George and June Merrifield, members of St. Bernadette Church, will be honored by the Louisville Central Community Centers, Inc., (LCCC) with the Dr. Lyman T. Johnson Distinguished Leadership Award May 22.
The Merrifields are the founders of the St. Jude Foundation of Louisville and were instrumental in the creation of the St. Jude Women’s Recovery Center at 431 East St. Catherine Street. The women’s center, opened in 1986, provides treatment and recovery opportunities for women who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. The center is operated by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
The leadership award is named in honor of Dr. Lyman T. Johnson, who “fought for equality by building coalitions that challenged racism and segregation in Louisville,” a news release from LCCC said. The Lyman T. Johnson Distinguished Leadership Award is given to an individual “who best exemplifies the spirit of Dr. Johnson through voluntary commitment to serving the citizens of the metropolitan area of Louisville in education, civil rights and/or human or community service.”
