Will assist group with activities

KITTS HILL — When the South Hills Longbeards chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, headquarted in Lawrence County, previously set up an event, the logistics were a nightmare.

The group has been trying to find a better way to get all of its needed equipment to events, and decided that a box trailer would work a lot better than its current system of using several pickup trucks.

“Hauling equipment back and forth between the event locations and storage took several pickup trucks and a lot of volunteers,” Larry Pernestti, chapter president, said. “But that all changed after a co-worker told me about the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP).”

Pernestti and Chapter Vice President Jason Corey both work at Marathon Petroleum Corporation as operations technicians at the Terminal, Transport and Rail’s (TT&R’s) terminal in Kenova, West Virginia. The pair took advantage of Marathon’s VIP program to provide funds for the trailer.

“Our chapter hosts numerous events each year, including hunting education classes. We also have two youth events every year, a youth spring turkey hunt and a fishing day, and Wheelin’ Sportsmen events that also include a fall bow hunt and a fishing day,” Pernestti said. “The Wheelin’ Sportsmen program provides accessible hunting opportunities for people with disabilities. We also host a Women in the Outdoors event.”

The VIP program encourages Marathon employees to perform volunteer service at local charitable organizations with community outreach programs. Full and part-time employees, along with their spouses, are eligible to receive up to $500 each per year for any qualified 501(c)(3) organization after volunteering a minimum of 24 hours. Pernestti and his wife both qualified for the grant based on their volunteer hours.

Corey, operations technician and Pernestti’s colleague at the terminal, and his wife also qualified for the VIP grant, totaling $2,000 between the four in 2016. Pernestti and Corey applied for a grant from the TT&R’s Charitable Donation program as well, and received an additional $2,000.

All of the funds were then donated to the chapter for the purchase of the new 16-foot box trailer.

“I’m so grateful that we’re able to use these grants to benefit the organizations we care about,” Pernestti said. “It’s another example of why it’s great to be a Marathon Petroleum Corporation employee.”

For more information about the NWTF or the South Hills Longbeards Chapter, contact Pernestti at 740-532-9128 and/or email at Southhillslongbeards@gmail.com.