BATH COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Friends describe McKenna "Kenna" Letcher as someone who never hesitated to help others.
"She was just a ball of energy. She was bouncy. She wanted to help everybody," said Delora Johnson, a close friend. "If she saw somebody that needed something and she had it, she didn't care. She'd give it to them."
Johnson met Letcher five years ago through Girl Scouts and said the two quickly became close friends.
"She was my girl," Johnson said.
Letcher, who spent much of her life in Bath County before later moving to Clark County, died in September 2024 after she was hit by a school bus. Johnson said she struggled to believe the news when she received the call.
"Her aunt called me," Johnson said. "And I told her, I said, 'No, she didn't.'"
Johnson said the loss felt personal.
"It was as if I had lost my own child," she said.
Wanting to continue the kindness Letcher showed others, her family created Kenna's Impact, a nonprofit dedicated to helping teenagers in Bath and Clark counties.
According to Johnson, the organization's mission is to make sure teens know they are not alone.
"Kenna's Impact is to let teenagers know they're not alone, they're not forgotten," Johnson said. "They do have support out there."
The nonprofit has continued to grow since its creation. Last year, Kenna's Impact helped 13 teenagers, and organizers hope to increase that number through a series of fundraisers planned this month.
Money raised will support the organization's Christmas program, which provides gifts and support for teenagers in Bath and Clark counties.
Johnson said every teen helped through the nonprofit is another way to honor Letcher's memory.
"Seeing Kenna's Impact grow, to me, is growing Kenna's memory," Johnson said. "The more people that know about her, the more people that know about this foundation. The more people will remember her. She will never be forgotten."
To support those efforts, Johnson has organized two upcoming fundraising events.
The first is a vendor event scheduled for this weekend at Rodburn Hollow Park in Morehead. Johnson said Kenna's Impact is still looking for vendors interested in participating. Those interested can find more information through the organization's Facebook page.
The second event is scheduled for Sept. 26 at Bath County High School and will feature local Bath County musicians and performers in a benefit concert supporting the nonprofit's mission.
Johnson said she hopes the organization continues to grow, helping more teenagers while ensuring Letcher's legacy lives on.
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