Hello, my name is Anthony Wilbur.  I am a second year graduate student in the Wellness and Human Performance program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.  I have participated in athletics my entire life, most importantly baseball.  Throughout my years as a student athlete, I have developed a strong sense of leadership and teamwork on and off the baseball field.  Recently, I have become very passionate about vitamins and supplements, hoping to make a career out of working in this field.  Through researching this area and working at a vitamin store, I came across the Vitamin Angels charity organization.  Learning about this organization has only grown my passion for vitamins and supplements even more. Affording malnourished children and adults throughout the entire world the opportunity to prevent disease through vitamins and supplements is one of the greatest opportunities I could have.  I hope that you will aid me in my attempt to spread the opportunity of a more healthy and prosperous life for these children and adults that would otherwise not be able to. 

Vitamin Angels is currently launching their newest campaign to help reach children in need throughout the world.   Here is a description of the mission Operation 20/20:

An estimated 190 million children under five suffer from vitamin A deficiency (VAD) worldwide. Operation 20/20 dramatically decreases mortality rates in areas targeted by this program – by 24%.

Focusing on the underserved and those without access to facility-based health services, we connect infants and children under five to vitamin A. In addition, Operation 20/20 often combines vitamin A with anti-parasitic treatments that eliminate the presence of intestinal worms that contribute to poor absorption of vitamin A. This ensures that children at risk obtain sufficient vitamin A, decreasing the effects of VAD and advancing child immune function and survival.

Our high impact results arise from our focus on vulnerable populations through partnerships with groups who have a local presence and intimate understanding of the community being served. In doing so, we localize every project to apply solutions and proven methods for distributing vitamin A at the community level consistent with accepted best practices.

Please help me by donating to Team Vitamin Angels as I raise money to run and represent this amazing charity organization in the 2012 UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon.  Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Anthony Wilbur