Hello Thunderbird Family,
First off, a HUGE thank you to everyone who came out and helped clean out the district storage unit! What we accomplished was incredible.
Because of all your hard work, we made so much progress that we no longer need to schedule a second storage clean-out day!
Your willingness to give up part of your weekend saved the district both time and money and will make planning future events significantly easier. Thank you for continuing to demonstrate what makes Thunderbird such a special district.
I also wanted to give everyone a quick heads-up that I will be traveling to Philmont Scout Ranch later this week and will be out of the Austin area until June 24th. If you experience an emergency during that time, please contact the Capital Area Council Fickett Center and they will make sure the appropriate staff member assists you.
Upcoming Events
June 25 — Join Scout Night (JSN) Training July 12 — Join Scout Night (JSN) Training July 15 — Camping Committee Meeting July 30 — Join Scout Night (JSN) Training July 18 — Cub Fun Day
Looking Ahead
September 25–27 — District Camporee
October 3 — Scouting 101
October 15 — Scout Shop Road Show
November 14 — Scouter Day SpeedFest
February 4, 2027 — Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon
Friends of Scouting Momentum — The Final Push!
Thunderbird continues proving that we are absolutely small but mighty!
We are so close to reaching our Friends of Scouting goal that I can practically taste it. With just a few more gifts, we will be over goal and celebrating another successful campaign.
Your donation could literally be the gift that puts Thunderbird over the top.
Make sure you’re part of the winning team!
Donate Here:
https://givebutter.com/friendsofscouting
Remember, you do not have to pay your entire gift today. If it works better for your family, you can pledge now and pay later in the year. We can also discuss payment schedules that fit your needs.
If you would like to set up a pledge or have questions about giving options, simply give me a call, text or send me an email and I will be happy to help get everything set up.
Many companies also offer matching gift programs that can double your impact.
Matching Gift Information:
https://www.capitolareascouting.org/about/ways-to-give/volunteer-match/
Thank you to everyone who has already donated, pledged, presented, or helped move this campaign forward. Every dollar directly supports the Scouts and units right here in our community.
Important SYT Update
Last week I mentioned that completion of the new Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT) would be required to continue receiving my weekly district emails.
Due to some technical issues with the training platform, I am extending that deadline until next week.
However, with summer camp, camporees, recruiting events, and other Scouting activities either underway or rapidly approaching, it is extremely important that this training be completed as soon as possible.
Current SYT status is required for registered adults to participate in many Scouting activities and helps ensure we continue providing a safe environment for all youth and volunteers.
Training Logic Has Been Corrected
The system will now automatically direct you to the correct course based on your training history:
If you completed the old Youth Protection Training but have never taken the new 90-minute course, you will be assigned the full 90-minute course.
If you previously completed the 90-minute course and it expired more than 6 days ago, you will need to retake the full course.
If your 90-minute course expired within the last 6 days, or is still active, you will be assigned the refresher course.
To access your training:
Log in to My.Scouting.org Click “My Training” Select “Take Course” or “Retake Course”
Important: If you completed the refresher course without ever taking the full 90-minute course, you must still complete the full course. If you experience issues, clear your browser cache and try again.
Please make this a priority so there are no interruptions to your participation in upcoming Scouting activities.
Help Wanted — Merit Badge Team & District Volunteers
We’re still looking to expand our Merit Badge Class Team and take full advantage of the classroom space available at Bethany Lutheran.
If there is a merit badge you would be willing to teach in the future, please let us know. Even teaching one class a year can make a huge difference for our Scouts.
We are also continuing to look for:
• Unit Commissioners
• Roundtable Commissioner
• Committee Members across all district committees
• Additional Pack representation on district committees
If you’re interested in helping at the district level, please reach out to:
commissioner.tbird@gmail.com districtchair.tbird@gmail.com Sherrick.West@scouting.org
The district continues to grow, and we need strong volunteers to help us keep that momentum moving forward.
District Notification Text Messages
Thunderbird District officially has access to send District Notification Text Messages for important updates such as:
• Weather alerts
• Event changes
• Important reminders
• Time-sensitive district information
Please subscribe here:
https://app2.simpletexting.com/join/joinWebForm?webFormId=689fa570b229977b3440159b&c=USA
We are currently one of the only districts utilizing this system, so let’s show how valuable fast communication can be for our Scouting families.
Thank you all for everything you continue to do for the youth of Thunderbird District. Whether you’re serving at camp, helping with recruiting, supporting Friends of Scouting, or simply showing up for your unit every week, you are making a difference.
Have a fantastic week, stay cool, and I’ll see everyone when I return from Philmont!
Yours in Scouting,
Sherrick West
Sherrick West | Thunderbird District Executive
