Geneseo, IL - On Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 6:00 pm, the Geneseo-Atkinson Girl Scout Service Unit 886 and the City of Geneseo will be celebrating the Girl Scout Gold Award achievement of Hannah McGee. This celebration will be held at the Richmond Hill Park in Geneseo, the site of a new performance stage that will serve local residents and visiting artists. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held along with a presentation of the project and recognition of the many hands that contributed to its completion.

In September of 2025, Hannah McGee from Geneseo, Illinois, completed her Gold Award project, providing her community with a safe and sustainable stage for local performances and community members to use year-round. McGee led a team of community members and fellow Girl Scouts through brainstorming, planning, and organizing the project. This project will create opportunities for musical and theatrical performances for locals. It will also provide a new location for artists to share their gifts and talents.

The project was graciously supported by the Geneseo Foundation and the Francis G. and Betty J. Miller Foundation. In addition to the stage, McGee and her team decided to landscape the area to attract pollinators. The stage lies adjacent to a Boy Scout Eagle memorial garden completed previously by Payton DeMay. McGee also designed an informational sign that connects the two projects and shares information about the impact of scouting on the Geneseo community.

While working on this project, McGee learned from professionals through hands-on experience. She collaborated with the City of Geneseo, Construction Group LTD, and Signature Big Timbers LLC to design and bring an experiential piece to life that will impact both artists and community members. McGee gained valuable skills that she will use as she pursues a degree in Civil and Entertainment Engineering at Bradley University this fall. McGee has been a Girl Scout for thirteen years. She is active in her school, church, and community.

Gold Award The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn, available to girls in high school who create sustainable change on a community or world issue. Gold Award Girl Scouts address the root cause of a problem, plan and implement innovative solutions to drive change, and lead a team of people to success. As they take action to transform their world, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they are the leaders our community and the world need.