Hello Thunderbird Family,
We had a fantastic time at the District Awards Banquet! 
A huge thank-you to Troop 256 for doing an outstanding job with the Flag Ceremony, and kudos to everyone who contributed to the great spread of food—it truly felt like a celebration of Scouting at its best.
Congratulations to all of our award winners!
As we look ahead, let’s challenge ourselves in 2026 to nominate at least one Scout from every PACK, TROOP, and CREW. Our Scouts deserve to be recognized for their hard work, leadership, and growth—and this is a guaranteed win for every unit.
If your troop or crew is interested in hosting the flag ceremony for next year’s banquet, please reach out to me as soon as possible. We plan to make this event bigger and better every year, and we’d love your help.
Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon — This Week
Just a quick heads-up: this week is our Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon, so I’ll be working primarily out of the office helping prepare for the event.
Calling or texting will be the best way to reach me this week if you need anything urgent, as this event will be my main focus.
This luncheon is the council’s largest Friends of Scouting event of the year, and right now…
Thunderbird District is still in FIRST PLACE with a 51% completion rate toward our FOS goal!
While we’re absolutely crushing it, the luncheon is a chance for other districts to catch up—so let’s keep our lead strong!
If you’d like to make a donation before the luncheon and help us continue reaching our goal, please use this link:
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.
Friends of Scouting Shout-Outs
A massive shout-out to Pack 395 for being the first unit to host a Friends of Scouting presentation! 
Your pledges are what pushed us to and over the 50% mark—well done!
I now only have a few units left who haven’t scheduled presentations. If you have a Blue & Gold Banquet or Court of Honor coming up, those are the perfect times to host one. Please reach out so we can get you on the schedule.
Camporee Planning Is Underway!
Next Camping Committee Meeting:
Wednesday at 7:00 PM (via Zoom)
The link will be sent to committee members and anyone else who would like to be part of the planning process. This meeting will focus on:
- Activities we want to offer
- Safety rules and guidelines behind those activities
District Camporee: April 17–19
Trust me—you do not want to miss this one.
And a reminder that Suzanne Johnson is officially stepping in as our new District Camping Committee Chair—we’re excited to have her leading this effort!
Big News: NESA Focus Group & New Role
Last but certainly not least—I’m excited to share that I have been named the Council Representative for the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA)! This is an incredible honor, and I’m committed to taking it to the next level, even as someone who isn’t an Eagle Scout myself.
Thanks to Crew 20 for lending meeting space and time, we will be hosting an Eagle Scout Focus Group to hear directly from Eagles about what they want to see from NESA.
Bethany Lutheran Church
7:00 PM Lounge area of the main building
ANY Eagle Scout is welcome to attend, and we would especially love to hear from our younger Eagle Scouts. If you have any Eagles that graduated in the last few years that are in the area as well invite them! Topics will include:
- NESA engagement
- Scholarships
- Eagle receptions
- Networking opportunities
We want to hear your ideas and your vision.
Thank you all for your continued energy, leadership, and heart for Scouting. Thunderbird District is on an incredible roll, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.
