By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Five-year-old Kaitlyn Cubillo was a happy little girl who loved books, trips to the library, the color pink and unicorns.
Hearing her father, Fill, and her extended family speak Spanish, she begged her mom to read to her from "My First Spanish Workbook." Kaitlyn and her mother, Julie, read the book at bedtime.
"I had to say just one or two pages, because she wanted to go through all of them and read that with me," Julie said.
Kaityln's vibrant life was cut short Jan. 8, when she died from complications of a heart defect.
Early Childhood Connections, where Kaitlyn and her mother were part of the Parents and Teachers program, have organized a fundraiser to build a Little Library in Kaitlyn's memory. The Little Library will be placed on the grounds of the Early Childhood Complex on 13th Street in Hays.
Little Libraries are small, enclosed boxes on posts. Children will be encouraged to take free books from the library, and people can leave books for others to take.
Julie Cubillo said she and her family are very appreciative of the community's efforts to remember Kaitlyn.
"She was a child who knew what she wanted," her mother said. "Nothing was going to stand in her way. She lived life to the fullest."
Julie learned early in her pregnancy about Katilyn's heart defect.
"I decided early on that we were just going to live. It was hard, right, but I wasn't going to fear this defect," she said. "I think that really helped me and helped Kaitlyn. We had a really strong bond, her and I.
"She was fierce. That little girl never stopped. I have seen her go through multiple open heart surgeries and seen her get sick and just bounce right back."
Although her heart condition restricted what she could do physically, she ran with the other kids and never quit, Julie said.
Kaitlyn loved pink and blue and anything sparkly, so the organizers plan to decorate her Little Library using those themes.
"It just means a lot that not only do people sympathize with our situation, but they truly care and they just want to do anything to remember her and support us," Julie said through tears.
"It has been really awesome to see that in our community — people we don't even know."
Julie said it means so much that other children will benefit from this project.
"As a parent, you want your child, but you want people to know them, especially when they fought so hard. You want people to see that strength and have that hope too," she said.
Kaitlyn was referred to Parents as Teachers to help with development with her gross motor skills.
Dayna Schmidt of Parents as Teachers came into the Cubillo home once a month, worked with Kaitlyn and helped guide Julie in activities that helped in Kaitlyn's development.
"It was a great experience," Julie said. "They always had really cute ideas on how to teach them. The things they needed to learn developmentally for their age and also to have someone coming in consistently to the home as a teacher to transition them into preschool. I think we both really enjoyed it."
Having an adult to talk to the during the day was also a relief, as Julie spent a lot of time at home with Kaitlyn.
The project's initial goal is to raise $370 to construct and place the Little Library.
Any additional funds will be used to purchase books to keep the Little Library stocked with books. Dana Stanton of Early Childhood Connections said organizers are discouraging donation of books at this time, because the organization has no place to store the books.
However, once the Little Library is placed, you can bring books to leave for local children.
Applebee's has scheduled a fundraiser for the Kaitlyn's Little Library for 4 to 8 p.m. April 27. Fifty percent of all proceeds from the sale of three-cheese chicken penne, fiesta lime chicken, classic bacon cheeseburgers, chicken tender platters and grilled chicken caesar salad will benefit the fundraiser. Dine-in, carry-out and delivery meals qualify.
Donations will also be accepted at
Early Childhood Connections
2501 E. 13th St., Hays, KS 67601
Checks payable to:
USD 489 Foundation (memo: Kaitlyn’s Library).
You can find a QR code to donate through PayPal here. For more information on the project, you can also contact Dana Stanton ([email protected]) or Dayna Schmidt ([email protected]) at 785-623-2430.