A sixty-something American living in Beijing was awarded the title of "top ten volunteer of 2006" on Wednesday (Mar 28), 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 his six-year life in the city.

Upon accepting the award, Du Dawei said he wanted to act as a bridge between the Chinese and English culture and smoothen communication difficulties brought by language barriers.

The "top ten Beijing volunteers" awards were initiated in 2004, aiming to recognize outstanding social volunteers from all walks of life.

330,000 people have voted through the internet this year.

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.

Editor: Wing