Center."

Marley's Mission is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on healing, founded in 2009 when April Loposky realized the profound effects of horse therapy on her daughter's treatment following a brutal attack at age five. It has seven horses and a team of specialists on staffthat helps patients who wish to participate in the Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). Learn more at http://www.marleysmission.com/.

Friendship House, founded in 1871, offers a continuum of quality programs and services designed to enhance the emotional, behavioral and social well-being of children and families through the Sanctuary model of trauma-informed care. To learn more, visit http://www.friendshiphousepa.org/index.html.

St. Joseph's Center in Scranton, Pa. was founded in 1888. It assists individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities or developmental delays, pregnant women, young families, couples hoping to adopt and patients who require outpatient therapy. For more information, visit http://www.stjosephscenter.org/.

Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM, president and CEO of St. Joseph's Center, said, "Ken and the team at Santarelli & Sons have always done whatever they can to help people in our area. We are so thankful for the efforts of Ken; his mother Elaine; daughters Mia, Morriah and Maria; Noah and Nikki Veno; Bess the Book Bus; and Annie Rosellini, Miss Pennsylvania; to visit with our residents and clients face-to-face and provide such a wonderful donation of books this holiday season."

Founded in 1975, Santarelli & Sons Oil Company is a family owned and operated business. The company owns two gas stations and a fleet of 19 delivery vehicles. Delivery products include home heating oil, fuel oil, diesel fuel, gasoline and kerosene. Santarelli & Sons also sell automotive fuels and oils at its retail locations.

CITGO is committed to giving back to the local communities it serves through its network of locally owned stations. CITGO Marketers and Retailers in Pennsylvania own and operate nearly 250 CITGO locations and are proud to support their communities. The CITGO Fueling Good campaign and its sponsorship of Bess the Book Bus and Miss America State representatives fulfill the CITGO pillars of education and health by supporting organizations such as Marley's Mission, Friendship House and St. Joseph's Center.

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