New Beginnings for Boy Scout Troop 88

Renovated And Expanded Scout Hut Unveiled

ALACHUA ‒ Renovations to Alachua Boy Scout Troop 88’s scout hut are now officially complete. Chartered in 1912, Troop 88 is one of the oldest Boy Scout troops in the United States, with deep ties to the Alachua community and the Alachua Lions Club. The troop has been sponsored by the Alachua Lions Club since the organization’s charter in 1931.

Located on Northwest 142^nd Terrace across from the Alachua Post Office, the Alachua Lions Club broke ground for the expansion of the scout hut on Nov. 10, 2023. The renovation project included a major expansion, increasing the size of the scout hut by two-thirds. Renovations included the refurbishment of the existing restroom, the construction of a new wheelchair-accessible restroom, a new HVAC system, and the addition of a covered front porch.

On Sept. 7, 2024, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of the renovations. The event attracted a large crowd that include Lions Club members, current and former Boy Scout Troop 88 and Cub Scout members and leaders. Lions Club members attending included Alachua Mayor and Lions Club Troop 88 Liaison Gib Coerper, Lions Club member and Alachua Vice Mayor Ed Potts, Lions Club Past President Paul Good and Alachua City Commissioner Shirley Green Brown.

Alachua Lions Club President Jack Zuidema offered remarks about the project and the importance the renovated and expanded facility will make for current and future scouts. Coerper led the ribbon cutting ceremony that formally marked the end of construction and a new beginning for the scouts who will be using the building.

Alachua Lions Club records show that the first scout hut in Alachua was built in the 1930s with the help of the Lions Club. After that building burned down in 1983, club member Gilbert Whitman spearheaded the construction of a new scout hut. Tragically, Whitman was killed in a car accident on February 14, 1984, after helping pour the concrete for the new building. The new scout hut, completed in February 1984, was dedicated in his memory.

In 2017, Lions Club member Gib Coerper began efforts to raise funds for another major expansion, with a total price tag of $185,000. Donations from the community, including Scherer Construction, made the renovated scout hut possible. Despite material delays pushing back the initial completion date, construction is now complete.

Thanks to the efforts of so many community members and supporters, Troop 88 now has a larger and fully modernized scout hut to serve future generations.

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