Friday, October 16, 2026
For generations of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and other youth organizations, the Tom Sheppard Cabin, commonly known as the Baldwin Scout House, has offered a place to gather, learn and enjoy the outdoors.
Now, the longtime Baldwin landmark, located at 1990 Grove St., stands largely quiet, as its future depends on a fundraising effort to address mounting repairs and restore its vital role in the community.
The Baldwin Boys Association, a nonprofit organization formed to manage both the Tom Sheppard Boy Scout Cabin and the Girl Scout Cabin before the latter was sold in the 1990s, now owns and maintains the Grove St. property and is seeking to raise $50,000 for critical repairs, including restoring bathroom facilities and connecting the cabin to a public sewer system.
The association has launched an online GoFundMe campaign, with a goal of raising at least $6,500. Created Aug. 25, the crowdfund had raised $4,132 from 33 donors as of Oct. 12.
In addition, the association is seeking support for roof repairs, electrical and HVAC system upgrades, Americans with Disabilities Act improvements, landscaping and ongoing maintenance.
For those trying to preserve the cabin, the effort is not only about repairing an aging building but also ensuring that future generations of Baldwin residents have the same opportunities to gather and make their own fond memories there.
“The Scout House has been part of Baldwin for nearly 90 years, and we want to make sure it remains part of this community for generations to come,” said John Cools, Sanitary District No. 2 commissioner and an association board member who has lived down the block from the cabin for 63 years. “I want to make sure that it doesn’t go away.”
Built in 1938, the cabin has served as a meeting place and outdoor retreat for generations of local Scouts and other youth groups. However, nearly nine decades of wear, coupled with mounting maintenance costs, have left the building in need of significant repairs.
Over the years, the Scout House has hosted meetings, campouts, campfires and other outdoor activities, offering young people opportunities to develop friendships, learn new skills and spend time outdoors. The cabin grounds provide a half-acre stretch of open space along Grove Street, a residential road lined with homes.
David Gerace, the association's president, said the property has long provided a safe gathering place for young people from Baldwin and neighboring communities.
“It’s really important that we have safe places that youth groups in the community can have meetings or have, you know, camping trips and such,” Gerace said.
However, the building’s age and loss of revenue during the Covid-19 pandemic have made maintaining the property increasingly difficult.
According to Gerace, during the cabin’s reopening in 2022, the association discovered that the wastewater system relied on an aging cesspool rather than a connection to the public sewer system. Pipes leading to the cesspool collapsed, leaving the system unusable and the building without functioning bathrooms.
Without working restrooms, hosting regular meetings has become impractical. Groups wishing to use the property must arrange to rent portable toilets, which could cost between $200 and $300 for a weekend, Gerace said.
As a result, only a handful of Scouting groups have continued to use the cabin, covering the cost of renting their own portable toilets. Among them are Baldwin's Troop 182, Rockville Centre's Troop 163, and Farmingdale's Troop 46.
Gerace estimated that the sewer project alone would require about $10,000 to $15,000 for permitting, with a contractor willing to assist with materials and labor.
Beyond the building’s physical deterioration, however, the loss of regular activity also has taken a financial toll on the association.
Before the pandemic, organizations made donations in exchange for using the cabin. Those contributions helped cover operating expenses, including electricity, heating and maintenance. When gatherings stopped during Covid-19, much of that revenue disappeared, but the bills continued to mount.
The association said it hopes to begin work as soon as possible, with plans to contact town and county officials about the necessary permits, according to Gerace.
The restoration effort has received support from Nassau County legislators Debra Mulé and Scott M. Davis, who have encouraged residents to contribute and have expressed their commitment to pursuing county funding.
“For generations of local youth, the Baldwin Scout House has been instrumental in their Boy and Girl Scout journeys, and it is imperative to preserve these opportunities for those who want to follow in their path,” Mulé said in a statement. “I encourage you to give what you can to support this effort, and I will continue working with Legislator Davis and community leaders to secure County funds to further bolster this effort.”
Davis has stressed the importance of preserving spaces where young people can develop leadership skills through Scouting and community service.
Community events also are under discussion to raise awareness and support for the restoration campaign, including the Baldwin Civic Association’s Oktoberfest celebration on Oct. 17, and a Toys for Tots event in late November.
Gerace emphasized that volunteers run the Baldwin Boys Association, with all donations earmarked for the cabin’s maintenance, repairs and operating expenses.
“Nobody on the board makes a single dime,” Gerace said. “Any and all money that is donated goes into the building or the grounds or the operation of the building. Everyone is volunteered. No one is paid. Any donations go into the building, where it’s upkeep itself. It’s not going to anyone’s pocket or salary.”
Anyone interested in supporting the restoration campaign can donate online at https://gofund.me/8779c4513. Community members also can help by sharing the fundraiser and spreading awareness of the cabin’s needs, officials said.
