Tonight from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, Girl Scouts of Central Illinois presents their 22nd annual Women of Distinction award celebration, honoring outstanding female leaders residing in Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermillion counties. The Women of Distinction awards recognize women’s contributions in business, public service, creative arts and entertainment, education, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math)-related fields. Qualified nominees possess leadership qualities and have demonstrated skill development and growth in their fields.
Honored this year are Laura Weiss, president and CEO of the Champaign Chamber of Commerce; Annette Lansford, MD, founder of the Carle Developmental Clinic; Molly Delaney, educational outreach director at Illinois Public Media; Cindy Feeney, kindergarten teacher at St. Matthew School; Christina McClelland, an interdisciplinary artist and creator of Urbana’s Murals on Glass program. This year’s Young Woman of Distinction is Central High School junior Ranija Turner.
The event will feature a cocktail hour with locally-created, decadent desserts inspirted by Girl Scout cookies, followed by dinner and the awards presentation. Tickets are $50 per person or $25 for children under 12 years of age.