By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Geneseo is home to Maddie Mackey, and after leaving the area to earn a college degree, she recently returned to become the Director of Annawan Parks and Recreation.

Mackey graduated from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, with a degree in Sports Management. She also served as president of the Sports Management Club at NIU.

The 2017 graduate of Geneseo High School, who was a standout in the sports scene, said she knew in her senior year of college that she “wanted to go back home and find a position to work…I was blessed with so many great opportunities growing up in the sporting industry, and now I want to give back to those young kids.”

Mackey, whose office is located in the Annawan Village Hall, is in charge of the Community Center in Annawan which includes a fitness center in addition to rental parties in the large and small rooms at the Center. She can be contacted at annawanparksandrec@gmail.com.

“I am also in charge of the Parish Hall Building where we offer tumbling and where we soon will be scheduling new activities,” she said.

Her responsibilities include coordinating community events and organizing and managing youth soccer and baseball programs, along with other youth and adult programs.

“I really want to make an impact in the community,” Mackey said. “Annawan has been great, and the community and everyone I work with have been so welcoming in helping me make a smooth transition into the work force.”

When she stepped into the director’s position, her goal was to incorporate new events and ideas for the town and enhance those events already in place…”I have in place a Dueling Piano Fundraiser, for adult and youth activities, coming up Feb. 18 that I am super excited about,” she added.

Also new to the Annawan community is Mackey’s effort in bringing pickle ball to the area and she explained the Parish Hall gym will be used for the new activities for the public…”I have the court lined up and ready for play, so I am hoping in the next week or two we can get that up and rolling,”: she said.

The position of Annawan Parks and Recreation Director seems to be a perfect fit for Mackey.

“Playing college softball was a dream of mine from the time I was little,” she shared. “I wanted to play at the highest level, travel the States playing the best teams in the country and make lifetime memories with my teammates. I am grateful for the opportunities college softball has given me and all the lessons that I learned from it. Learning how to deal with adversity, learning how to communicate with a wide array of people, and learning how to manage my time are just a few of the attributes I have taken with me into the work force.”

She is the daughter of Travis and Kris Mackey, Geneseo.