The Haunt With a Heart: Erebus Haunted Attraction Strives to Give Back

Erebus Haunted Attraction and its owners, brothers Ed and Jim Terebus, want to thank the community that has made their world-renowned haunted attraction so successful as they enter their 15th season. The staff of the three-story haunted house in downtown Pontiac has created far-reaching programs that will allow them to give back to the area they have called home since first opening its doors in 2001.

Dubbed “The Haunt with a Heart,” Erebus is launching its 2014 Halloween season on the weekend of September 19, but they are making their programs available now for registration.

The fundraising program offers organizations the opportunity to raise money for their cause while enjoying a night out at a world famous haunted attraction. Using tickets purchased from the Erebus website with their unique promotional code, each ticket will be reduced by $3 with another $5 per ticket donated to the organization. A turnkey program for the organization, Erebus provides all marketing materials.

Also returning this year is Erebus’ “Don’t Be a Monster” anti-bullying campaign that took Ed Terebus into area middle schools for class assemblies featuring “Don’t Be A Monster” mascot “Frank.”

A victim of bullying in his youth, this is a subject close to Ed Terebus: “I love scaring people, I love to create fear, but only here at Erebus. This is where the fear should stay — in a fun, controlled, safe environment. It’s when the fear happens outside that it becomes a real problem. When I was younger, I was a victim of bullying — other kids would say hurtful things and make fun, and I’ll never forget that because it causes so much hurt. No kid should have to be subjected to that and it’s an issue that needs to be seriously addressed.”

“Don’t Be a Monster” has expanded its program to include the fundraising program, allowing schools and their many student organizations and groups the opportunity to raise funds.

Anyone interested in signing up to be part of Erebus’ “Haunt With a Heart” campaign can contact Michele Casey at Erebus via email (michele@hauntedpontiac.com) or phone (248-925-9603).

Erebus Haunted Attraction, located in Downtown Pontiac, previously held the Guinness World Record for Largest Walk-Through Haunted Attraction. It has been featured on national television and annually attractions thousands of patrons from all over the world. For more on the haunt, visit HauntedPontiac.com.

Erebus Haunted Attraction

Opened in 2000, Ed and Jim Terebus have build Erebus Haunted Attraction into a fear empire in downtown Pontiac. Named for the Greek god of primordial darkness, Erebus is a four-story, 100,000 square-foot “fear factory.” With a staff working year-round, Erebus Haunted Attraction engineers create designs to thrill all five senses every year. In 2007, while hosting the Hauntcon convention, it was dubbed, “The haunt that scared the haunted.”