On your MARK! Get set! Go!

Discover how Mark Popolizio became a man of many hats
who joyfully runs the challenging obstacle course of his life

By Ann Hauprich

Those who know Mark Popolizio best often use pairs of adjectives starting with the letters “C” and “P” to describe him. Conscientious & Personable, Creative & Positive, Caring & Patient, Compassionate & Philanthropic, Clever & Perky are but a few that quickly come to mind.

That’s because Mark, who demonstrated at an early age that he was also Courageous & Precocious, resolved long ago that he would not allow two other words that begin with the letters “C” and “P” (Cerebral Palsy) to define him.

Nor would Mark allow the much misunderstood medical condition to deter him from warming hearts, lifting spirits and tickling funny bones while successfully conquering barriers and hurdles that are unique to the obstacle course of his life.

Having endured bullying as a lad who was bravely battling a gauntlet of symptoms that included muscle spasms, Mark credits his now late father Michael—who served as a US Army Sergeant before distinguishing himself as a Rotary International District Governor—with helping him become remarkably resilient.

“My Dad had zero tolerance for bullies,” marvels Mark, who vividly recalls the day when his father marched into an elementary school setting to educate the individual who had verbally abused his little boy.

Of paramount importance to Mark was that Michael Popolizio steadfastly led by example to ensure his son ultimately acquired the invisible armor needed to withstand the pain of any future cutting remarks that might be lobbed in his direction. Things like holding his head high while building on academic strengths that included math and phonics as well as his extracurricular passion for electronics. Further fortifying Mark’s life skills survival arsenal was a secret weapon: His dynamite sense of humor!

Having a Halloween birthday (Mark made his Earthly debut at 10:31 am on the calendar date 10-31), he has treated customers and co-workers at the Ballston Spa Hannaford to such uplifting visions as a bearded, six foot tall giraffe and a convincingly enchanting Pete’s Dragon. Part of the trick, muses Mark, is finding costumes that are delightful rather than frightful.

The most recent disguises to meet multi-generational eyes in the popular Rossi Way grocery store’s aisles and parking lot were a bouncy Tigger from The Hundred Acre Woods and a Holstein who milked it for its worth in response to such udderly silly questions as whether the friendly farm animal was capable of producing chocolate milk.

But it’s not just on Halloween that Mark brightens this part of the world as a perpetual ray of FUN-shine. The rest of the year Mark “wears many hats” (literally and figuratively) in a diversity of settings that additionally include a suburban church and urban movie theatre.

Depending on the circumstances, Mark sports cranial coverings that are part of a collection with designs ranging from the sublime (think an exquisitely crafted black fedora) to the ridiculous (a colorful beanie with a spinning propeller). Friends, family members, customers and co-workers have contributed to the headgear section of Mark’s bedroom by gifting him with some truly unique baseball caps, berets and woolly wonders worthy of an early aviator or a slalom skier. An especially warm and jolly head covering that was given to him by a co-worker features Santa sliding down a chimney.

Perhaps not surprisingly, many have come to regard this man of many hats who goes the extra customer service mile with a smile as an unofficial goodwill ambassador. (One longtime customer has affectionately nicknamed him Mayor Mark.) And while many were thrilled when Mark was honored as Employee of the Month during his first year of service at the bustling retail destination, few knew he had initially been offered a cashier’s position after acing the math test as part of the Hannaford application process. It was his idea to instead fill the bill as a greeter who assists customers in the parking lot as well as rolling up his sleeves in the stockroom on an as needed basis.

Mind you, Mark already had experience as a greeter prior to landing what he considers a dream job (right up his aisle!) at the grocery store because he has been a server at the Star Point Church in Clifton Park since his early adult years. Among those he welcomes to worship services each Sunday is his mother Marti Hathaway who shares Mark’s sunny disposition, giving her age as “60-10.”

It’s because Mark’s CP qualities additionally include being Compassionate & Philanthropic that following The Golden Rule and paying it forward have been second nature to him for as long as he can remember.

On one especially memorable occasion, the kindness and generosity he unconditionally extended to strangers was rewarded “boomarang karma” style many times over. Prior to commencing part-time work in the ticket booth at the Scene One Cinema in Wilton in 2024, Mark had held a comparable position at the BowTie Theater in downtown Saratoga Springs. (The latter movie complex had no choice but to let Mark and other employees go after the pandemic forced its closure in 2020.)

