Founder of anti-violence organization passes away

Cynthia Johnson started Drivers, Attendants, Parents, Students and Schools Against Violence with the aim to end violence in Illinois communities. She was a school bus driver for an Illinois contractor.

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November 11, 2009

Founder of anti-violence organization passes away

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TINLEY PARK, Ill. — Cynthia Johnson, a school bus driver and founder of the nonprofit anti-violence organization Drivers, Attendants, Parents, Students and Schools Against Violence (DAPSSAV), passed away last month following a brief illness.

"She was a very caring person," Nancy Bruce, manager of Alpha School Bus Company Inc. in Crestwood, Ill., toldThe SouthtownStar. "She loved the students."

Johnson, pictured in the photo in the back row, third from the right, worked for Alpha School Bus Company for 20 years. She started DAPSSAV with the aim to end violence in Illinois communities. The organization held its second "Stop the Violence Walk" in September and drew about 1,000 people, The SouthtownStar reported.

Bruce told the news source that Johnson described DAPSSAV as her “baby.” “She said it was the reason she was on this earth,” Bruce added.

For more information about DAPSSAV and its mission, check out the October 2008 issue of SBF, our recent blog post or www.dapssav.org.

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