The Beginning of Aberdeen Founders' Day

It recently began (can't say it all began--that would be Long-Long-Time ago), a year ago. Aberdeen's 125th birthday came and went without much notice or celebration. This sad lack of acknowledgement was brought to attention by a community activist, who has chosen to remain anonymous.

That activist noticed a trend in local groups, they loved to plan, they loved to meet...it was the actual "doing" part, that seemed to be a hangup. Facebook administrators from all over Grays Harbor and the the rest of the world agreed to this assessment. In answer to the the lack of "doing" a group was created in real life and online,  men and women called themselves "The Ladies of Aberdeen", or LOA. Self described as a "hoity toity and lusty loose affiliation of people dedicated to joy and the celebration of Aberdeen's rich and colorful past whilst writing our futures's past", the members did not; have officers; hold official meetings; or go deep into planning. It was more common to "PM/private message" an idea to be executed, by whomever, within the next week or month at the most.

During the early days of LOA, seasons changed, businesses closed...but some opened! The year came and went, Weyerhaeuser sawmill was passed on to an excited Seaport, and... a company came and explained what some have known for generations. Aberdeen is special, the history rich, and location splendid. The architectural treasures are uncommonly good!! In fact a core group of businesses are selling their wares and services in the newly named, historical district, of downtown Aberdeen. The Ladies of Aberdeen celebrated in some serious ways, they assisted new building owners in decorating their storefront windows, and even held a party on "F" Street. The Potlatch was great fun that lasted on both sides of the riverfront well into a 2013--cool July morning. There were a few other minor exploits that shall remain--unnamed, committed by--unknown, members of the organization.

One of the businesses that arrived on the scene, a comfy, cozy place just beckoning folks to sit, and sip, and contemplate... schemes that sometimes take root. The Wine Sellar on Broadway was the ideal meeting place for small groups of LOA members (never called a committee), and soon became the  birthplace for a mad group of ladies-- an offshoot of LOA,  and their idea for a GRAND celebration in Aberdeen, Washington. Because they felt the need to meet and plan they further felt the need to give themselves a subtitle, they called themselves; The Aberdeen Event Gurus. And so it came to be that the Aberdeen Founders' Day Parade was on it's way to becoming a 2014 Inaugural Event.  And so it is today! And that..as Sam Benn would say, is "What's Doin' Downtown"