“I knew I wanted to spread this certificate around so I chose Christmas Eve as the perfect time. I picked up three strangers’ checks in Legends with a simple message of ‘pay it forward.’ The smiles on their faces meant everything to me.”She added, “It is examples of random acts of kindness and things like this that the Kait’s Angels foundation aims to do. Even though the holiday season is almost over, hopefully this gives inspiration for people to carry out what my best friend liked to do. Sometimes even the littlest things can make a person’s day.”
Earlier in December, those who are working to keep Kaitlyn Doorhy’s giving spirit alive during the holiday season launched a Go Fund Me page to help collect monetary donations for Kait’s Angels, a group of volunteers who hope to spread her innate kindness in her memory.
According to Molly Waitz, Kait’s friend and creator of the “Rest in Peace, Kait Doorhy” Facebook page, after launching Kait’s Angels, she said she was approached by many who wanted to make monetary donations, some of whom were out of state and still wanted to help.
“Any monetary donations received will be used to purchase grocery store gift cards and given to our charities to distribute to local families in need this holiday season. Even the smallest of donations mean so much and will go a long way,” she said. To go to the Kait’s Angels Go Fund Me page, click here.
“Kaitlyn Doorhy was a bright young soul with a heart of gold,” the Go Fund Me page reads. “She would never look past helping someone and would stop in her tracks to make sure what needed to be done was done. Kaitlyn was tragically taken from on August 22 at the age of 20. Kait’s Angels would like to pick up where Kaitlyn left off. We will act as her stand-in angels and do whatever we can do to make her proud and keep her legacy and impact alive. Together, with your help, we can make this dream come true.”
Waitz said she has met with many people, including the Doorhy family, “all who agree that this is exactly what Kaityln would do. She would sign up and volunteer to help with anything needed.”
To begin, this December hosted its first event, a holiday food and cold weather clothing drive; donated goods will be distributed to people in need in the community and help fill up local food pantries. Waitz said donations of non perishable food and cold winter gear such as hats, gloves and scarves, are always needed.
For information on how to join the group, become and Angel, or bring goods to a donation box, email kaitsangels@gmail.com. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Keep smiling, shine bright, stay beautiful,” Waitz said.
In the months after Kaitlyn’s tragic death, her memory lives on, and her legacy of love continues to touch the North Fork community. Kaitlyn, 20,died in August from injuries sustained after being hit by a car near her college, Sacred Heart University, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Last month, the Mattituck Cutchogue PTA dedicated “Kaitlyn’s Buddy Bench” in her memory to the children of Cutchogue East Elementary School.
And in October, a sea of those who loved the former Mattituck Strawberry Queen flocked to Sacred Heart, where a football game was played in her honor during the school’s Family Weekend.
Sacred Heart University also announced that the H.W. Wilson Foundation has given $100,000 to Sacred Heart University to establish an endowed scholarship in memory of Kaitlyn, who died just before beginning her junior year after being hit by a motor vehicle while walking to campus.The scholarship will be given each year to a junior student from Long Island with financial need; it is anticipated that the first award will be given for the 2015-2016 academic year.
