WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts has announced that Chelsea Chaney, an Independence, Kansas native and member of his Washington, D.C. staff, was chosen to represent the state last week as the 2010 Kansas Cherry Blossom Princess during the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. Attached you will find a photograph from the week.

“I was honored to represent Kansas acting as an ambassador of the state during the National Cherry Blossom Festival,” Chaney said. “Having the opportunity to talk to representatives from different states and countries about the great state of Kansas was a remarkable experience for which I am grateful.”

Chelsea graduated in 2008 from Washburn University in Topeka with a bachelor of arts in history and a minor in political science. At Washburn, she was active in the Student Government Association, Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority, Student Alumni Association, College Republicans and Mortar Board.

In 2007, Chelsea served as an intern for Senator Roberts in Washington and in January 2009, she returned to DC and became a member of Roberts’ permanent staff where she serves as Staff Assistant. She is the daughter of Rick and Beth Chaney of Independence.

Chelsea served as the Kansas Cherry Blossom princess in a week full of events including attending a traditional Japanese lantern lighting ceremony by the tidal basin, visiting various embassies, attending an event at Japanese Ambassador Fujisaki’s residence, and participating in the National Cherry Blossom Festival parade. The princesses from each state also had the opportunity to participate in a number of community service events partnering with the United Service Organizations (USO) to pack over 1,200 care packages to female soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, reading to children at the Cleveland Elementary School in DC, and working at a local DC Food Bank.

The National Conference of State Societies in Washington, DC sponsors a princess to represent each state as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual two-week event that celebrates springtime in Washington, DC as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. For more information on the festival, visit: www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org .