RETURN to VENDOR
Popular shopping event returns
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
STEPHEN VRATTOS
Thursday evening, September
7, the second annual Shop ’til
You Drop hit Towers on the
Green, and the Sophomore staging
of the event, which showcases local
vendors and raises money for the
American cancer Society as part
of Babes & Guys, was a complete
success. According to Committee
Chairperson Teri Oropallo, although
the number of merchants
remained the same as the 2016 inaugural
affair, many of the retailers
expanded the amount of their space,
taking an additional table or two to
sell their wares.
As the sellers’ showcases grew,
so too did the corps of volunteers,
and Oropallo could not have been
happier. Nor could the vendors,
who were each assigned a helper
to facilitate sales and handle paperwork,
freeing them to sell even more.
The success of the volunteers is no
better illustrated than by the many
requests from retailers to have the
same people assigned to them next
year. The feelings were mutual, with
volunteers putting in their own wishes
to remain with their respective
vendors—a win-win for everyone!
“The volunteers did a tremendous
job; they were great,” Oropallo said.
“And I must give special attention
to Kathy Bitetti, who arrived at 9
a.m. to help and remained with me
late in the evening until the very
last receipt was counted. And of
course, I couldn’t have done it
without Country Club Manager
Mary Anne.”
Oropallo is the mastermind
behind Shop ’til You Drop, having
conceived of the idea last year,
during her second year as Ladies
Golf Association President, when
she also chaired the Babes &
Guys event. The attendance at
the luncheon had increased to the
point participating retailers could
no longer attend, so she came up
with the idea of celebrating area
vendors with a special night of
their own. In this way, Towers
businesses received the awareness
they deserved and it allowed outside
retailers the opportunity to
promote themselves to residents,
while also contributing to a good
cause. The debut was unanimously
lauded by retailers and residents
(l. to r.) Shop 'til You Drop Committee Chair Theresa Oropallo,
Ladies Golf Association President and Babes & Guys Chair Judy Lev;
Committee Member Phyllis Goldstein
alike, ensuring its encore in 2017.
More than $3,000 was raised in
2016, and even without the final
tally, Oropallo was assured they’d
bested that mark this year. By the
flood of people who filled Towers
on the Green, during the entire
3-hour event, and the preponderance
of shopping bags carried out,
it’s unsurprising and a sure sign of
a third Shop ’til You Drop in 2018.
In fact, many merchants already
asked Oropallo for reservations
for next year.
“Everyone came over to thank
me, even those who didn’t make
much money,” Oropallo said. “They
all had a great time!”
As for the cherubic Chairperson’s
participation in the future… “I have
every intention of continuing it. I
like it; I have fun… and I shop!”
The Knitting Club’s table was
Bear-y popular! (l. to r.) Sandy
Nachbar, Judy Ross and Elaine Gise
Sylvia Rosen and Blossom
Greenberg manned the raffle
prize table
Pourain had a variety of beautiful
bags, jewelry and the latest
fashions
Breezy Belles purveyors (l. to r.) daughter Jenna and mom Diana
Walsh with volunteer Louise Carmiciano
2-year-old Zoe "dropped" soon after the event started
10 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ October 2017