Jerry Blankenship is quick to point out he is not the only one doing community service in Enid.

But during the years he has lived here, Blankenship has been involved in a number of projects, notably Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Cen-ter, now being constructed. Blankenship was a member of the task force that helped raise money to build the center. That drive is still ongoing.

A native of Frederick, Blankenship came to Enid in 1967 when he finished his medical training. He practiced medicine here until he retired. The first 15 years he was involved in building his medical practice and raising his family, but he did serve as a division leader for the United Way campaign. During the 1980s, when Enid’s economy suffered during the oil bust period, he became more active.

In the fall of 2004 he was approached and educated about the museum project from Gary Brown and Jim Wright. Bob Blackburn, di-rector of Oklahoma Historical Society came to Enid to meet with a group of interested residents about expanding Mu-seum of the Cherokee Strip.

A task force of about 10 people was formed, and Lew and Myra Ward came in on the project early, with Lew Ward accepted the chairmanship, Blankenship said.

“That was important. He is a hands-on leader and this has been an important part of his life,” Blankenship said of Ward.

The project grew steadily, as the people and the professional group involved established several divisions to cover aspects of the project.

Blankenship has called the campaign highly successful, and while most of the money has been raised the campaign is ongoing.

Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center partnered with Oklahoma Historical Society, and Blankenship said by the middle of the drive it was clear it would be successful. The financial goal was increased three times along the way.

“The events were all well received, and the community got behind it from the outset,” he said.

After expansion, the museum will continue to have financial needs, but Blanken-ship said a “good portion” of the money has been pledged.

Through Oklahoma His-torical Society assistance, an architectural firm and exhibit design team were hired.

Exhibits will be state-of-the-art and will take advantage of the history and heritage of the Enid region. Blankenship said it will be presented in a way that will be interesting and engaging.

Blankenship said the project appealed to his interest in history.

“Growing up in southwest Oklahoma the history was similar but different,” he said. “The Cherokee Strip history begins with the Land Run of 1893, the largest of the land runs and the last one. Those who persevered laid the ground work for the culture we have.”

That cultural development will be displayed in the theater portion of the new museum. There will be many stories of leaders who built the towns and region, and he said those stories will be told in an engaging way.

The heritage center hopefully will be the first of a series of regional museums that will be part of the state museum system.

Opening is planned for the spring of 2010.

The regional heritage project is a good example of community service, Blankenship said. It demonstrates how a small worthwhile project can grow when people are committed to it and the large number of people interested in the community and the quality of life here, he said.