LAPLACE - There was a room full of very happy people, Monday afternoon at Belle Terre Country Club, where officials with Valero of St. Charles were handing out checks to 18 area children’s charities.

The money came as a result of the record-breaking Valero Texas Open, and the Valero Benefit for Children Golf Classic.

The event was the top charitable fundraiser on the PGA Tour this year, and once again helped Valero nationwide set an all-time record for charitable donations from the tournament, this year totaling $8 million. Locally, Valero of St Charles got to reap some of those benefits to the tune of $507,000 handed out to area charities.

Each year as part of the tournament’s fundraising efforts, employees at Valero’s headquarters and each of its facilities nominate and then select children’s charities in their area to receive donations.

This year, employees selected a record 500 charities to receive funds. The $507,000 represents the Valero of St. Charles, and their local share of the $8 million.

Top recipients of area charities this year were:

Children’s Hospital, $125,000; Shriners Hospital for Children, $75,000; ; Girls and Boys Town of Louisiana, $67,000; Louisiana Lions League for Crippled Children, Inc., $25,000; Muscular Dystrophy Association, $25,000; St. Michael Special School, $20,000; Camp Challenge, $20,000; St. Mary’s Residential Training Facility, $20,000; Covenant House New Orleans, $20,000; The Sunshine Kids, $20,000; St. Charles Parish and St. John Parish Special Olympics, $20,000; Jerusalem Temple Shrine Circus, $10,000; Kingsley House, $10,000; Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center, $10,000; Child Advocacy Services, $10,000; Center for Family and Youth Services, $10,000; Children’s Bureau for New Orleans, $10,000; and Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, $10,000.