Written by Ellyn McKinney
Photography by CK Media & Courtesy of Katy Build Tennis Tournament
Nearly twenty years ago, a hush fell over North Bossier City— over the halls of Airline High School, over the pews of several area churches, and over a community that loved three extraordinary young women.
Katy Watkins. Emily Perdue. Molly Reed.
Three radiant lives — joyful, faith-filled, compassionate, and already devoted to serving others — were taken in an automobile accident in 2006. They were the girls who showed up. The girls who included everyone. The girls who lived their faith with their hands and feet. And yet, their story did not end there. Because love like that never does.
Those who knew them best chose to continue what they had started — turning grief into generosity, heartbreak into purpose, and memory into movement. Today, their legacy is not only remembered — it is framed in doorways, poured into foundations, and echoed in the laughter of families who have a place to call home, all thanks to Angel Build, a program created to honor the lives of the three girls.
In this Home & Garden Issue of Lola, there could be no more fitting story. Because Angel Build is not simply about houses. It’s about belonging, stability, dignity, and it’s about a community that refuses to let love stop.
At the center of it all — beautifully, joyfully — is a tennis tournament.
Where the Story Began
The mission took shape in 2011, when the Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana partnered with Asbury United Methodist Church to build a legacy home in honor of Katy Watkins. In 2012, the first home was built in a Bossier City neighborhood that had not seen new construction in nearly fifty years — a sign that something hopeful could rise where time and hardship had stood still.
From that moment forward, the vision widened. Other area churches joined to honor Emily and Molly. More homes were built. More volunteers came. More hearts were drawn in. What began as one act of remembrance became a living, breathing ministry of service.
Then in 2016, a new idea stepped onto the court — the Katy Build Tennis Tournament — giving the entire community a way to take part in the mission, racquet in hand and purpose in heart. Today, that tournament is the engine that fuels Angel Build.
The Tournament That Builds Homes
Now in its 11th year, the Katy Build Tennis Tournament has become a cornerstone weekend in the Bossier–Shreveport community, led with heart by Angela Pfanner and strengthened by the talent of Bossier Tennis Center pros Todd Killen and Bianca Schulz Roge, along with the incredible support of more than 100 sponsors and volunteers — all coming together where competition and compassion meet.
You see it in the sold-out team tents. In the laughter between matches. In the players gathered under the wellness tent. In the meals shared and the stories told. You feel it in the hospitality that has become legendary. And you see it most clearly when young players are recognized for reflecting the character of Katy, Molly, and Emily. This year’s tournament promises new sponsors, new teams, and a celebration of the greatest chapter in Angel Build history.
Because every detail of the weekend still reflects the way those three girls lived – bringing people together, lifting others up, and making joy contagious.
From the Court to the Community
What happens on those tennis courts does not stay there. Because of this tournament — because people register, sponsor, volunteer, and give — homes are rising right now in Bossier City. On Jean Street, three houses are being built side by side through a partnership that now includes:
Asbury United Methodist Church
The Simple Church
Cypress Baptist Church
The City of Bossier City
The Fuller Center for Housing of NWLA
Angel Build has also expanded its reach through Volunteers of America of North Louisiana, helping create long-term housing solutions for homeless veterans. Last year alone, the tournament raised more than $71,000 for these efforts. A weekend of tennis became walls, windows, front porches, and new beginnings.
Why It Matters
The Fuller Center’s model is built on partnership — future homeowners invest sweat equity into their homes. But many cannot do it alone. Angel Build becomes the extended hands and feet. The Katy Build Tournament becomes the lumber, sheetrock, front door and kitchen table. The place where family begins again. Every serve struck becomes a foundation poured somewhere in our community.
LOLA’s Invitation
We are honored to stand alongside the Katy Build Tournament in 2026 — not simply to tell this story, but to be part of it. You do not have to play tennis to change a life.
You can:
- Register A Team
- Become A Sponsor
- Volunteer
- Give Financially
- Or Simply Show Up
There is a place for everyone.
The legacy of Katy, Emily, and Molly lives on — in every home built, every family restored, and every person who chooses to serve. This is more than a tournament. This is more than a build. This is love — built here.
Katy Build Tennis Tournament
April 9-12, 2026
North Bossier Tennis Center
1651 Mondello Way, Bossier City, LA 71111
Ways to Take Action:
Learn More About Katy Build Tennis Tourney
kbtennistourney.org
Volunteer at Angel Build
www.jotform.com/app/240925216715152