ALJ Grads Plan Cassandra Bower Memorial Picnic

A group of '76 and '77 Arthur L. Johnson alums will hold a memorial in honor of their friend and fellow classmate Cassandra Bower, who died on June 16, 1989.

The group has been getting together over the past 10 years and grown larger and stronger recently via Facebook.

"It was Cassandra's house that we came to know each other in the first place," says friend Craig Hyman. "We'd hang out there after school over her kind hospitality and loving friendship."

Hyman says that the annual reunions have always felt Bower 's absence. After their barbecue early this summer, the group decided to have a memorial event in the way of a picnic and casual service.

The memorial will be held in Clark's Oak Ridge Park, directly across the street from where Bower lived and grew up. Hyman remembers when the park was Oak Ridge Golf Course and the friends would sneak on to party and sleep out under the stars together.

Details of the memorial are below and on Facebook:

What: Memorial for Cassandra

Where: Oak Ridge Park, 136 Oak Ridge Road in Clark

When: August 21. 1 to 6 p.m.

What to bring: Tables, chairs, blankets, umbrellas, charcoal grill, food and beverage to share – one dish or something to grill, one side dish, a desert or a salad and something to drink. Please plan on sharing all food as this is a pot luck, unless of course you have a strict dietary requirement. Memories of Cassandra, stories, photos, memorabilia, something to say to the group (if you are comfortable doing so) about Cassandra, etc., whatever you see fit as a way to honor her and say goodbye.

Do Not Bring: The park does not allow gas grills/burners or alcohol at all.

RSVP ASAP to Craig S. Hyman at craigshyman@gmail.com