Katelin Richardson
One year ago, Kate Richardson was hit and killed while riding her bike in Newport.
She was in Tennessee for the summer from Vermont, working at a rafting company.
Though in East Tennessee for a short time, friends say Kate Richardson left a permanent impact in Cocke County.
On July 12th 2011, Kate Richardson was hit and killed while riding her bike.
Daniel Jannette was Kate's boss last summer at Smoky Mountain Outdoors in Newport.
"To be honest," said Jannette, "We try not to think about it too much, however, we try to remember her."
Her death was tough on him. She played soccer and helped coach his daughter.
In the weeks following the accident, Jannette raised money to somehow honor Kate."We raised about $4,500 to $5,000 and actually built a soccer field in Ghana," explained Jannette.
He sent the money to the "The City of Refuge" Ministry. It is a ministry helping child slaves in West Ghana, Africa.
"The soccer field means a world to them," said The City of Refuge Co-Director, Stacy Omorefe, "It means they can be free and express themselves and become children again."
Stacy Omorefe spoke with 10News by phone from Ghana.
Since Kate loved soccer, and the sport is all the boys have, she says the donation was a perfect fit.
In one year, the money turned a grassy lot into a soccer field, named after Kate, with a sign, and jerseys, "We tell the kids the story when we have other teams come to play. We talk about our team and Katelin and our field. I do believe they get it and they feel the love and their common interest for soccer and love for the game."
The game isn't all Kate was known for. She loved the outdoors.
That's why she was in Tennessee.
A friend of Kate's said, "When you work here you get really attached to everybody. It's a family. We live together, work together, go play together and Kate really was a part of that family and when and how everything played out, it was horrible."
Kate led raft tours last summer and that is where employees say a piece of her remains.
On each employee shirt, Katelin's soccer number and her initials.
Co-worker, Scott Woodson, helped plan the shirt design this spring.
He said, "Out of the tragedy we are trying to make something positive."
The shirts and Kate's picture in the entrance, are constant reminders of what happened just a few miles down the road.
Since many of the new employees don't know about last year's accident, the owner and old employees try to educate them and enforce safety.
Owner, Daniel Jannette, explained, "We talk a whole lot about riding bikes on the road and just being careful all the way around."
The markings from Kate's accident on Highway 73 will one day disappear, but friends hope the memorial with Kate's initials and soccer number will always remain.
Cocke County Elections Commissioner, Dan Ford, is accused of hitting Kate.
He is charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication, DUI, and reckless vehicular homicide.
His attorney points the finger at Richardson who he says was in the middle of a dark road.
Ford's trial is set for October.