Hometown Olympic gold medalists serve dinner to Clearwater families in need

CLEARWATER, Fla. - They both won gold on the softball field and in the swimming pool, but on Monday, Michele Smith and Brooke Bennett were in the kitchen serving their community in a unique way to help homeless families in need.

For both of the Tampa Bay area athletes, winning gold at the Olympics was unlike anything else.

"It's just an exciting opportunity and I just remember absorbing it and taking it all in," Bennett said.

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But, both said the way athletes use their newfound fame to help their community when they return home is their biggest accomplishment.

"You realize it gives you a platform to be able to make a difference in much better ways. I always say that, hopefully, my legacy is not that I'm a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Hopefully it's that I've helped the community. I've helped children. I've helped families," Smith said.

Smith won gold in women's softball in 1996 and 2000. Those same years, Bennett took three gold medals home in swimming. 

Both athletes brought that same winning spirit on Monday to the Homeless Empowerment Program in Clearwater.

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"The fact that they took the time to come out here to help and serve and help our population, it means so much to us, and it means so much to the residents," said Rebecca Adams, the Homeless Empowerment Program's director of development and communication.

Smith and Bennett served warm meals to dozens of families, who are part of a program designed to help people help themselves.

"It feels very special. I love to see people lively," one resident said. "It just cheers everybody up. We love it."

The program helps low-income families and individuals, including veterans, with housing, food, clothing and support services necessary to obtain self-sufficiency and an improved quality of life.

"There's many times when I've been down and had to come back from injury or come back from a tough race, so if being here today shows that we can stand together from my accomplishments on the Olympic podium to those that are in need," Bennett said.

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Two Olympic gold medalists spreading some cheer ahead of this year's games while championing their own community to succeed.

"I know someday I'm sure I'm going to need a lot of help. I've had help in the past, so I'm just very honored to be here," Smith said.

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