Laken Riley remembered: Cherokee County pays tribute with red and black bows
WOODSTOCK, Ga. - Love and support are flooding in for Laken Riley and her family as the news of her death reached well beyond UGA and Georgia.
Look everywhere in Cherokee County and red and black bows can be found tied to mailboxes. The bows are to honor Laken and show her family how much the community cares about them.
Red and black ribbons can be found everywhere in Cherokee County to honor Laken Riley. (FOX 5)
Ribbons to honor Laken Riley
In the parking lot of the Woodstock City Church, people lined up to buy bows. Cindy Thomas picked up a whole basket of them for herself and her neighbors.
"Just to honor her and her family, and let them know how much everybody cares," said Thomas.
Woodstock City Church was packed with people want to buy special ribbons to honor Laken Riley on Feb. 27, 2024. (FOX 5)
Twenty-two-year-old Laken Riley was killed Thursday while jogging on the University of Georgia campus.
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Woodstock remembers Laken Riley
Laken is from Cherokee County. She graduated from River Ridge High School. She attended UGA before transferring to Augusta University in Athens to complete her nursing degree.
"She was so young, and had so much promise, and so much life ahead of her," said Michele O'Brien.
Red and black bows are being sold to honor Laken RIley. (FOX 5)
Some who bought bows knew Laken and her family.
"She's a sweet girl. She went to this church and she and my daughter went on mission trips together," said Thomas.
Others didn't know Laken, but say her death rocked the community.
"This hit home, and I think it's the girl next door that we all see in her," said Dorene McShea.
What is the Laken Hope Riley Foundation?
The money from the $15 bows goes directly to the family. The family has established the Laken Hope Riley Foundation in her honor to call attention to homicide awareness and safety for women.
At least a thousand bows were made to honor Laken Riley. (FOX 5)
The group of women who made the bows say they sold about a thousand of them in the first hour.
"It raises money for a good cause. I hope more people buy them," said Jerry Chastain, who bought four of them.