The Women’s Community is now on Facebook, and to jumpstart their fan base, Thomas Marks and Associates and Peritus Design (TMA+Peritus) are hosting their semi-annual social networking event to benefit the non-profit organization during Domestic Violence Awareness month.

TMA+Peritus’ Fall Ice Maker will be held on Thursday, October 22, 2009 at the RedEye Brewery in Wausau. But you won’t see invitations in the mail. TMA+Peritus and The Women’s Community are using the power of social networking to generate awareness for the event.

“The success we had with the number of people attending our Spring Ice Maker in April proved that we had an opportunity to turn this into more than a social networking event,” says Kathy Marks, managing partner of TMA+Peritus. “We’re using the reach of Facebook to grow awareness of The Women’s Community and their work with victims of domestic abuse.”

“The only way to stop domestic violence is to increase awareness and take away the stigma that surrounds it,” says Jane Graham-Jennings, Executive Director of The Women’s Community. “The power of the web and social networking allows us to increase that awareness exponentially. It’s amazing to us how ‘community’ is no longer limited by geography.”

Virtual requirements for attending the Fall Ice Maker are that guests be a Facebook fan of both TMA+Peritus and The Women’s Community. At the local level, those attending the event at the RedEye Brewery will be donating non-perishable items to replenish supplies at The Women’s Community. One non-perishable results in one ticket for a free beverage; three non-perishable items gets two tickets.

In addition to hosting the benefit for The Women’s Community, Tom and Kathy Marks, managing partners of TMA+Peritus, are also donating two tickets to the November 14th Badger game against Michigan. Proceeds from that raffle will go to The Women’s Community “Unearth the Beauty” capitol campaign, which will provide funding for the building of a safe, secure, no-shame haven for adults and children fleeing violent homes. The Women’s Community hopes to reach its campaign goal of $4 million by the end of the year. Donations to the campaign can be made on-line at www.womenscommunity.org.

To become a fan of TMA+Peritus and The Women’s Community, please sign up through the following links:
http://www.Facebook.com/tmaperitus
http://www.facebook.com/womenscommunity
Fan sign up will also be available during the event.