CHICAGO - As the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games approach, BP Products North America Inc., the exclusive energy partner of Team USA through 2016, is giving Washington, D.C., consumers an opportunity to step into the shoes of Team USA hopefuls at an upcoming BP Team USA Experience event.
BP??s Team USA Experience is a free event, open to the public, and will take place at Union Station on Tuesday, June 26 from 7 am to 2 pm. The event will provide an opportunity for area residents to participate in simulated Olympic and Paralympic sports including a 10-meter sprint, wheelchair race, shot put and discus. Consumers will also learn about the benefits of BP gasoline with Invigorate. Team USA athlete Chris Waddell, 13-time Paralympic medalist and the most decorated male mono-skier in Paralympic history, will be at the event to share his story and sign autographs.
To fuel the spirit of BP??s sponsorship of Team USA, Baltimore BP marketer, Carroll Independent Fuels and Washington, D.C., BP marketer Petroleum Marketing Group, have teamed up with two local Paralympic Sport Clubs to help build awareness of the benefits of recreational and competitive sports for youth and adults with physical disabilities. BP and local BP marketers will present a $15,000 grant donation at the event to Paralympic Sport Washington, D.C., a program of MedStar National Rehabilitation Network and Paralympic Sport Club Mid-Atlantic, a program of Baltimore Adapted Recreation and Sports. The donation, made possible through the BP Fueling Communities grant program, will help fund the sport activities available at the clubs, such as wheelchair basketball and cycling.
"On behalf of Carroll Independent Fuels and Petroleum Marketing Group, this donation is part of our shared commitment to make a positive impact in the communities where we do business and help raise awareness about the opportunities made available through the U.S. Paralympic Team and these important community-based clubs," said John Phelps, president of Carroll Independent Fuels.
Baltimore and Washington area residents can also participate in a fundraising effort for the local Paralympic Sport Clubs by purchasing a window cling for $1 at the BP Team USA Experience event on Tuesday. Additionally, U.S. Paralympic bracelets will be available for purchase at participating BP sites throughout the month of August. All proceeds will go to Paralympic Sport Washington, D.C. and Paralympic Sport Club Mid-Atlantic.
"BP??s sponsorship of the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams inspired us to show our support and commitment to our local Paralympic Sport Clubs and help fuel the future of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. athletes with physical disabilities," said Hossein Ejtemai, president of Petroleum Marketing Group.
The BP Fueling Communities program provides grants to local organizations that are nominated by BP??s Branded Marketers to support the communities in which they do business. Fueling Communities helps spread charity and goodwill by giving back to local organizations that support health, education, youth, food and housing. For more information about BP??s sponsorship of Team USA, visit bpusathletes.com.