2026 Community Awards Spotlight – Exceptional Volunteer Jenny Sheffield

Volunteers contribute to the vibrancy, diversity and strength of our community. This award is presented annually to exceptional volunteers whose contributions have made a meaningful and lasting difference in Mississippi Mills.

A lifelong resident of Mississippi Mills, Jenny has been woven into the cultural fabric of our community from the very beginning. As a young person, she immersed herself in local arts programs. In adulthood, she became not just a participant, but a builder of our arts community, contributing through the Almonte District High School Drama Club and dancing with several local associations.

But Jenny’s first love has always been theatre. Many here will remember her as a regular performer with the Valley Players throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Her talents extended far beyond the stage — she served on the executive team, helping select productions, organize logistics, and promote shows, ensuring each performance was a success.

Her dedication to the arts also shines through her long involvement with the Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival. What began as volunteer support has grown into a leadership role as the festival’s program lead. Her love of puppetry is rooted in the joy it brings and a love of the craft.

Yet perhaps Jenny’s most profound and lasting contribution to local theatre is her extraordinary commitment to the ADHS Drama Club, where she teaches senior science. For more than 20 years, she has volunteered countless hours after school — organizing, promoting, and directing numerous productions that have given youth a place to belong, to express themselves, and to shine. She has done this almost single‑handedly, driven by passion, creativity, and a belief in the power of the arts to shape young lives.

Here’s what Jenny’s nominators had to say about her:

“One of the many reasons that Jenny is an exceptional volunteer is that she is not the drama or music teacher at ADHS – she is a chemistry teacher who stepped into a void and created the drama club almost single-handedly…The opportunities she has created have inspired some students to pursue careers in the arts and has provided numerous young people with fabulous memories of their time at the school.”

“I believe that Jenny’s drive and determination to ensure that youth within Mississippi Mills experience drama and theatre is a true testament to her caring for the community. Coupled with her outstanding work for Puppets Up! in both a leadership and performance role, Jenny continues to provide the community with incredible cultural experiences.

Congratulations, Jenny!