City invites local organizations to volunteer in One Boston Day

"Whether in triumph or tragedy, celebration or solidarity, we have always stood together."

A Boston Strong flag held by Carlos Arredondo at the finish line of the 2015 Boston Marathon. John Tlumacki / The Boston Globe

By Melissa Ellin

February 28, 2023

This year mark’s the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. And the City of Boston and the Boston Athletic Association are now inviting local organizations and businesses to take part in a commemoration for the first time during the annual “One Boston Day,” according to a mayor’s office press release.

Every year on April 15, our city comes together to commemorate #OneBostonDay—a day dedicated to showcasing the strength, generosity & resilience of our communities through acts of kindness. Join us: https://t.co/eQ9Ykf3UOX pic.twitter.com/i4z8gi7YKJ
— Mayor Michelle Wu 吳弭 (@MayorWu) February 27, 2023

Since 2015 — two years after the bombing — the city has recognized April 15 as One Boston Day, honoring the survivors and victims of the bombing. Now, Wu has launched a registration platform for local groups to host community events that will engage the city on the anniversary of this tragic day.

In the press release, Wu said the volunteer opportunities offered by community groups will be shared to the webpage, created Monday. She added that One Boston Day has always been about gathering community members “to perform acts of kindness to honor those we lost.”

“Whether in triumph or tragedy, celebration or solidarity, we have always stood together,” she said.

The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has already announced that it will hold a blood drive on the anniversary. It will also hold a public training for how to stop bleeding, according to the city’s release.

In honor of One Boston Day, the Stepping Strong Center will be hosting a blood drive and Stop the Bleed demonstrations. Our founder, Audrey Epstein Reny, was featured in a press release about the importance of this day. https://t.co/g7mY7npUle https://t.co/vccrvr33yT
— Stepping Strong Center (@steppingstrong1) February 27, 2023

Also on the webpage is an “Acts of Kindness Checklist,” which offers more than 15 ways people can participate individually in spreading generosity on that day. Among the items on the list are options for dropping off coffee or baked goods to local first responders and supporting local restaurants.

Other city events will take place throughout the day on the 15th, including a community cleanup at Franklin Park at 10 a.m.

BAA President and CEO Jack Fleming said in the release that the association “is committed to remembering while also celebrating the spirit of strength that has marked one of the most meaningful decades in our city’s history.”