The Boston Marathon has become one of my favorite things about living in Boston since I moved here from New York almost five years ago. Never before have I experienced the energy, emotion, and overwhelming feeling of community as I do every year on Patriot’s Day. There aren’t words to describe the inspiration that rushes over me as I join the other half a million spectators to watch and cheer for the racers of all ages and experience levels heading down Boylston Street towards the finish line.
The spirit of the day is so strong, that even the horrific events of the Boston Marathon Bombing during the 117th Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 couldn’t stop the runners from running and crowds from cheering each year since. In fact, I believe it made the runners run faster and the crowds cheer louder. While I was not living in Boston at the time, I, like many others in the country, remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I learned of the news. Since then, the phrase “Boston Strong” has come to represent different meanings for different people. As a Boston-based company, the feeling of Boston Strong runs through all of us at Alipes, from Maryland to Boston to Chicago.
As we approach the five year anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombing, we’re reflecting on what Boston Strong means to us at Alipes. Read just a few thoughts from my colleagues below.
Brendan Butts, Senior Technical Lead: “‘Boston Strong’ means resilience and unity in the face of adversity.”
Meghan Gardner, Senior Vice President, Strategy: “Boston Strong is the power of collaborative resilience over individual success or failure. In the weeks that followed the bombings, @V2Comms, the PR agency I was with at the time, joined numerous other agencies in Boston PRoud, an initiative that raised awareness and money for the victims and first responders. I was inspired by the way these agencies—usually fierce competitors for clients and for media attention—came together to support a cause that was bigger than any one of us, and hit so close to home.”
Keith Koslowsky, Senior Information Security Officer: “Boston Strong: Meb, an American (naturalized), wins the Boston Marathon the year after the bombing. That meant a lot to me and also the running community.”
Nathan Lamont, Technology Director: “In 2013, I was working for another agency. The day after the bombings, one of our designers came up with a ‘One Heart Boston’ graphic that was his personal reaction and the design became a phenomenon on social media. Everyone in the agency, and some partners, got together to print and sell t-shirts, bags, and stickers to raise money for the the One Fund. After many hours of hand-addressing and mailing countless orders, we had raised $31,000 for the fund. The nature of that response, captured so well by the graphic, is what ‘Boston Strong’ will always mean to me.”
Nasreen Salem, Assistant Digital Account Executive: “Alipes encompasses the idea that Boston is a brotherhood. The no man gets left behind attitude shines brighter the busier things get.”
Does “Boston Strong” hold special meaning to you? Tell us on Twitter and mention @alipes. Good luck to all of the 2018 Boston Marathon runners from all of us at Alipes!