Plum Educators Hosting Fall Festival Parade in Honor of Flood Victims

The Plum Borough Education Association is again remembering a local family who lost their lives too soon.

Kim Griffith and daughters Brenna, 12, and Mikaela, 8, died during a flash flood on Washington Boulevard in Pittsburgh in 2011. The Plum residents were trapped in their van.

On Sunday, Oct. 27, the PBEA will host the third annual Fall Festival Parade at the Boyce Park ski lodge in Plum in their honor. Both Brenna and Mikaela were Plum students.

The doors open at 11 a.m. A costume parade kicks off at noon.

The family-friendly event includes trick or treating throughout the parade route, children's activities, food vendors and raffle baskets.

The proceeds from this year's festival will benefit the Susan Pinal Memorial Fund.

A teacher and librarian in the Plum School District, Pinal, 36, died unexpectedly last May from a blood clot. 

She was the wife of Rudy Pinal and mother of two young boys, Daniel and Michael.

Proceeds from the Fall Festival will benefit future educational endeavors for her sons.

The PBEA also is asking for donations to help raise funds for the Pinal family.

“We are asking you or your business to make a donation of money, food, supplies, gift cards, and/or items that can be used in raffle baskets,” Plum teacher JR Pilyih wrote in a letter to sponsors.

Donations may be left with any member of the Plum Borough Education Association. Pilyih also is willing traveling to businesses to pick up the donated items.

Contributions may also be mailed to Regency Park Elementary School, c/o J.R. Pilyih, 606 Millers Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15239.

For more information, visit www.plumteachers.org.