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)