A group of retirees from Beijing have teamed up to travel. What's unique about these traveling seniors is that they promote the 2008 Olympics while on the road. To know more about their story, here is our reporter Zhou Jing.
Reporter: Whenever they travel, Tian Qingfeng, who is the head of this mobile retiree cheer squad, brings his speaker and calls on tourists to support the coming 2008 Olympics held in Beijing. However his team goes beyond handing out pamphlets about Olympics; they host performances and hold knowledge contests.
They've attracted a lot of attention among tourists.
The members of the team have known each other for a long time. After Beijing's successful bid for the Olympic Games in 2001, the old friends were very excited and began thinking of what they could do to help. As they share a passion for travel, the friends thought: why not promote Olympics as they travel!
Li Jin, a member of the team says,
"We call on tourists to get involved in the preparation of the 2008 Olympics. Through our efforts, we hope more people will know about the Olympics and its spirit."
Promoting the Olympics while traveling sounds may sound simple enough. But doing so for years does not. All the money that has spent on printing pamphlets, buying prizes for the knowledge contest participants and transportation has emerged from Lao Tian and his friends' own pockets. It's safe to say that without enthusiasm and devotion to their cause, they would have quit long ago.
So far this intrepid group has left their print in countless scenic spots in urban and suburban Beijing.
Many tourists are impressed by their efforts and few words have been spared to praise the traveling retirees.
Team leader Tian Qingfeng says they hope to travel around the country to share their passion for the Olympics with more people.
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