"Hometown'' Hero Dances for Glory Monday

While he hasn’t been spotted lately hanging out at the community center or sipping on a latte at , NFL superstar and “Dancing With the Stars’’ finalist Hines Ward does indeed call Smyrna home.

Now we’re not going to call out the exact location of the Forest Park native and former University of Georgia football star’s 10,000-square-foot residence, but when Ward isn’t playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers or gliding across the ballroom floor in Hollywood, he indeed calls Smyrna home.

The 35-year-old Ward was already a big star in the sports world for his feats on the football field and in Super Bowls. But football players wear helmets, and thanks particularly to his "DWTS" television face time and his advancement to tonight’s finals of the wildly popular show, Ward’s name and face recognition has skyrocketed.

Sure, he’s had his hands around football's Lombardi Trophy a couple of times, but it could mean an even longer career payoff for Ward if this week he should clutch his mitts around dancing’s coveted "Mirrorball Trophy.''

In this Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette article, Ward said, "I mean, you can't buy this kind of exposure. You know, I'm getting into a new fan base. When I walk through a mall, people recognize me for my dancing skill."

“DWTS” is a huge platform to reach a national and female audience, and one needs a broad audience to be considered by advertisers as a strong national endorser. But endorsements or not, Ward wants to reach as many people as possible in an effort to make them aware of his Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation.

Born in Seoul, South Korea to a Korean mother and a black American soldier, Ward has worked hard to be a role model for children across the globe. He has assisted inner city and underprivileged kids in Atlanta and Pittsburgh, and his foundation focuses on improving literacy among children.

His Helping Hands Korea Foundation also targets biracial discrimination, especially as it occurs among the children of Korea. The sales of his W.A.R.D (Will Always Rise above Difficulty) wristband go to his foundation and Ward is consistently thanking his fans at his Facebook page for their support in this philanthropic ventures.

Will he win tonight? A TV Guide poll gives he and partner Kym Johnson a 52-percent chance of taking home the dancing title. But on a night when he might be feeling a tad more nervous than say lining up in the Super Bowl, here’s wishing Ward the best of luck tonight.

And Hines, should you win, a celebratory shout out to Smyrna-Vinings Patch would be more than appreciated. After all, we are your hometown fans.