As the colorful wings of butterflies flickered through a bright blue sky at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary in Newtown, Jenny Hubbard fondly recalled her favorite memories from the six years she had with her daughter, many of which revolved around butterflies. Jenny Hubbard remembers Catherine’s 3-year-old birthday party with the theme of purple butterflies where Catherine arranged bowls of pixie sticks and M&Ms at the seat of each guest. The sight of her bright red hair flashing around the yard as she swooped a butterfly net through the air, frantically trying to catch her favorite bug.
Then the sight of her crouched quietly down in the garden, surrounded by peonies, waiting for the butterflies to come to her. This week, for just one day, the vibrant monarch butterfly will be renamed the “Catherine Butterfly” by the North American Butterfly Association , a non-profit dedicated to helping wild butterflies flourish. The renaming will take place on Saturday — Catherine’s birthday.
This year, she would have turned 18. She would have been just days away from graduating from Newtown High School. On Dec.
14, 2012, Hubbard was one of 20 children and six educators who were killed in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. She was 6 years old. “It’s hard to believe Catherine would have been 18 this year,” said Jenny Hubbard.
“Catherine’s unwavering empathy and kindness — even for the smallest of creatures—continues to inspire us all. We�.
