GENESEO, Ill. – How did Geneseo Girl Scout Abbigail McGee plant butterflies and receive gold? It came through hard work and dedication.
Ms. McGee not only achieved Girl Scouts of America’s highest award, the Gold Award, she also won a national scholarship for her Gold Award project – a butterfly garden at the new Liberty Village Memory Care in Geneseo. The USA Gold Award Scholarship is presented by Girl Scouts of the USA, thanks to the sponsorship of Arconic Foundation and Kappa Delta Foundation.
The scholarship is available to high school students who create sustainable change on a community or world issue and is awarded to one Girl Scout per council. Ms. McGee is a member with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois chapter.
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.
In 2021, Ms. McGee, planned the project, raised money, and collaborated with local businesses to honor those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. For her project, she created a butterfly garden at Liberty Village’s courtyard and included a shallow water fountain and butterfly houses. The project was in memory of Ms. McGee’s grandfather, Samuel Splear, who died from Alzheimer’s earlier that year.
She presented the garden at a ceremony in August of 2021 that included a butterfly release and a reception.
For more information or to join, volunteer or donate to Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, visit www.GirlScoutsToday.org.
