Businesses Promote Shopping to Fight Breast Cancer

Coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, was converted Thursday into a market filled with the wares of local merchants for its annual Shop for the Cause Boutique.

In its third year, the boutique was a chance for folks to buy an array of gifts, including jewelry, clothing and other assorted items, with proceeds of the sales going to help Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, which is part of the American Cancer Society.

Keith Levey, sales manager at the Chappaqua brokerage, said that there were several major prizes being offered as part of a raffle, including a TV from Houlihan affiliate Thoroughbred Mortgage, an iPad and a gold bracelet donated by . Various merchants in Chappaqua, including , and , were either offering gifts and wares.

“So we’ve been very fortunate to have great support," Levey said.

The tone at Houlihan's office reflected the event, with some wearing pink, along with cubicles being turned into merchanise shelves.

Some of the business owners participating recalled having family or friends battle cancer.

For example, Presents for Purpose, was founded in the wake of two of its co-founders, Alayna Zayas and Cynthia Dressler, coming together after having survived lymphoma. They were joined by Chappaqua resident Leslie Weissman, whose close friend battled breast cancer. The online-only company, which sells jewelry, clothing and other wares, donates a portion of its sales to several listed charities or to causes that customers choose.

It was, according to Zayas, “born out of a small fundraising project and became a business," she said in describing a small-scale project that formed the roots of the company.

Ossining resident Caroline Forman, owner of Simply Glass, also had a personal experience. Her mother is a breast cancer survivor, having battled the illness about 20 years ago. Forman's wares include nail files and jewelry.

"I think it's a great event," Forman said, adding that it has "a great purpose."