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An unforgettable Special Olympics
By Lu Zhisheng (Special to chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-10-19 17:48

 

(I am writing this to honor all the fellow volunteers serving for the news center)

On September 27 we arrived at the Media Center with curiosity and expectation to help out with the Special Olympics. But by the time we left on October 11, we had many memories and experiences. In those two weeks we were united in overcoming many difficulties. We conveyed our enthusiasm and energy to the foreign and domestic reporters and expressed our support to the athletes.

Our main job was to be at the front lines serving the media. Because security is an important issue, everyone had to wear credential tags. We were thrilled when we discovered we would receive ours first, but our faces looked stretched on the photo. Nevertheless we wore our credentials with pride.

We soon found out many press credentials had not been processed yet and many reporters had waited a few days, including some foreign journalists. We tried to help solve the problem as soon as we could by easing the reporters' concerns with a smile. In particular, Wu Di and Zheng Bell did a great job appeasing those journalists with their language and communication skills.

Of all the materials given to the reporters, the traffic card was the most important. Yu Hongyan and Chen Jiachan handled this task very well.

In one situation, a foreign journalist demanded another traffic card, even though each media was only allowed one. Yu used her English debating skills to expertly handle the situation. Her behavior is a good example of a volunteer who represented the Media Center well.

During the two weeks at the Media Center, we welcomed visitors from around the world with our smiles. We encountered the courageous Special Olympics athletes, their families and friendly journalists. Whenever someone had a problem, we would give him a timely answer. Journalists appreciated our help and when people said "thank you", that gave us the most satisfying feeling.

The two weeks passed by so quickly, but we will never forget it because of all the amazing people we met and the situations we encountered and handled to the best of our abilities. We were able to aid those who needed help, serve the community, with a selfless spirit. More importantly, we made many friends while working together and the memories we shared brought us closer.

Although the Special Olympics has come and gone, it has been an unforgettable dream.

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