Construction begins on new state-of-the-art community center in west Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- In June 2022, April Ralston got a devastating wakeup call. It was her son asking for help, saying he'd been shot seven times.

"He said 'Mama come and find me. I sent you my location ... I don't think nobody's gonna find me."

Andre Clayton Jr, 22, survived the shooting but died 10 months later.

"He had a fentanyl overdose on the pain medicine," Ralston said. "When he passed away, he still had a huge hole in his leg."

Ralston believes her son needed mentors and an outlet to avoid some of the temptations of the streets. That's something Dr. Eric Johnson, pastor of Greater Galilee Baptist at Broadway and 40th Street in Louisville's Chickasaw neighborhood, hopes to create.

Dr. Eric Johnson, senior pastor at Greater Galilee Church on West Broadway in Louisville's Shawnee neighborhood, talks to WDRB News on Monday, May 29, 2023. (WDRB photo)

On Monday, construction began at Greater Galilee on a state-of-the-art community center and basketball court right across the street from the church. The goal is to reach at-risk youth across the city.

"No one can do everything. But all of us can do something," Johnson said Tuesday. "There's nothing like what we're going to do in Louisville, period.

"We're hoping that this facility will be able to eradicate a lot of the violence and a lot of things. There are still places — not a lot of places — where kids can come and be kids."

Since losing her son, Ralston has been dedicated to saving others and believes the new community center will help.

"Our goal is to turn their lives completely around," she said. "I know. personally. that the 60 kids that I had last year, not one of them kids got shot. Not one of those kids went hungry."

The church is selling commemorative bricks to help raise money for the project. To find out how to purchase one, click here. And to learn more about Greater Galilee Church, click here.

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