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Low-key Approach by High-profile Helen

American Helen Froelich is among Beijing's highest-profile foreign women both for the voluntary work she has undertaken during various periods in China and, in the past 18 months, through her role as director of Beijing Community Sports and Recreation Club (BCSRC). The non-profit club, founded by expatriates and a handful of local international schools -- which today number almost 20 -- provides more than a dozen quality sports and recreational programs to the expatriate and local youth of Beijing.

"We work closely with the schools, and are totally dependent on the hundreds of parents involved in everything we organize and run for the youngsters," said Helen, 25, whose whole life has been tied up with sports. Along with being a champion ice-hockey player in Beijing as well as the US, she has both sailed and coached crews of 420-class racing boats, rowed in coxless fours and captained her school's cross-country running team.

Such is Helen's modesty about her contribution and commitment to Beijing that she by far prefers to talk about BCSRC than herself. "It is enough for me to say that directing the club is a privilege, and I'm sure that as a person I derive far more from all the volunteers and other people I work with than I actually contribute," she said.

"But, yes, as a woman it was pleasing that I was given the job. This is always nice in a male-dominated society, especially in the realm of sports. I am equally pleased that the majority of parents who help the BCSRC are women, though of course it is probable they have greater opportunity to do so because their husbands are usually very tied up with their jobs."

Activities under the BCSRC umbrella include soccer, tennis, gymnastics, ballet, ballroom dancing, chess, arts and crafts, horse-riding, Chinese painting, basketball, ice-hockey and baseball.

Helen is as amused as surprised that, of necessity, she has become very adept at obtaining the sponsorships and donations on which BCSRC totally depends. "I've become quite a whizz at this," she laughed. "In the beginning, I found it an ordeal ... you know, the cap-in-hand syndrome, which I was uncomfortable doing. But many companies and people have been very supportive of what we do, in effect bringing different nationalities together for the common good, and investing in the future."
She paid high tribute to the generosity of the Rougemont Juice firm, which made an initial donation large enough to get the BCSRC up and running. Currently, the body is basically sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Beijing, Northwestern Airlines, the International School of Beijing (IBS) and the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB).

Typically, allowing that this article is a tribute to her as an outstanding woman, Helen could not resist a plea for more sponsors to help keep BCSRC programs afloat. "I must also point out that we are open to every young person, regardless of their ability to pay subscriptions and buy uniforms and equipment. No one is turned away just because they are unable to pay the registration fee," she said.

"This is especially so at present, as we have had a lot of new children introduced to us by the local Polish, Czech and Indian embassies. Many of the youngsters have little or no money, and we are anxious to make them feel comfortable in our programs."