Icolano continues family tradition of service to others

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Paul Icolano sizedPaul Icolano has been volunteering for more than 20 years.

“Volunteering is important to me because virtually anyone can donate money, and you can always make more,” said Icolano, a financial officer for UAB Facilities Management. “Volunteers are harder to come by because the most valuable commodity for most people is their time, which you can’t replace once it’s spent. Our community and country would be significantly diminished if not for the thousands of volunteers making a difference in people’s lives.”

Icolano is one of five UAB employees we’re spotlighting during National Volunteer Week to inspire, recognize and encourage people to seek out imaginative ways to contribute in their communities. It’s needed now more than ever. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals barely one in four people did volunteer work in 2013, and rates were less than one in five among those ages 20-24.

Icolano said he was inspired to begin volunteering by his mother, who was a passionate volunteer in the medical field. He was a volunteer soccer coach for more than 20 years, and now is the treasurer for the Friends of Helena Schools.

“I worked to establish our group’s not-for-profit status, and collectively we’re working to raise funds to better the schools in the Helena area,” said Icolano, who has been at UAB for 16 years.

“Volunteering has enabled me to think outside of the box in solving complicated problems and work better in a group environment in order to reach a common goal,” Icolano said.

Find volunteer opportunities through Hands On Birmingham, which connects people with organized and meaningful opportunities to improve their community.

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We want to inspire and encourage people to seek out imaginative ways to use their time and talents to serve others and celebrate the service of those who do. Tell us your story.