Posted on May 22, 2025
DSPs show creativity and commitment to providing person-centered experiences.
Penn-Mar is known for its innovative, person-centered approach that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live courageous, independent lives.
To that end, Michal Edmondson, a Residential Supervisor at a Penn-Mar home in White Hall, Maryland, is always looking for unique things for her residents to do. Past experiences have ranged from wrestling matches to Dutch Wonderland at Christmas, to bowling outings and entertainment evenings at the Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster. All the options are designed to align with the residents’ passions, spark their imagination, and provide a welcome getaway from their everyday routines.
One day when Michal was poking around for ideas, she stumbled across a listing for a Judas Priestess cover band performance at The Phantom Power Live Music Venue in Millersville, PA.
She knew that Judas Priest was a favorite band of Rita’s, a 12-year resident of the Whitehall community home where she worked. She contacted fellow DSP Beth Kuhn to see if she would be available to accompany Rita to the tribute band’s concert.
Beth was only too happy to volunteer. “I love doing these kinds of things with the people Penn-Mar supports and this was certainly a unique experience,” she said.
The women agreed to keep the outing a secret from Rita until she returned from her Day Program on the day of the concert. When Beth told her she would be picking her up later to see Judas Priestess in person, Rita recalls “screaming her heart out!”
According to Michal, Rita doesn’t like loud noises but ironically, she wants her music “loud and hard and rockin.’” When the concert event popped up, she knew it would be right up her alley. And was it ever!
“Loud music doesn’t bother me, but I will admit we all ended up wearing ear plugs during the performance,” said Beth. “The venue was small and dark and loud!” Rita bought a Judas Priestess tee shirt from the merchandise stand and started waving it around while the band was performing. She caught the attention of the lead singer who later invited Rita to come up on stage and sing with them.
Beth and her fiancée helped Rita navigate the stage steps and as she shared, “The rest is history!”
Rita wasn’t a bit nervous and loved joining the band dancing and singing her heart out to the song, “Living After Midnight:”
Living after midnight
Rocking to the dawn
Loving ’til the morning
Then I’m gone, I’m gone
She described the experience as exhilarating. “I just let myself out!” she said. “The audience was applauding, and a lot of people were taking videos of me with their phones. I’ll be going on the road next!”
Rita’s love of music dates back to her childhood and she has fond memories of listening to her older brother playing the drums. Recently she has attended some “Black Veil Brides” concerts, and her current favorite rock group is “Iron Maidens,” another female band she hopes to see when they come to the Baltimore Civic Center in October.
Despite some health issues, Rita stays active in Penn Mar’s Day Program and enjoys going out to parks, libraries, and paint-your-own ceramics stores. She particularly loves working on art projects and uses Facebook and Instagram to keep up with current events and her family and friends.
But as experiences go, Rita says, “I will never forget the Judas Priestess concert as long as I live. Now I’m a rock star!”