Hello Thunderbird Family,
This is a big and exciting week for our district! 
First and foremost, a reminder that our District Awards Banquet is THIS WEEK, and I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who submitted nominations.
It is always important to honor the volunteers who help our units reach their potential—but even more importantly, we must celebrate our Scouts themselves. Next year, let’s set a bold goal together: 100% of units nominating at least their Scouts. They deserve to be recognized for the incredible work they do every day.
District Awards & Roundtable Reminder
NO Roundtable in February due to the District Awards Banquet
Friday, February 6
7:00 PM
Bethany Lutheran Church (same location as Roundtable)
No further award nominations will be accepted.
Thank you again to everyone who helped make this year’s recognitions possible.
Merit Badge Classes – February & Beyond
Merit Badge Classes WILL be offered on Thursday, February 5 for those who would like to attend.
We are also actively looking for Merit Badge Counselors for the first Thursday of each month—and believe it or not, March isn’t as far away as it seems!
Sign up to teach Merit Badges:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSePsFPeLQmsEctQxxrMpLL7qlrkKD6XHGE6EC30hgl_JqeyIA/viewform
A list of currently offered classes is included below in the link at the bottom.
Exciting District News – New Camping Chair!
I’m thrilled to share that Suzanne Johnson will be stepping in as our new District Camping Committee Chair!
Suzanne has served in many roles across our district and units over the years, and we’re incredibly lucky to have her leading this important committee.
With that said, Camporee planning meetings are officially back!
Next meeting: Wednesday the 18th (Virtual)
If you would like to attend, please email me separately and CC:
Suzanne Johnson – suzanne-johnson@austin.rr.com District Commissioner – commissioner.tbird@gmail.com
Friends of Scouting – WE ARE ON FIRE!
I am incredibly proud to share that Thunderbird District is now at 44.4% of our Friends of Scouting goal—and still leading the way by a wide margin!
The vast majority of units in our district have already scheduled Friends of Scouting presentations with me and our presenters—thank you for jumping on this early and leading the charge.
If your unit has not yet scheduled a presentation, please get with me as soon as possible. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to be part of the winning team as we push toward (and beyond) our goal!
When presenting, we cover:
- Purpose of Friends of Scouting
- 4–6 minute time commitment
- Impact on local Scouting
We also have our Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon coming up next week, and I can’t wait to see how Thunderbird continues to raise the bar there as well.
For those not attending the luncheon but who would still like to help us continue reaching our goal, please use the following link: Donate Here: https://givebutter.com/friendsofscouting
Every little bit counts! Donations can be set up monthly or even weekly, and every contribution directly supports the Scouts in our communities. Please reach out if you have questions on how to set that up.
Let’s keep this momentum going and crush this goal early!
Thank you all for the energy, positivity, and teamwork you bring to Thunderbird District. This is what a strong, united Scouting community looks like—and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead!
