There's one sure way to make Corey Gilmore's eyes sparkle -- ask her about her pooch, Marley.
Evidently, the (mostly) beagle mix is the world's most adorable puppy and a champion snuggler. Ask to see a photo and Gilmore can produce a ton.
"I have to go through my [phone's] Camera Roll and delete pictures," she said, laughing. "It's 99 percent Marley."
Another way to make the poised and articulate Gilmore smile is to ask her about the kids at Access Schools and all the good work going on at the Stella Boyle Smith campus at 10618 Breckenridge Drive in Little Rock.
Gilmore is the chairman for this year's eighth annual Bingo Bash, set for 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Little Rock's Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church, 1003 N. Tyler St.
The event, organized by the young professionals group Access in Action, is the third and final major fundraiser in the school's 20th anniversary year and promises to be another sellout. It's again expected to raise more than $20,000 for the Access Tuition Assistance Fund.
Access Schools was founded in 1994 as a therapy clinic for children with disabilities such as autism. In the two decades since, the center has grown to include three main branches:
• Access Evaluation and Resource Center offers comprehensive developmental, psychological and psycho-educational evaluations, specialized tutoring and technology training.
• Access Therapy is an outpatient pediatric speech, physical and occupational clinic specializing in disabilities and disorders linked to language impairment.
• Access Schools includes a preschool and academy serving children from 6 weeks old to 21 with developmental delays and learning disabilities.
There are 19 enthusiastic members on Gilmore's Bingo Bash committee, a group that annually seems to draw the best and brightest in the community. How does it do that?
Becca Green, Access marketing and communications director, explained, "People come in to work on Bingo Bash and they get to know Access. They get to know our mission and the students and individuals we serve and they fall in love with it and keep going with other events involved with Access."
In Gilmore's case, she was invited to a Bingo Bash several years ago by her friend Nate Green, a former event chairman. She was hooked.
"I'm not one of those people who simply goes to events," Gilmore said. "I'd rather be helping than sitting. I'd rather be doing the work. And I think at even the first one I went to with Nate I was, 'Do you need help? What can I do to help?'
"Becoming chair wasn't really my goal. I just wanted to hustle."
Hustling is in Gilmore's DNA. She works full time as public education coordinator for the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts, and part time ("to help with student loans") at the women's clothing store BCBG Max Azria in Park Plaza.
Altruism also seems to be in her blood. Gilmore has been the recruitment chairman and handled development and donor relations for the Junior League of Little Rock; been a committee member for Riverfest; and a committee member for The Connection, the junior board of directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Arkansas.
Gilmore, who grew up in Hot Springs, didn't sit still in school either. She graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway in 2006 with a double major in political science and mass communications, spent a couple of years in Jonesboro working for then-Rep. Marion Berry, then moved back to Little Rock to get a master's degree in public administration at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, graduating in 2011.
"After graduation, I worked at Museum of Discovery for about a year and half [as a grant writer/database manager]. I really liked that. I moved to the courts after that."
Given her current job, has she ever considered going into the law?
Gilmore laughed and said, "I get asked that a lot working at the Justice Building. Almost everyone there is an attorney, and at every conference I go to, almost everyone's an attorney.
"I'm usually the one at the reception not wearing an all-black suit. I'm usually wearing some obnoxious orange blazer."
Maybe Gilmore will wear her orange blazer to Thursday's Bingo Bash, where the price of admission remains a reasonable $40.
"And that's another thing that excites me about this event," Gilmore said. "Young professionals can go to this event and win cool prizes and it's affordable. You get dinner, drinks and prizes."
There will be nifty prizes for every round of bingo and raffles in between. Dinner once again is provided by Adams Catfish and there will be adult beverages, so leave the kids with a sitter.
After her interview, Gilmore hustled across to the Access Schools Theater to watch the preschoolers put on their 16th annual circus, Under the Big Top.
If there's anything more adorable than snuggly beagles, it's 3-year-olds tumbling, and dressed up as clowns, animal trainers, magicians and tightrope walkers.
Gilmore watched from the back of the room with a smile on her face. Her earlier words came to mind.
"What made me really excited about being chair is [helping] the tuition assistance fund and knowing there's going to be kids who can come to Access and get the education that they need thanks to us just spending a few hours of time here and there. Putting in a little bit of effort can go a long way."
Reminder: The "come as you are after work" event has sold out for several years and tickets must be bought in advance. For tickets and additional sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, contact Access development associate Sarah Kurrus at (501) 217-8600.
High Profile on 07/13/2014