It was a day filled with good food, good music and good friends raising money for a good cause. Cook’s Landing in Edgecomb was the scene Sept. 12 for raising money for the first-ever Bobby Blackman Scholarship Fund.

Blackman was a beloved member of the community who died in 2023. Blackman was a businessman who operated a home heating oil burner repair business. He was also a part-time musician who played with bands all over the state. He was a basketball official who officiated with familiar Midcoast names Dave Parkhurst, Walt Gorneau and Walt White.

He also coached youth sports teams at BRYMCA. Blackman was a Knight of Pythias member in Boothbay Harbor. Before his death, the Knights established a scholarship for local students pursuing a technical trade career. So far, 10 local students have received $500 scholarships to become an electrician, plumber, police officer, or whatever trade they want.

The scholarship is now named after Bobby Blackman and the first Bobby Blackman Scholarship Fundraiser was held at Cook’s Landing in Edgecomb. Cook’s Landing is one of the many stops of Blackman's musical excursions playing traditional country music and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Skip “Mad Dog” Morgan is a member of “Thunder Bay,” one of two bands which played at the fundraiser. He remembers Blackman as a musician and singer he played with when the Cook’s Landing Pub first opened.

“He helped them (Cook’s Landing) get started by playing here. I remember him calling me to join him there and asked if I knew a drummer,” he said. “His energy and willingness to help anybody is what I remember about Bobby.”

Laurie Dickinson is Blackman’s daughter. She remembers her dad answering calls late at night when a family’s oil burner broke down. “It didn’t matter. He knew he needed to help them because children were involved,” she said.

Dickinson remembers her father's dedication to youth sports by either coaching a team or officiating. “He was all about kids. Anything he could do for kids, he did,” she said.

Blaine Blackman has similar memories of his father. Blaine remembers his father supporting the Knights' efforts in establishing scholarships for the trades. "He could see the need for people in trades from his own business. There was a need for electricians, plumbers and oil burner technicians. He was a man of the community. He knew the trades were dying out in the Boothbay region with no 'young blood' replacing these people as they aged out," he said. 

Saturday's event was organized by four longtime friends of Bobby Blackman: Kim Peaslee, Laurie Eiman, Sue Shifflett and Rya Morin. 

A decision was made to make the Bobby Blackman Scholarship Fundraiser coincide with another Edgecomb fall tradition. Cook's Landing has an annual pig roast and organizers thought an afternoon of music and food was a grand way to raise money and remember Blackman's legacy. 

"Bobby was near and dear to me. There are a lot of close friends here to celebrate his life," Peaslee said.

Two past scholarship recipients attended the event. Caden Royal graduated from Southern Maine Community College in 2023. He received a Knights of Pythias scholarship and is now a Falmouth police officer. "I love serving and helping people in my role as a police officer. I'm here to show my appreciation for the scholarship and opportunity to hang out with some people who mean a lot to me," Royal said.

Luke Morley is another recipient. He graduated in 2024 from Northeast Technical Institute with a Class A commercial driver's license. "I just wanted to thank them, and hopefully, donate and give something back," Morley said.