BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
NORWOOD, N.J. —— On Dec. 10, the lobby of the Westy Self Storage facility in Norwood became a holiday shopping bazaar. Westy was hosting “Shop for a Cause” to benefit the Toys for Tots charity.
[slideshow_deploy id=’899′]
Westy’s expansive lobby on 95 Hudson Ave. was filled with gifts displayed along rows of tables. Ten percent of all the proceeds will be donated to the toy collection to help spread Christmas smiles to less fortunate children in the local communities.
At the “Shop for a Cause” event, there was a panorama of merchandise for people of all ages. Vendors included LuLaRoe, Chloe + Isabel, Thirty One Gifts, Perfectly Posh, LipSense, Rodan + Fields, Crazy Baked, Pampered Chef, Young Living Essential Oils, Amanda G. and Tastefully Simple.
Debbie Cook, a director at Pampered Chef, has been presenting her cookware at homes and various commercial venues all over the United States for 15 years.
“I’ve even done virtual shows in Alaska,” Cook said. “Being an exhibitor at ‘Shop for a Cause’ at Westy is a wonderful experience.”
Amanda Giampietro brought her husband Jon to help sell her custom Amanda G. mugs, drinking glasses and decorative containers.
“I make them in my home and I am always coming up with new ideas and new designs,” Amanda said.
In between browsing and buying, shoppers were treated to delicious pastries, donuts, coffee and hot chocolate in an adjacent room from where Westy associate Damien LoTurco and Assistant Director Stephanie Padula made sure that everything ran smoothly.
Melissa Symeon, Westy marketing manager, who had come from the company’s corporate headquarters in Stamford, joined the Norwood staff in greeting the vendors and shoppers. She helped present shoppers with gift bags that contained a variety of items, including edible treats, cozy socks, a note pad, toiletries and a bracelet.
A Norwood resident who bought a necklace at the Chloe + Isabel jewelry boutique was very pleased with “Shop for a Cause.”
“It’s not a crowded store, it’s a festive atmosphere and I can shop at leisure. It’s so much nicer than having to deal with the crowds at the malls,” she said.
Padula, who organized and directed the event, said, “This is the first time that we’ve done ‘Shop for a Cause,’ and we are very excited about it. Westy does many charity events, such as the food drive for Puerto Rico after the hurricanes this fall. We sent 1,176 pounds of supplies after Hurricane Harvey, and 1,016 pounds of supplies after Hurricane Irma. We are also longtime supporters of Toys for Tots. Giving back is part of the culture of the Arredondo family that owns Westy.”
“We are so excited about this shopping event,” said Courtney Mazzola from LuLARoe. “The lobby of Westy is the perfect place to hold ‘Shop for a Cause.’ On behalf of all the vendors, we would like to thank Westy for all of their generosity.”
Toys for Tots
In addition to the “Shop for a Cause” event, Westy assisted the Toys for Tots drive for the 19th year by serving as the designated drop-off location for donations. They accepted toy donations until Dec. 16. In addition to collection, Westy will also provide storage for the donations as well as assist with final delivery.
The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program collects new, unwrapped toys for less fortunate children in the local communities.
[slideshow_deploy id=’899′]
Toys for Tots began in 1947 when the wife of Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR handcrafted a Raggedy Ann doll and asked her husband to deliver the doll to an organization which would give it to a needy child at Christmas. When they realized that no such organization existed, they decided to start one. That Christmas a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. That pilot program was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign and since then has distributed over 370 million toys to more than 173 million children.
About Westy Self Storage
Westy, whose corporate headquarters are in Stamford, Connecticut, offers affordable state-of-the-art storage solutions for individuals and businesses. Westy was founded in 1990 and since then the superior quality of their buildings has revolutionized the self-storage industry.
Westy’s customers include homeowners, art collectors, antique dealers, retailers and people who consider their Westy room an extension of their home office.
Photos by Hillary Viders