Demolition is underway on the gym floor at St. John Lutheran Church in Garfield Heights.
It's the next step in a renovation plan that church leaders have patiently waited and prayed for.
"We’re very anxious to have this new floor and have the kids enjoy something better than what we've had," said St. John Lutheran organist Diane Seman. "We are very, very grateful."
The new vinyl flooring should be installed, polished, and striped by August.
Original report
I first started reporting on the church and its weekly after-school basketball program in May of 2024.
Karen Dutton, Minister of Youth and Family Ministries at St. John Lutheran Church, explained that for more than 20 years, children from the community have flocked to the church to shoot hoops and build healthy relationships in a safe environment.
When I first met Dutton, she told me about plans to improve the gym and challenges with fundraising to get new lighting and eventually a new floor.
Help pours in
After the original story aired, Dutton said additional donations came in and a local company stepped up, too.
In August of 2024 , I shared news that new LED lighting had been installed thanks to the community support and Bob Blaha, owner of R&E Electric out of Sagamore Hills.
At that time, Blaha showed me the new lights and spoke about why he decided to donate about $10,000 worth of materials and labor to the project.
"I feel that I'm contributing something to the community. I'm getting to the point where I'm going to be able to retire pretty soon. I'm up in a year, so I want to give something back," Blaha said. "The church has always been a good place for people to come and heal and and unite. So I thought that this would be a good thing for me to do."
More good news
In the fall of 2024, I learned the stories about St. John Lutheran Church, the basketball program, and its impact on the community caught the attention of Cuyahoga County Council President Pernel Jones Jr. and District 9 Council Member Meredith Turner.
That November, I reported that the Cuyahoga County Council approved a resolution awarding the City of Garfield Heights a total to exceed no more than $36,293.06 to install a new gym floor at the church.
The city and church plan to partner in the future to host community programming in the new and improved gym.
