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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2014
2014 Valero Texas Open Birdies For Charity® Campaign Raises $1.8MM
Prizes Awarded To Two Lucky Donors: A New Car & “Stay and Play” Package
SAN ANTONIO, TX – The Birdies for Charity® campaign is one of several charitable initiatives organized and supported by the Valero Texas Open, providing over 115 worthy organizations throughout the greater San Antonio community and beyond with a fun and unique fundraising platform. This year the Valero Texas Open Birdies for Charity campaign raised over $1.84 million for local participating charities and schools thanks to the support of thousands of donors. Individuals who made pledges or monetary contributions to Birdies for Charity had the chance to participate in one of several give-away contests provided by the Valero Texas Open.
One lucky donor won a brand new car through the Donor Attendance contest. Anyone who made a contribution to Birdies for Charity and attended at least one day of the Valero Texas Open (Thursday-Sunday) was entered into a grand prize drawing to win a brand new Ford Fiesta.
Thomas Cross, accompanied by his wife Angie, was greeted last Monday at Jordan Ford by representatives of the Valero Texas Open, New Life Children’s Center and Jordan Ford when they presented him keys to his new car.
A fan of golf, Cross regularly attends the Valero Texas Open, but after winning this year’s Donor Attendance contest, he vowed to be a spectator for life at the tournament. Cross is a full-time truck driver and firefighter for Kyle, Texas.
The Birdies for Charity donation that made winning this grand prize possible for Cross, was in support of New Life Children’s Center, a safe haven where abused, neglected and troubled young girls get a chance for a “new life.” New Life Children’s Center has participated in the Birdies for Charity fundraising program for over eight years.
In addition to the Donor Attendance contest, donors who made pledges or monetary contributions to Birdies for Charity had the opportunity to guess the number of birdies that were made during the Valero Texas Open’s tournament week (Pro-Am and Professional competitions) for a chance to win the Guess the Birdies contest prize, provided by TPC San Antonio and JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. The “Stay and Play” prize package includes a three night stay at the host hotel of the Valero Texas Open along with rounds of golf at TPC San Antonio, treatments at the resort’s acclaimed Lantana Spa and daily breakfast for two guests.
With over 2,900 individual donors in the 2014 Birdies for Charity campaign, only one correctly guessed the birdie count (1,784 birdies).
Andrea Rodriguez’s Birdies for Charity donation supported The Children Shelter which puts children first by providing a safe, trauma-focused place for children in crisis whether the need is for immediate shelter, residential treatment, foster or adoptive homes. The Children’s Shelter has been a longtime participant in Birdies for Charity, dating back to 1999.
“The Valero Texas Open is always thrilled to give back to the San Antonio community through one of its unique fundraising programs,” explained Stephanie Sage, Marketing and Community Relations Director of the Valero Texas Open. “The Birdies for Charity campaign positively impacts the lives of thousands of San Antonians and Bexar County residents each year thanks to the incredible contributions made by individual and corporate donors.”
Please visit ValeroTexasOpen.com to learn more about the Valero Texas Open and its Birdies for Charity program. The next edition of the Valero Texas Open is scheduled to take place March 23-29, 2015 at TPC San Antonio.
ABOUT VALERO
Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries (collectively, Valero), is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products, and sells its products primarily in the United States (U.S.), Canada, the United Kingdom (U.K.), Ireland and Latin America. Valero owns 15 petroleum refineries located in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day. Valero is a joint venture member in Diamond Green Diesel Holdings LLC, which owns two renewable diesel plants located in the U.S. Gulf Coast region with a combined production capacity of approximately 1.2 billion gallons per year, and Valero owns 12 ethanol plants located in the U.S. Mid-Continent region with a combined production capacity of approximately 1.6 billion gallons per year. Valero manages its operations through its Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol segments. Please visit investorvalero.com for more information.
ABOUT VALERO IN THE COMMUNITY
Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries (collectively, Valero), and the Valero Energy Foundation are committed to improving the quality of life in communities where Valero has major operations. In 2023, Valero, its employees and the foundation collectively generated more than $77 million in charitable support through direct/in-kind donations, fundraising and volunteerism. Valero employees logged more than 127,000 volunteer hours in 2023 for hundreds of projects in their communities. Valero provides funding to a variety of nonprofit agencies for programs and services supporting education, basic needs, health care and civic initiatives. Through the overwhelming support of sponsors, the foundation’s signature programs, the Valero Texas Open and Benefit for Children, generated more than $23 million raised in 2023 for charities across the United States.
ABOUT THE VALERO TEXAS OPEN
The Valero Texas Open is the sixth-oldest professional tournament in golf worldwide, the third-oldest on the PGA TOUR and the longest held in the same city. In 2022, the tournament celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Its list of champions includes some of the greatest names in golf history: Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Lee Trevino, Nick Price, Justin Leonard, Zach Johnson, Adam Scott, Jimmy Walker, Jordan Spieth and 2019, 2023 champion Corey Conners to name a few.
Since Valero became title sponsor in 2002, the tournament has become a leader in charitable fundraising among PGA TOUR events. The Valero Texas Open, together with its Benefit for Children and Champions fore Charity initiatives, has contributed more than $232 million to hundreds of worthy charities since inception. Please visit www.ValeroTexasOpen.com for more information.
Media Contacts
Stephanie Sage
Valero Texas Open
Director, Marketing & Community Relations
210.345.3839 office
Lee Patterson
Valero Texas Open
Director, Media Relations
704.913.1088 mobile
