A?60-something American living in Beijing was among the
winners of the "Top 10 Volunteers of 2006" on Wednesday, becoming
the first foreigner to claim the honor.
David Tool, better known by his Chinese name Du Dawei, has been
voluntarily correcting misleading English signs throughout the
Chinese capital during the six years he has lived in the city.
Upon accepting the award, Tool said he wanted to act as a bridge
between the Chinese and English cultures and smooth communication
difficulties caused by language barriers.
The "Top 10 Volunteers" awards were initiated in 2004 in
Beijing?to reward outstanding social volunteers from all walks
of life.
This year, 330,000 people participated in the online vote.
Other honored volunteers include Tsinghua University student
Liang Suhui, who is a long-time volunteer teacher for migrant
children, and ophthalmologist Han Song, who works to provide free
treatment to rural patients.
(CRI.cn March 30, 2007)
