Lackey's Hut Dedication

FORT WALTON BEACH — The unfinished business of one Boy Scout leader has finally been completed.

Sunday afternoon, Boy Scout Troop 529 held a short dedication ceremony for its new scout hut that also honors the life and legacy of Senior Master Sgt. James Lackey, a father, husband and dedicated scout leader.

"I know how much he meant to us, but I didn't think about how much he meant to the community," said Lackey's wife, Cassandra. "Seeing his name on the outside of the building is an honor."

For nearly 40 years, the A-frame Kenwood Boy Scout Hut was a dwelling for local Boy Scout Troop 543. It served countless scouts before it was in need of renovation. In the late 2000s, Boy Scout Troop Committee Chair James Lackey spearheaded the efforts to rebuild and revamp the structure with the help of a small group of volunteers.

Cassandra Lackey smiles holding a photo of her husband, Senior Master Sgt. James Lackey and a plaque honoring him for his service with the Boy Scouts

But those efforts came to an end in 2010 when Lackey was killed in Afghanistan after his CV-22 Osprey crashed near Kandahar. His family worked to keep the project going, but the hut sat vacant until last year when Troop 529 reached out to the City of Fort Walton Beach about the building. A lease agreement was met and the scouts got to work cleaning up the space.

Troop 529 Committee Chairman Charles West said there were multiple reasons why he was interested in renovating the building, and at the top of the list was the history behind it.

"I was very moved by the story," he said. "After we talked to Mrs. Lackey it gave us the motivation to keep going."

The hut is as much of a meeting space for Troop 529 as it is a small monument to Lackey and the disbanded Troop 543. Beside the bright, red door is plaque that read's "Lackey's Hut" and inside is an old Troop 543 sign.

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Cassandra and her two of her sons were there for the dedication. Inside the hut, her eyes got wide as she explored each of the rooms.

"Remember when we found the wood for that mantle?" she asked one of her sons. "This is beautiful. It's everything we hoped it would be."

The Boy Scouts meant a great deal to the late Lackey. He liked being a role model, his wife said.

"Now he'll always be here," she added. "He lives on."