A multi-year beautification project at the nearby Wilmington Park Elementary School became a true labor of love for employees and contractors from Marathon Petroleum’s Los Angeles refinery. More than two years and many volunteer hours later, their hard work and determination paid off with the completion of the project at the 112-year-old school located within a mile of the refinery.

“This project was very important to us because the school is a close neighbor,” said Les Davis, former Maintenance Manager at the Los Angeles refinery, whose team planned, coordinated and completed the project. “One of our larger refinery units can be seen from the school playground, so the school is a vivid reminder of our responsibility to support and protect our community.”

More than 120 volunteers from the Los Angeles refinery took part in the multi-year project helping to refurbish the cafeteria, auditorium, teachers' lounge, foyer, several stairways and a large common area. Their efforts were recently recognized by school leaders and an honorary plaque was placed on the exterior of the school. During the recognition event, refinery leadership presented the school with a $10,000 check from donations raised by employees through the company’s matching gift program.

“They’ve done it time and time again. We see them regularly supporting our community,” Wilmington Community of Schools administrator David Kooper says of Marathon’s commitment to the school. “They’re just a partner that you can always count on, and they’re always trying to find a way to say yes.”