Troop 529 history

Boy Scout of America Troop 529 of Shalimar, Florida has enjoyed an awesome partnership with the Shalimar United Methodist Church (SUMC) for over 30 years. Gulf Coast Council approved the chartering of Troop 529 by the Methodist Men's Club of SUMC of August 22,1966. 

 The Troop met at the SUMC until a scout hut was built by the scouts and the men of the church in 1971 on property donated on Ferry Road across from the current Lutheran Church and next to the law offices beside the Waffle House. The land was leased to the SUMC for construction of the scout hut and continued use by the Troop.

The Troop has been blessed with great adult leadership through the years. It is well known for being very active with a Troop event every month in addition to the weekly meetings. The scout hut was shared with Cub Scout Webelos dens from Cub Scout Pack 522, chartered by the Shalimar Elementary School Parent Teacher's Organization, and even Sunday School classes when the church needed over flow classrooms.

In the Fall of 1988, the land upon which the scout hut stood could no longer be leased to the church for use by the Troop and so the 17 year era of having a scout hut for Troop 529 came to an end. In hopes of building anew somewhere near the church, the boys and adults dimantled the entired scout hut, rafters, studs, and insulation, and trucked to the Boy Scout camp, Spanish Trails Scout Reservation, near Defuniak Springs. There the pieces were stored under cover until it was possible to rebuild. Alas over the years, property could not be found and the pieces slowly disappeared to building projects at the camp.

Since the removal of the hut in 1988, the Troop has met in the old fellowship hall (now the music suite) of the SUMC. When the Christian Family Life Center was completed in December 1995, the meeting moved into one of the new classrooms, which is where the Troop meets now every Monday evening at 7:00 PM.

Old Site: https://www.angelfire.com/fl3/bsatroop529/

Boy Scouts spruce up their future home

ABRAHAM GALVAN

Published in the NWF Daily News Sept 10, 2016

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/news/2016/09/10/boy-scouts-spruce-up-their-future-home/25475836007/

FORT WALTON BEACH — Members of the Boy Scout Troop 529 of Shalimar painted, raked and renovated Saturday at the scout hut they soon will call home.

The hut, located at 630 Camborne Ave. next door to Kenwood Elementary School, used to house Boy Scout Troop 543. However, after its commit-tee chair, Senior Master Sgt. James Lackey, was killed in a CV-22 Osprey crash April 8, 2010, in Afghanistan, the troop eventually did not renew its charter.

The hut has been vacant for almost three years.

“We are going to name the building in his honor,” said Charles West, committee chair for Troop 529.

Sponsored by Shalimar United Methodist Church and The Rotary Club of Fort Walton Beach, Boy Scouts in the troop and Cub Scouts will have a place to train, meet and store their camping equipment.

West said they plan to complete the project by the end of October and have a grand opening and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Over a 100 kids are going to be able to access and use this facility,” West said.

Chase Pelfrey, 12, can’t wait.

“I like that we are in a neighborhood and next to a school,” he said. “It will make it easier for kids to visit and maybe join.”

Helping with the landscaping, 15-year-old Gaston West believes the old wooden sign in front of the hut with Troop 543’s name should stay in place.

“I think we should leave it in honor of the previous Boy Scouts who were here before us,” he said.

Troop 529 normally has had its meetings and get-togethers at the Shalimar United Methodist Church. Hunter Pelfrey, 15, believes it’s time they have a place of their own.

“We will have an outside were we can be kids, play and have fun.” he said.