Community Service Spotlight: Aloha, Ricker's & Quality State

NATIONAL REPORT -- Giving back through community service efforts and charity donations is a positive force that keeps many retailers and suppliers of this industry moving ahead. On a regular basis, Convenience Store News highlights these philanthropic efforts in this special section.

Here are the latest company spotlights:

Aloha Petroleum Ltd.

With the assistance of its customers, Aloha Petroleum recently donated $4,182 to the American Cancer Society to support the organization’s efforts in the Hawaii Pacific Region to transform the disease from deadly to preventable. The company matched funds raised through canister collection donations at participating Aloha Island Mart and Shell locations throughout the state during the month of November.

CITGO Petroleum Corp.

CITGO renewed its sponsorship of Bess the Book Bus, an initiative dedicated to promoting children's literacy across the country and one of the first Fueling Good winners. Over the course of 2014, Bess will travel the United States, making numerous stops at schools, community centers, shelters, Head Start facilities and CITGO locations in nearly 60 cities to donate books, read aloud to children and help spread a love for reading.

By visiting schools and classroom libraries directly this year, Bess will significantly increase its impact on the nation's most underserved students.

In other CITGO giving news, the Simon Bolivar Foundation in a joint effort with CITGO and its parent company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., will donate more than 1,000 refurbished dome tents to Matthew 25: Ministries Inc., a nonprofit organization that will facilitate the delivery of the donation to typhoon victims in the Philippines.

Matthew 25: Ministries rescues and reuses approximately 14 million pounds of corporate products each year and redistributes them to people in desperate need throughout the U.S. and worldwide.

Kwik Trip Inc.

Kwik Trip will donate $100,000 over the next five years to Fisher House Wisconsin to ensure veterans and their families receive care and support. The donation supports Fisher House Wisconsin’s capital campaign, which is raising funds to help build Wisconsin’s first Fisher House at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. Groundbreaking is planned for this spring.

Fisher House Wisconsin will be just over 13,000 square feet inside, with 16 bedroom suites capable of accommodating up to eight people per suite.

The first Fisher House opened in Bethesda, Md., in 1990. To date, the houses have saved military families more than $200 million in lodging and transportation costs.

Ricker’s Convenience Stores

Ricker’s Convenience Stores presented Habitat for Humanity of Madison County, Ind., with a check for $10,000 from the BP Fueling Communities Program, a part of BP North America. The Fueling Communities Program allows local BP-branded marketers to support organizations that focus on health, education, youth, food and housing to spread goodwill among neighbors in need.

Last year, Ricker’s presented Habitat for Humanity of Madison County with a $5,000 check under the same program.

Quality State Oil

CITGO marketer Quality State Oil is once again sponsoring the Q Mart Shamrocks Against Dystrophy fundraiser to support the local Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) chapter. From Feb. 1 through March 17, customers at participating Q Mart stations can purchase $1 Green or $5 Gold paper shamrocks to benefit MDA.

Local community members can also get involved by "liking" the Q Mart Shamrocks for MDA" Facebook page to be automatically entered for a chance to win a $25 CITGO gift card. Also as part of this year's campaign, Miss Wisconsin and local MDA Ambassadors Myranda Gereau and Allison Naze will visit three selected Q Mart locations on Feb. 22 to support the cause.