Boston marked the second anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing with a new tradition. On Wednesday, officials offered one idea for a way forward for the community that was left rattled by the attack.
Two years on, city officials proposed a day dedicated to service and gratitude -- One Boston Day.
Mayor Marty Walsh declared April 15 One Boston Day, encouraging residents to take park in public service, charity and community building efforts. The Mayor's office urged residents and supporters to post their own day of action activities using the hashtag #OneBostonDay.
We lend a hand and give back. We epitomize the spirit of the city we love. #OneBostonDay http://t.co/TsCwQr2RTX pic.twitter.com/edcVZCbc1N— Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) April 13, 2015
"We’re asking people to try to go and help people and do something in the spirit of collaboration, the spirit of giving, and asking people throughout the city of Boston to take what was a very sad day and turn it into a very positive," Walsh told local news outlet WBZ.
The One Boston Day website carried this message:
"On this day, we remember and reflect. We greet our neighbors. We lend a hand. We reach out, give back, and go above and beyond. We epitomize the spirit of the city we love."
Many chose to honor Boston's first responders who played an instrumental role in tending to the more than 250 people injured in 2013.
Special thx to @MayorDavidMaher 4 the cake & everyone in #cambma who has been so gracious on #onebostonday pic.twitter.com/GVqH7BjojV— Cambridge Police (@CambridgePolice) April 15, 2015
The Palladinos are giving money to the homeless and thanking first responders for #OneBostonDay @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/ZXQWEwr3Rp— Evan Allen (@EvanMAllen) April 15, 2015
Some used it as a day to give back to the community through donations.
For #OneBostonDay, I will run 4:06 miles today and give a donation to Girls On The Run. What will you do?— AnnaLouiseKallas (@graciouswarprin) April 15, 2015
Others simply donated their time and energy to doing a good deed.
To celebrate #OneBostonDay, some students wrote thank-you's to a teacher who's positively affected them pic.twitter.com/P9gHHiYBki— FCS at FHS (@fcsatfhs) April 15, 2015
Great job @KarlsonMcKenzie @wzlx cleaning up a #Watertown park today. #OneBostonDay @kevinkarlson @petemckenziezlx pic.twitter.com/uusLdlz4RW— Mike Thomas (@mikethomasmt8) April 15, 2015
The city also encouraged businesses and organizations to get involved.
We're marking tomorrow's #OneBostonDay by delivering lunch to the Fenway firehouse.— Legal Sea Foods (@legalseafoods) April 14, 2015
The anniversary comes in the midst of the high profile trial of one of the bombers.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was convicted last week of all 30 federal charges at a trial for carrying out the attack with his older brother Tamerlan, 17 of which carry the possibility for the death penalty. Tamerlan died during a shootout with police days after leading officials on a manhunt around the city after the attacks.
Tsarnaev, who has yet to be sentenced for the attack faces a minimum sentence of life in prison but may be given the death penalty.