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Flash Flood Victim's Friends, Family To Continue Cookie Baking Tradition

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It was an unthinkable tragedy. A woman trapped inside her van with her two daughters unable to escape the rising flood waters on Washington Boulevard.

That was August of 2011. Kim Griffith, her two daughters and an elderly woman lost their lives that day.

Since then, a number of safety improvements have been made to the area. Now, there are flood gates and warning signs if we get torrential downpours, designed to keep other drivers out. The city also purchased a hovercraft to help the police department's river rescue crews.

Despite the improvements, the loss of Griffith and her daughters is still fresh for friends and family.

People who knew the family say Griffith was always doing things for others, especially around the holidays. She used to bake cookies and pass them out to local charities to help those in need.

In honor of Griffith's memory, this year, her best friend plans to keep the tradition alive. More than 100 volunteers will bake cookies this weekend to hand out of charities like the Light of Life Mission and local nursing homes.

It will be the third year for the event. Each year, the number of volunteers and the amount of cookies that have been baked has grown exponentially.

This weekend, they're hoping to bake nearly 500 dozen cookies, and hope to add to that number next year.

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