Stop ’n’ Shop
Annual Vendor Event Continues to Deliver
STORY AND PHOTOS
BY STEPHEN VRATTOS
More than a dozen Arcade
and outside vendors set
up camp in Towers on the
Green Thursday evening, September
6, for what has become one of the
most anticipated events of the year…
Shop ’Til You Drop. The business
Bacchanalia, which affords NST
and area merchants an opportunity
to sell their wares, while also helping
a worthy cause, was first staged two
years ago as part of Babes & Guys,
the annual community event which
raises money for the American Cancer
Society. This third outing showed
no signs of fatigue, as residents
poured into the Towers Ballroom
for great deals on everything from
homemade jewelry to socks, fashion
to photography.
Adding to the fun, each vendor
contributes a raffle prize, for which
attendees can buy tickets, and for
those who purchase something from
any of the sellers, they receive a chance
at the draw for one Grand Prize. So
the more you buy, the more chances
you have to win. But perhaps most
important, a percentage of every sale
goes toward the fight against cancer.
“It was wonderful!” said Chair Teri
Oropallo, who’s overseen the event
since its inception. She was quite
pleased with the result, saying they
raised more than $1500.
Oropallo begins contacting potential
vendors in early spring with
an alert to “Save the date.” Then,
throughout the summer, she feeds
them more information as it becomes
available and details get ironed out.
It’s a great undertaking. Fortunately,
she had help. “We had a huge staff
helping out—over 20 people.” But
Oropallo was quick to single out one
person. “Nothing gets done without
Country Club Manager Mary
Anne; the woman is incredible!”
As entertaining as Shop ’Til You
Drop is for residents, it seems just as
enjoyable to the sellers, all of which
were sure to tell Oropallo they would
be back in 2019. “Even vendors who
did better at past shows said they’d
return next year!”
Ladies Golf Association President and Babes & Guys
Chair Judy Lev with Shop ’Til You Drop Chair Teri
Oropallo
Socks salesman had excellent foot traffic
Beautiful handmade jewelry was featured throughout
the room
Beloved NST Arcade proprietor and resident Pourain
Manning the raffle ticket table (l. to r.) Fran Gordon
and Kathy Bitetti
Camera Club members Teo Tujak and Dawn Steinberg
offered photos from club members
16 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ October 2018