USO Naples April 2021 Volunteer of the Month - Nicole Heathington

USO Naples is excited to announce Nicole Heathington as our Volunteer of the Month for April 2021! Since joining the USO Naples Volunteer Committee in January 2021, Nicole has dedicated over 60 hours of volunteer service to the USO and military community. Many of you might recognize her from programs like Sweet Tooth Fairy, but much of her time spent volunteering is behind-the-scenes! Whether it be setting up for an adorable Teddy Bear Club or delivering sweets around base during Sweet Tooth Fairy, Nicole has brought an energetic and positive attitude to each program she has attended.

Nicole is from a little bit of everywhere. She said, “I graduated high school, I met my husband, and got married in Texas so I call Texas home- but growing up I lived in Maryland, California and Mexico!” Of course, we wanted to know why she chose to volunteer! When asked, she responded, “My family arrived in Naples the day that the 2020 Covid Lockdown started. We made it a point to participate in as many USO programs as possible. From virtually baking cinnamon rolls to trivia and bingo- these programs got us through last year. I chose to become a part of USO Naples 5o give fun and hope to other service members just like what was given to us.” She loves working with kids and she especially enjoys seeing how much money she can save with coupons during the weekly USO Grocery Shopping trips! According to Nicole, the best parts of volunteering are the team, “The USO Naples staff and volunteers are such a fun and passionate group!” and the feeling she gets when she sees the smile on the face of a service member or a child at an event. Last, but not least, her words of advice to incoming volunteers was, “Get out there and volunteer! Keep a smile on your face when you’re volunteering because we never know what our program participants are going through. A simple smile when handing them a snack and soda could give them some hope.” In her free time, she enjoys hiking, spending time at church with her family, driving around to see the sights, eating, getting coffee, thrift shopping, crafting, and baking. No wonder she loves Sweet Tooth Fairy so much!

Join us in congratulating Nicole on this well-deserved recognition!