U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama take part in a moment of silence marking the eighth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, September 11, 2009. [Xinhua/Reuters]

For Americans, every anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks is a time for mourning and remembrance.

However, on the eighth anniversary, which fell on Friday, there are a new way to mark the date.

Under a legislation signed by U.S. President Barack Obama in April, Sept. 11 becomes the Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance starting this year, a day when all Americans are encouraged to remember the attacks by participating in a service project, or doing "good deeds" for their neighborhoods, communities and the society.

DOING GOOD DEEDS ACROSS COUNTRY

"Doing Good Deeds" events are underway in all 50 U.S. states and Washington DC by government and nonprofit groups nationwide Friday.

On Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed when terrorists crashed hijacked airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and a field in Shanksville, Pa.

Memorial ceremonies held at those attack sites dominated media coverage Friday, but actions of volunteers attracted more attentions.

People hold up pictures of a victim of the 9/11 attacks during the eighth anniversary commemoration of the attacks at the Ground Zero in New York Sept. 11, 2009. Families of the victims gathered at the annual ceremony to remember those who lost their lives in the attacks, which killed more than 2,700 people with the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. [Xinhua]

In the Greater Washington DC area which includes the Pentagon, over 2,000 volunteers are serving in 65 projects, including sending gifts to the residents, cleaning vehicles used to transport the veterans, and beautifying grounds of veteran hospitals.

In New York City, volunteers joined mourners in a ceremony at the former World Trade Center where more than 2,000 were killed in the 9/11 attacks.

Among dozens of projects across the city, volunteers will revitalize Jenny's Garden in Riverside Park and join in literacy projects with students at the A. Philip Randolph School.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the newly established Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance.

"The city of New York has taken up that call. From this day forward, we will guard the memories of those who died by rekindling the spirit of service," he said.

Photo taken on Sept. 11, 2009 shows the construction site of the new World Trade Center in New York, the U.S.. The eighth anniversary commemoration of the 9/11 attacks is held at the Ground Zero in New York on Friday to remember those who lost their lives in the attacks, which killed more than 2,700 people with the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. [Xinhua]

In Boston, Mass, volunteers gathered to stuff packages and write letters to military personnel serving overseas and donate items for veteran programs.

In Seattle, Wa., 9,000 volunteers, including 4,000 Microsoft employees, are serving on projects ranging from habitat restoration and neighborhood cleanups to renovating a child care center.

In various cities of North Carolina, hundreds of volunteers are collecting and assembling "Connection Packages" with school supplies, stationary, disposable cameras, and other tools to help children communicate with parents or family members who are deployed overseas.

A number of U.S. companies are participating volunteer projects on the day.

Hasbro, Inc. employees assembled supplies for families of people with HIV virus in Zambia and birthday kits for homeless children in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Target Inc. sent teams to design school library makeover projects at 16 schools across the country.

Some individuals are doing their own "good deeds".

In Atlanta, Georgia, Lillie Love and her friends put together and deliver goody baskets to fire and police stations as a way of paying tribute to the first responders who worked tirelessly in 9/11 attacks and the days and weeks following.

In Chicago, Illinois, Tiffany Bohm and her classmates kicked off a semester-long service project to collect 2,974 pairs of shoes, representing each person lost in the 9/11 attacks, to donate to a homeless shelter.

The eighth anniversary commemoration of the 9/11 attacks is held at the Ground Zero in New York, the U.S., Sept. 11, 2009. Families of the victims gathered at the annual ceremony to remember those who lost their lives in the attacks, which killed more than 2,700 people with the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. [Xinhua]

NO GOOD DEED IS TOO SMALL

Designating Sept. 11 as a national service day was the brainchild of Jay Winuk, whose brother Glenn rushed to the scene of the World Trade Center from his apartment in Manhattan, New York, to aid the evacuation on Sept. 11, 2001, and died when the twin towers collapsed.

The actions of volunteers from around the country after the 9/11 attacks inspired Winuk and his friend, David Paine, to confounded in 2002 a nonprofit organization called MyGood Deed to encourage people to undertake service projects.

Since then MyGood Deed had been working to establish the national service day as a way to honor those who died in the 9/11 attacks.

"The anniversary of 9/11 is always a very personal day of sadness and reflection for me and my family, but it can also be a day when the nation comes together to embrace once more the spirit of compassion that helped our family and the entire 9/11 community see us through the very dark days following the attacks," Winuk said recently.

After taking office in January, U.S. President Barack Obama embraced the idea and signed a legislation in April to establish the Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Winuk said "no good deed is too small" and anyone who wants to give back on 9/11 or any day of the year can do so.

"We believe that even a small gesture - a single good deed - is all it takes to make a difference," he said.

On Thursday, Obama issued a message to all Americans, calling upon them to "join in service and honor the lives we lost, the heroes who responded in our hour of need."

"The National Day of Service and Remembrance is an opportunity to salute the heroes of 9/11, recapture the spirit of unity and compassion that inspired our nation following the attacks, and rededicate ourselves to sustained service to our communities," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2009）