Cheryl Blackman happy with Jefferson Award experience

Cheryl Blackman is known around Rehoboth Beach for her patriotic, Fourth of July costume, so it was fitting she would go to the nation's capital as a nominee for one of the nation’s highest community service awards.

Blackman was in Washington, D.C. for the national Jefferson Awards, as a candidate for the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Local Community. Nominated for the Jefferson Award by her nephew, Chris Cordrey and recognized by WBOC-TV for her work raising money for KINfolk, a charitable organization for kids in need, Blackman also helps raise money for the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company.

Although she has raised more than $7,700 for KINfolk this year, fundraising did not stop at the Jefferson Awards ceremony.

"I sold a lot of raffle tickets. I got all the big shots," she said, referring to the Jefferson Awards gala.

She not only sold raffle tickets; she also secured the donation of laptop computers, which KINfolk uses to work with children with serious medical challenges.

Her fundraising in Rehoboth is so well known, she even makes a small cameo appearance in a new children’s pop-up book called, “A Day In Rehoboth Beach.”

While she did not win the award, Blackman said she was not disappointed and was glad to have the experience.

“There were a lot of people but it was so much fun,” she said. “It was really exciting."

Blackman's mother, Shirley Bennett said, "It's quite an honor. She's certainly in good company."