A volunteer attends to a young participant at the Special Olympics Shanghai Invitational Games yesterday. Nearly 4,500 volunteers are working for the Games, providing services that include translation and logistics. -Shanghai Daily

Shanghai Daily News

Nearly 4,500 volunteers are working for the 2006 Special Olympics Shanghai Invitational Games, providing help with translation, word processing, health care and logistics among other tasks.

The volunteers range in age from 16 to 68 and include five foreigners.

Most of the volunteers are students at universities across the city.

Zheng Sheng, a 20-year-old Italian major at Shanghai International Studies University, said she hasn't had a break since her volunteer job started last Thursday.

"The work peak came last Saturday, one day before the opening ceremony, when most delegations arrived," said Zhang, who works 9am to 10pm every day. "Most of our volunteers work to 2am or 3am."

As the head of the SISU volunteer team, which includes 201 members, Zheng is not only responsible for working with delegations attending the games, but also for taking care of all the SISU volunteers.

"I live in Baoshan District, but I haven't been home since the volunteer work started because I have to make sure all our members go back to SISU's Songjiang complex safely every day."

Wang Yuezhi, a SISU sophomore majoring in international trade, has been working with the Hong Kong delegation since its arrival last Thursday.

"We have six volunteers here, taking turns to look after 10 athletes," Wang said. "Since they only speak Cantonese, we have to talk with them in gestures."

Wang mentioned she even helped a 10-year-old athlete take a shower, "just like her maid."

Chen Niwei, a sophomore from East China Normal University majoring in pre-school education, said her task was to make souvenirs for the athletes visiting an entertainment center for the athletes.

"Weaving a bracelet with a Chinese knot is no easy job and I spent a whole day learning," said Chen.

"Niwei is a very smart and hard-working girl," said Xu Yanhua, Chen's bracelet-weaving instructor. " Now she can make 10 bracelets a day."

Visiting athletes have praised the volunteers' hard work.

"We are satisfied with their good job. Very impressive, indeed," said Irina Sintsova of the Russian delegation.

About 130 delegation heads and 100 Special Olympic officials visited the Zhujiajiao scenic area and Shanghai Aquatics Sports Center yesterday.

Built in 1983 in Qingpu District, the center will host kayaking, sailing, and dragon boat races during the 2007 Shanghai Special Olympic Games.