PADUCAH - A ministry helping men and women overcome addictions took a step forward on Monday, breaking ground on the first of what they hope are three future buildings on their men's campus.

Just over 100 people attended the event at noon Monday on property on Morgan Lane, which was followed by a reception. Leadership at Paducah Lifeline Ministries and Ladies Living Free turned shovels to ceremonially begin work on a $250,000 dormitory for men who are part of their program.

Executive Director Terrye Peeler said this project is the first-phase dorm, and they hope to build an additional dorm and a kitchen/dining facility in the near future. She said between money already raised and money pledged, the cost of construction of this building should be covered. A&K Construction will build the new facility.

Peeler said they acquired the property fifteen years ago, and the current buildings, which were once a homeless shelter, have continued to decline, so their goal is to get new housing established, then they can build or remodel a third building for dining.

"Getting two new dorms and then having a kitchen and a dining room, and then we can start doing some things with - maybe - some of our better existing buildings," Peeler said. 

She added that she hopes their step of faith in beginning the first building will inspire others in the community to get behind their master plan.

Peeler said, "For the last five years, we've talked about this and talked about this and wanted to do it, and we thought, 'let's just raise enough money to build one building and we'll start there, and maybe the community will get ahold of it and say, "oh they're serious, they're gonna build something and they're gonna do it one way or the other."' We just need people to help."

The first dorm will house 20 of the 43 current men's residents.

Peeler said everyone involved was excited at Monday's event because, "it's finally happening."

"We're finally moving forward to getting Paducah Lifeline where it needs to be, where we can house more men. We can only take one out of every five men who come to us. We have to turn 80 percent away," she said. 

Paducah Lifeline Ministries and Ladies Living Free are faith-based rehabilitation facilities and have a 62 percent success rate. That statistic includes completion of their nine month program and an additional year of life free of addictions.