Hello Thunderbird Family,
I am finally back in town and officially done with training for now! It feels great to be back, and I can’t wait to see everyone tonight at Roundtable as we kick off what is sure to be an exciting recruiting season.
Please make sure your unit has someone in attendance tonight!
My Field Director, Vicki Rosengarten, will be presenting on the new My.Scouting experience and showing everyone how to update their unit pin. This is extremely important as we prepare for Join Scout Nights and begin directing new families to your units.
If your unit has a Join Scout Night coming up within the next few weeks, please let me know as soon as possible so I can get recruiting materials to you while we wait for the new self-service portal to open.
Roundtable Tonight
7:00 PM
Bethany Lutheran Church
Tonight’s agenda includes:
• The new My.Scouting experience
• Updating your unit pin
• Join Scout Night preparation
• Membership recruiting support
• Popcorn updates
We look forward to seeing everyone there!
September Merit Badge Class Announcement
We’re excited to announce that the First Aid Merit Badge will be offered during our September Roundtable!
September Roundtable
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Bethany Lutheran Church
First Aid is one of the most valuable merit badges a Scout can earn, teaching skills that can make a real difference both in Scouting and everyday life.
Space may be limited, so please register early!
Registration Link:
https://forms.gle/kshaboRBErs443LV9
Membership Recruitment & Popcorn Season
As we transition into the second half of the year, our focus is crystal clear…
Membership Recruitment and Popcorn Sales!
These two efforts fuel everything we do.
Every new Scout strengthens our units, and every bag of popcorn sold helps provide incredible adventures for our youth.
Let’s make this our strongest recruiting season yet!
Upcoming Events
August 7 — Recruiting Opportunity
Austin Public Library (Downtown Location)
August 8 — Back-to-School Recruiting Event
Dove Springs Recreation Center
Looking Ahead
September 25–27 — District Camporee
October 3 — Scouting 101
October 15 — Scout Shop Road Show
November 14 — SpeedFest @ Circuit of the Americas
February 4, 2027 — Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon
Membership Growth — Our District’s #1 Focus
Friends of Scouting was an incredible success…
Now it’s time to grow Scouting!
We’re currently sitting at 76.3% of our annual membership goal, and I know we’re only getting started.
Over the next several weeks we’ll be focusing heavily on:
Join Scout Nights School recruiting Community outreach events Fall recruitment planning
Membership Shout-Out!
A huge thank you to all the units that have already completed their Unit Meeting Information Forms! Your quick responses make it much easier for the district to support your recruiting efforts.
I’d love to see every unit follow their lead!
Every Unit — Please Complete This Form
As we prepare for recruiting season, I am requesting EVERY unit complete the Unit Meeting Information Form.
This information helps us coordinate:
• Commissioner visits
• Membership support visits
• Recruiting assistance
• Friends of Scouting presentations
Complete the form here:
The more information we have, the better we can support your unit throughout the year.
If your unit would like a personalized recruiting visit or even a custom Join Scout Night Zoom training, I’d be more than happy to schedule one.
Popcorn Season Is Here!
For many units, popcorn is what makes summer camp, camping gear, and high-adventure adventures possible.
If your unit has not signed up to sell popcorn or hasn’t completed onboarding, now is the time!
If your unit only sold online last year, or has never participated in traditional storefront sales, I strongly encourage you to give it a try this year.
Trail’s End is offering:
Free popcorn case promotions
Higher commissions for first-time sellers
Additional incentives throughout the season
Register once and you’ll be added to all remaining popcorn trainings this year.
Register for Popcorn Training:
This is one of the easiest ways your unit can fund an incredible year of Scouting!
Camporee Registration Is LIVE!
Registration is officially open for our 2026 Thunderbird District Camporee!
Register here:
This year’s Camporee is shaping up to be something truly special.
We’ll be partnering with Colorado River District at Lost Pines Scout Reservation, giving Scouts an opportunity to meet new friends while enjoying one of our biggest Camporees yet!
A couple reminders:
Refunds for the previously scheduled Camporee have been processed and should be arriving soon.
We’ll soon be asking troops and crews to help run activity stations, so watch for a volunteer sign-up coming soon.
This may truly become the best Camporee Thunderbird has ever hosted!
Help Wanted — Merit Badge Team & District Volunteers
Thunderbird continues to grow, and with that growth comes more opportunities to serve!
We’re currently looking for volunteers interested in:
• Teaching Merit Badge Classes at Roundtable
• Unit Commissioners
• Roundtable Commissioner
• District Committee Members
• Additional Pack representation on district committees
Teaching even one Merit Badge class each year can have a tremendous impact on our Scouts.
If you’re interested in serving, we’d love to hear from you!
commissioner.tbird@gmail.com districtchair.tbird@gmail.com Sherrick.West@scouting.org
Together, we’re building an even stronger district.
District Notification Text Messages
Beginning in August, Thunderbird District is officially using our District Notification Text Message system for:
• Weather alerts
• Event changes
• Important reminders
• Time-sensitive district announcements
Subscribe here:
Now is the perfect time to subscribe so you don’t miss important updates throughout the fall recruiting season.
There is so much excitement building around Thunderbird District right now. Between recruiting, popcorn, Camporee, and all of our upcoming events, I truly believe we’re on track for one of our strongest years yet.
Thank you for everything you do to make Scouting possible for the youth and families of our community. Let’s keep the momentum rolling and make this recruiting season one to remember!
Yours in Scouting,
Sherrick West | Thunderbird District Executive
