Puppets Up! is thrilled to share some magical community news. On Friday, June 26, representatives from the festival attended the Almonte District High School graduation to present the second annual Noreen Young Award for the Arts to an incredibly talented local youth: Casey Gayton.
Many in Mississippi Mills already know Casey from his outstanding, high-energy volunteerism. Whether he’s helping bring the magic to life at Puppets Up!, hanging out at the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre, helping out at the Almonte Fair and Car Toot Bingo, or greeting neighbours at his job at Jonsson’s YIG, Casey embodies the community spirit Noreen loved so much. This September, Casey will be taking his talents to Loyalist College to study Animation and Game Design.
Stephen Brathwaite (Noreen’s brother) and Jane Torrance (Chair of Puppets Up!) were proud to present the $1,000 award to Casey. Established in 2025 following Noreen’s passing—with the inaugural award going to Mycah Olson—the prize supports a Mississippi Mills student pursuing post-secondary education in the arts. The selection committee noted that Casey not only fits the artistic criteria perfectly, but his dedication as a volunteer truly set him apart.