With full stomachs and open ears, about 300 women listened to Kirsty Coventry urge them to give back to their communities at the Women's Philanthropy Board fall luncheon Friday.
The event, held at The Hotel at Auburn University, was centered on "maximizing your philanthropic footprint."
Coventry was a swimmer at Auburn University and helped win national championships in 2003 and 2004.
She has won seven medals in the past two Olympic Games and has started to give back to her home country of Zimbabwe.
Coventry took to the podium after the guests ate and listened to an welcome and introduction from June Henton, dean of the College of Human Sciences and WPB Benefactor member.
The Olympian had never been to America before coming to Auburn. She said she was sure about coming to Auburn when being recruited by David Marsh, Auburn men's and women's swimming and diving coach.
"I am from a small town and that's how he got me," Coventry said. "He told me Auburn was a small community and everyone supports each other and I said 'I am there!'"
Her journey as a philanthropist was sparked after the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She won Zimbabwe's first medal in 20 years, and her parents told her that everyone back home was excited for her and were even in the streets with signs.
"I mean, I was excited and proud of what I had done," Coventry said. "But that had been my lifelong goal, and I couldn't really understand how that could impact people at home."
Coventry spoke about the political unrest and economic hard times in her country.
She said the life expectancy is 37 years old for men and 34 years old for women, and 1-in-6 people live with HIV.
"I wanted to make sure that the media knew what was going on because a lot of things you weren't allowed to say and there really wasn't freedom of speech," Coventry said. "A lot of athletes from Zimbabwe decided to stand up against that and let (Zimbabwe) use us as a way to promote the country in a positive way."
One charity Coventry works for passes out lap desks to students in South Africa and soon to Zimbabwe.
Coventry told the crowd there was an estimated 4 million children without desks to work on and that 1.75 million of the lap desks had already been distributed.
She also gives money to cancer foundations since both her mother and grandmother went through battles with the disease.
Coventry said she wouldn't have come to this point in her life without coming to Auburn.
She went on to say that Africa has seen many hardships, but she is optimistic.
"I truly do believe that things are going to become right," Coventry said.
The audience gave the swimmer a prolonged standing ovation after her speech.
After closing remarks from Henton, the women lined up to say a few words to the Auburn alumna. Most attendees spoke of how inspirational Coventry's speech was.
"I thought it was inspirational, and I really liked how she talked about being accountable to other people and how Auburn has really grown that in her," said WPB Benefactor member Sid James. "Now she's giving back to her community and her country. That's the way I feel about Auburn, too."
Auburn University Athletic Director Jay Jacobs said Coventry is the kind of role model to which his children can look up.
"She's achieved greatness by overcoming some truly great challenges," Jacobs said. "She's a world-class athlete, but more importantly a world-class person."
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