LITTLE ROCK — What do the University of Arkansas Dancing Razorback, a property management supervisor and the general manager of LeafGuard of Arkansas have in common?
All are current or past incarnations of Evelyn L. Smith.
They may seem like disparate jobs, but each is well-suited for a "people person," and that's a handy thing to be when you volunteer to round up "fun and unique" goodies for the three auctions associated with the 35th annual Original Toast & Roast benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas.
The event is Thursday at the Peabody Little Rock hotel. The silent auction andreception begin at 6 p.m. Dinner is at 7, followed by the live auction and program.
In addition, the sixth annual Bid for Kids' Sake Online Auction starts at 10 p.m. Thursday and runs to 10 p.m. Sept. 3. The eBay-style auction's Web site is bidforkids. cmarket.com.
Smith, who grew up in Newport, was the lone UA Dancing Razorback from 1980 to 1983. She was the first of that long line of frenetic, faux-furred, hog-headed cheerleaders who wasn't recruited for the position. She earned it by trying out.
"I did it for fun and the love of sports and the university," Smith says, noting the job kept her hopping. "I practiced with the band. I went to basketball games, football and baseball games and for swim meetsI had a bikini I wore over the costume and carried a blow-up swimming pool."
Smith's Razorback roots are most apropos, because this year Big Brothers is toasting and roasting University of Arkansas men's head basketball coach John Pelphrey.
"Coach Pelphrey mentors young men on and off the basketball court," says Christel Cater, Big Brothers vice president of marketing and recruitment. "It's so important for people like Coach Pelphrey to be out there."
Debbie Knight, toast and roast co-chairman, adds, "It is devastating to see the large number of young men in our community without a positive role model. We are honoring Coach Pelphrey for his contribution."
After graduation, Smith experienced the benefits of positive action when she moved to Dallas and began working for Horn-Barlow Companies. Smith supervised the management teams for 14 multifamilyapartment communities in five states.
"During my time in property management," Smith says, "I was exposed to a lot of children and different walks of life. On some of the properties we set up group meetings where we could help the children, to give them guidance where they had choices to go to after school, where they had planned activities rather than getting in trouble."
One of Smith's managed properties was in Orlando, Fla., and it's there that she met her husband, Charles Smith. When he retired from a career in the Navy, the couple moved back to Arkansas to be near Evelyn's family and friends.
Once back home, Smith joined the LeafGuard sales team and became general manager in 2006. She is also a member of Little Rock Midtown Rotary Club and the Little Rock Executives Association.
It was through the latter that Smith met Nancy Sherman of Metropolitan National Bank. Smith credits Sherman with getting her to volunteer with Big Brothers.
The primary mission of theorganization is to help children in central Arkansas through professionally supported, oneto-one relationships and to assist their "littles" achieve their highest potential.
In 2008, the organization provided mentoring for more than 830 children in Pulaski County, Benton and Pine Bluff. Smith sees the organization's work as an investment in the future.
"As individuals, as an organization and a community, we can positively influence children and guide them in a direction in which they will be proud," Smith says. "It's much better than trying to rehabilitate them after they've become adults and made mistakes or poor choices."
About donations and the proceeds from fundraisers, Smith added, "The money stays right here in central Arkansas. That's important to me. I like it going to my neighbors."
Smith said that even with the recession, rounding up auctionitems "wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be."
Cater added, "We're very lucky to have people like Evelyn who will go out on our behalf and talk to our previous donors.Our donors have really stepped up because they believe in our mission. We're also a longstanding organization and that shows we're sustainable in what we do every day."
In addition to donors, this year's event is sponsored by Metropolitan National Bank, the first year the event has had a sponsor.
Honing their toasting and roasting skills for Thursday's gala are master of ceremonies Craig O'Neill; ESPN sportscaster and former Razorback Jimmy Dykes; UA Media Relations chief Kevin Trainor; "Voice of the Razorbacks" Chuck Barrett; and longtime Pelphrey friend Tim Leroy.
Tickets are $150. For more information call (501) 374-6661 or e-mail lglenn@bbbsca.org.
High Profile, Pages 35, 38 on 08/23/2009