Kristy Whilden of Elmer was a music educator for 10 years when she learned that she was losing her hearing due to progressive sensorineural hearing loss. She feared her hearing loss would end her ability to enjoy the performing arts. Kristy spiraled into a depression that landed her and her children in a shelter for a time. Determined to move forward, she went back to school and obtained a degree in Deaf Studies/American Sign Language (ASL). Kristy and her daughter Hailey, who learned ASL to communicate with her mother, co-founded HandsUp Silent Theater in Millville that has produced unique and impactful performances and events for the d/Deaf, Hard Of Hearing, and hearing communities to enjoy as one.