An annual soccer tournament for murdered Spruce Grove teacher and mother of two, Jolene Cote, was held on Saturday afternoon in the community.
Organizers said they hope the tournament, now in its fifth year, helps keep Cote’s memory alive and prompts new information in the mysterious homicide.
Co-organizer Kerri Fogarty was playing in a soccer tournament with Cote the night she was killed.
“I didn’t know her well outside of soccer, but since her death we’ve [all] gotten to know all the great stuff about who she was and what she did as a teacher and as a coach,” Fogarty told CTV News.
“She just had this spirit of good, healthy competition and fun."
Fogarty encourages anyone with information to contact RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
“It would be fantastic, especially for her family to have some closure […] there is still a $50,000 reward still being offered,” she explained.
Dorothy Commandeur, Cote’s mother, said the tournament is a wonderful tribute to her daughter.
“It just warms my heart that people continue to remember her,” she told CTV News.
“Jolene spent the last hours of her life with her soccer team. They were really excited about [winning a tournament] and celebrated together. She went home and meant her fate.”
Money raised from Saturday’s tournament goes to help KidSport, a national charity that provides financial assistance to families in need.
“Her life revolved around children [..] so she would have loved that. It would be her thing to support children in sports,” said Cote’s mother.
“It’s really tough, we know the investigation is still open. We can only hope one day we will get some answers.”
Cote was found dead inside her family home in October 2011. She was 36-years-old.
