Bette Worth and Bobbi McCracken are well-known on the Harbor for what they do when it comes to decorating the city’s sidewalks, hosting Summerfest and Winterfest, volunteering in other capacities and presenting themselves with a happy, yet hard-working disposition.

On Oct. 17, they were recognized statewide for their work when they were in Walla Walla. For their constant efforts, the duo received the 2024 Excellence on Main Award, which is for organizational excellence.

“The (Washington State) Main Street (Program), they have a state organization,” Worth said Tuesday evening. “Annually they have a conference, this year it was in Walla Walla. And so we had submitted, or were aware that the application for this particular award had (been) received. We were hoping that maybe we’d get recognized and sure enough we were.”

And as usual, Worth and McCracken wore pink shirts, which is their trademark.

While they appreciate the award and recognition, accolades aren’t the reason they’ve worked so hard for the last decade.

“We don’t do it for the pat on the back but it sure does help,” McCracken said.

The award was mainly for Aberdeen Bloom Team. The team is comprised of a group of volunteers, aided by Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Department workers, who help plant flowers all along Aberdeen’s downtown corridor. The award event also recognized other parts of the good work that Worth, McCracken and the rest of the Downtown Aberdeen Association does.

Tough competition

“There are representatives from all over the state,” McCracken said. “There are 77 Main Streets. Not all of them are full Main Street (programs) like ours, but there are 77 in the state. The state of Washington I think is leading in the number of Main Streets.”

Worth said there were between 200-250 people who attended the conference, which wasn’t just about the awards.

“We had some wonderful workshops,” McCracken said. “We got some great ideas and some enthusiasm for doing different things, maybe to encourage people to come downtown. The award itself is kind of a big deal.”

In addition to the application, the duo had to also submit photographs of what they do in Aberdeen and those pictures impressed.

“They liked the pictures that we submitted regarding the Bloom Team and all the efforts that we’ve done downtown,” Worth said.

Proud moment

The award show was held at Gesa Power House Theatre, which McCracken called “a very old theater that was very cool.”

McCracken shared a few details about the day.

“They had the big screen, and all of these pictures, plus more were up on the big screen while they talked about some of our antics and the things that we do to get people excited in doing things,” McCracken said. “They talked about the history of our program, how we went in and spoke to Stacie (Barnum) 10 years ago wanting to see the flower program (grow) bigger and better, and the partnership (we have) with the city. So it was really an honor to be recognized with all of our peers.”

Worth said in addition to the Bloom Team, what they’ve done to kind of create that Bloom Team, is they were also recognized for their volunteering efforts in the community, specifically Winterfest and Summerfest.

McCracken pointed out how they’re volunteers, yet they keep coming back.

“We don’t get paid,” McCracken said. “We don’t do it for glory, but it’s nice to be recognized for what we do.”

It sounds like they’ll continue to do it for as long as they can because it’s important.

“Our whole goal has always been to improve the quality of life here in the Harbor,” Worth said. “As people go through or stop, we’d like them to have a certain image of our community. I think the flowers do that. It shows that we care about our community.”

Outside compliments

McCracken said Barnum has said in the past how the flower program is what the city gets most requests, or responses or letters about.

“It’s always positive,” McCracken said. “And many cities have called Stacie to find out what we’re doing to make them look like they do. We were approached by Hoquiam (Hoquiam Beautification Team) several years ago and got them started so they’re moving on and Hoquiam’s doing a great job with what they do. Ocean Shores is going to do it.”

Worth said representatives from Olympia called to ask how Aberdeen does it. She clarified how she thought it was primarily because they were “interested in how our flowers grow so large.”

“But that too, in getting a call from Olympia, I’m sure people have driven through from Olympia and inquired about it,” Worth said. “They must have contacted Stacie because they in-turn contacted us.”

McCracken spoke about some of what makes them and the team unique.

“We wear our pink vests and our pink, paper hats and silly things, but we’re known for our pink flowers now,” McCracken said.

The team uses a flower called “Proven Winner.” They get it from Woodburn, Oregon. While they used to get the flowers from Wynoochee Windmill Farms, the program grew.

McCracken explained why they use that specific type of flower.

“The reason we use the pink flowers is because when we first started doing this, the nursery had done some research and found they’re the heartiest for the wind that we have, not only just the wind but when the trucks go by and then everything starts spinning.”

But, the flower is not only used because of how tough it is.

“Pink is who we are,” Worth said. “That’s our trademark. They expect the pink. We add other colors to complement, but our primary color is pink.”

McCracken added how Bloom Team also requires camaraderie from different areas as well.

“What’s funny about our Bloom Team, this is Aberdeen,” McCracken said. “But we have Cosmopolis, we have Central Park, we have Montesano people who volunteer, as well as all of our Aberdeen people, twice a month all summer long. Like they say, ‘we may not live in Aberdeen, but this is where we shop, this is where our services are and we want it all to look good.’ It’s kind of, I think unique that we have people from other towns working on our project.”

Worth, thankful for the help from their fellow Bloom Team volunteers, listed many of whom who have stuck around for the long haul.

“Eileen Schermer, Elaine Lokken, Kathy Ewen, Judi Hubbard, Kristine Finazzo, Jane Madtson, Julie Brumfield, Judy Stiles, Gail Gozart and Nancy LaCasse,” Worth said. “By naming people, you stand to forget someone. (But) these (women) have been around for a long time. Those people are who continue to do it and have done it since the beginning.”

Working with the city

Worth said they have to “tip our hat” to the city of Aberdeen, its Parks and Recreation team specifically.

“They have been great partners,” Worth said. As our numbers dwindle as far as volunteers, we get a few new ones, but the city has stepped up. So we have a number of their employees who work through Parks and Rec who help us. They will continue to water and fertilize everything. But they even help us plant, so that’s worked out.”

McCracken agreed that it’s been a great partnership with the city. And it’s not just the summer. There are fall flowers and their are winter arrangements.

“We try to have something in those pots year-round,” Worth said.

“You can’t go from this big, pink flower to nothing,” McCracken said.

Words from the director

Wil Russoul, executive director of Downtown Aberdeen Association, was in Walla Walla with Worth and McCracken for the event. He’s proud of them, to say the least.

“I could not have been more pleased or emotionally moved to watch these ladies receive such an award in front of a packed audience from all over our beautiful state,” Russoul said. “They represented our community, volunteers and city with class, humor and spirit. It’s totally overdue as well.”

Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.

Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World In addition to the work Aberdeen Bloom Team does that impressed Washington State Main Street Program, the team top-two leaders Bobbi McCracken, left, and Bette Worth were also celebrated for the antics they do in order to get people involved. And pink is their “trademark.”