As a stellar example of Mark’s Compassionate & Philanthropic side, he had become deeply concerned when a family of six (two adults and four children) who had turned up at the BowTie ticket window in 2018 wanting to see the then newly released SONIC movie didn’t have sufficient funds to cover the full cost of their tickets.

“They had brought a special voucher that would have covered the $18 they were lacking, but hadn’t read the fine print about the extra $3 per ticket only being valid for certain show times and I couldn’t bear the thought of those four kids going home without seeing the movie so I asked my manager if it would be okay for me to take $20 out of my own wallet to make up the difference.

His response was that that he couldn’t say YES but that he wouldn’t say NO and so I happily paid the $18 and put $2 back in my wallet, thankful that the family would be enjoying the movie together,” recalls Mark.

The memory of what transpired next continues to warm Mark’s heart and fills his soul with joyful gratitude.

Upon returning to work the next day, Mark’s manager informed him that an envelope had been hand-delivered for him. “I still can’t believe what was inside when I opened it: a hundred dollar bill.”

Although Mark regrets he never got a chance to personally thank the couple who repaid the $18 with interest that was off the charts he hopes they know he remains profoundly touched by — as well as being eternally grateful for — their generosity.

Others who have made lasting impressions on Mark’s heart and soul include his former Shenendehowa Elementary School teacher Mrs. Lewis and her assistant Mrs. Tannenbaum. “We became pals almost instantaneously and as time went on they also became like family,” smiles Mark, noting that both attended his communion at Star Point Church. A special gift Mrs. Tannenbaum crafted for him on that occasion speaks volumes about how highly she valued their relationship.

Aware that Mark loved cats as well as electronics, Mrs. Tannenbaum removed the stuffing from a plush toy kitten and inserted a radio that could be activated when then young Mark pressed on its paw. The “radio-activated” feline was so loved that it eventually wore out, however, the memory of its now late maker lives on.

Other joyous memories involving toys and electronics would be made years later when Mark landed a seasonal position at a Toys R Us store leading up to Christmas. “I couldn’t wait to go to work in the morning because part of my duties entailed setting up signs and displays promoting the newest toys, many of them electronic in nature, having to do with Pokemon and Star Wars.”

The toy store chapter in Mark’s life had been preceded by roughly a decade flexing both his physical and his mental muscles as a hard-working member of the Home Depot team in Clifton Park. “I can’t say enough good things about the Home Depot people,” says Mark, whose first position required a lot of heavy lifting while a subsequent desk job revolved around flexing his neurons.

“I enjoyed every minute of lifting and hauling construction materials until I pulled my Achilles tendon – which took a long time to heal. This was in the days before steel-toed boots were required on the job and so when I accidentally dropped a 6 x 6 x 12 plank of wood on my big toe, it broke in two places. I tried to take a step but just crumbled and was rushed to an urgent care center where a specialist fitted me with an orthopedic boot to immobilize my foot for six months.” Rather than letting him go, Home Depot offered Mark an alternative part-time position that involved computer training classes that he found highly rewarding and ultimately provided him with the opportunity to network with employees in all five of the bustling store’s departments.

Mark also cherishes fond memories of adventures shared at The Great Escape Lodge with his forever young at heart grandfather “Papa” Nicholas (who will celebrate his 100th birthday in January of 2026) as well as Mark’s brother Tom, his wife Julie and their three children: Calvin, Bradley and Annie.

Other adventures worth writing home about have included the time in 2018 when a female co-worker at the BowTie Theatre was lamenting the fact that she wanted to journey to Philadelphia to watch a live pro wrestling tournament but would have to purchase two tickets in order to secure the desired second row seats with a clear view of the mat.

When Katie asked Mark if he might know of anyone who would be interested in attending the event, he replied: “You’re looking at him.”

Departing from the Capital Region at three o’clock in the afternoon with Katie at the wheel and self-described “diehard fan” Mark filling the role of navigator, the pair perfectly timed the five-hour commute to arrive at the arena as the tournament was starting at 8 p.m.

As soon as the last match ended at 11 p.m. the two were back on the road with Mark finally arriving home around four o’clock in the morning – exhausted in the best possible way. Turns out Mark’s seat had been even better than he realized because friends and relatives later reported they had seen him on television!