Ascedia’s beCause Program Will Benefit Christmas Fantasy House

The Christmas Fantasy House, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, will receive a redesigned Web site through beCause, a program developed by Milwaukee interactive marketing agency Ascedia, Inc.

“The Christmas Fantasy House has done an outstanding job raising funds to fight cancer and, in particular, childhood cancer. We want to help in that mission, and see the donation of our talents as an effective way to do that,” said Dan Early, president and partner at Ascedia.

Through beCause, Ascedia donates time to help non-profits build, redevelop or otherwise improve their web sites. Through beCause, the Christmas Fantasy House Web site, www.christmasfantasyhouse.com, will be redesigned. “We believe a Web site redesign can help raise awareness of and support for this very worthy cause,” Early said.

“We are really looking forward to this partnership,” said Gail Johnson, who chairs the fundraiser with her brother, Ron Thomas. “This is the first year we have a web site; Ascedia’s donation will be a tremendous help for us.”

Since beCause was started in 2001, 14 organizations have benefited from the program, including the Wheelchair Recycling Program, Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and First Stage Children’s Theatre, according to Mark Roller, creative director and partner at Ascedia.

A non-profit organization is selected to benefit from beCause each quarter. Ascedia is now taking applications for the first quarter of 2007.

Loretta Thompson established the first Christmas Fantasy House in 1993 to raise funds to help fight childhood cancer. Her sudden death prior to the opening of the Fantasy House prompted friends, family and the American Cancer Society to take up her cause.

Since then, the Christmas Fantasy House has raised more than $1 million for the American Cancer Society, with the money staying in the ACS’s Midwest Region, according to Johnson.

This year, the Fantasy House will be hosted by Margie Clark Takton at her newly built residence at 1505 Greenway Terrace in Elm Grove. Clark Takton, whose late father was Clark Oil & Refining Corp. founder Emory T. Clark, hosted the Christmas Fantasy House in 1995 at the same address; that house was razed to make way for the current house. At over 24,000 square feet, her French chateau style home is the largest Fantasy House ever offered for touring.

The house will be open to the public from Saturday, Nov. 4 until Sunday, Nov. 12. More than 700 volunteers are needed to help run the tours.

The Christmas Fantasy House also hosts free parties for children with cancer or in remission, along with their families.

About Ascedia:
Founded in 2000, provides interactive marketing services and tools to clients throughout the United States. Organizations such as Universal Studios, Great Wolf Resorts, Packer Country, Potawatomi Bingo & Casino, Master Lock and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and numerous other state tourism departments throughout the country rely on Ascedia’s expertise at transferring their respective brand experiences to their Web sites and via other interactive communications tools. Ascedia has headquarters in Milwaukee and an office in Chicago.