Hello Thunderbird Family!
EXCELLENT JOB with the recruiting efforts so far! 
It has been exciting watching our units get out into schools, meet new families, follow up on applications, and really start building momentum. We’re right in the heart of recruiting season now, and I seriously can’t wait to see how much Thunderbird grows by the end of the year.
Keep pushing. Keep inviting. Keep following up. Every new Scout matters!
Upcoming Events Spotlight
Our fall calendar is filling up FAST, so get these dates on your unit calendars now!
September 25–27 — Thunderbird District Camporee @ Lost Pines Scout Reservation
September 26 — Kite & Rocket Festival
September 27 — Dittmar Soccer Joint Activity
October 3 — Scouting 101
October 15 — Scout Shop Road Show
October 17 — JOTA/JOTI @ Frank Fickett Scout Training and Service Center
October 31 — Shooting Sports Extravaganza
November 14 — SpeedFest @ Circuit of the Americas
January 15, 2027 — Winter Festival @ Smiling V
February 4, 2027 — Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon
There are A LOT of opportunities coming our way. Make sure your current families know about them, but also use these events when talking with prospective families.
We aren’t just asking families to join Scouting. We’re showing them all the adventures waiting for them once they do!
Membership Growth: Our District’s #1 Focus
Friends of Scouting was an incredible success…
Now it’s time to GROW SCOUTING!
We’re currently on track for our annual membership goal, and I know we’re only getting started.
Over the next several weeks, we’re going to continue focusing heavily on:
Join Scout Nights School recruiting Community outreach events Fall recruitment planning Following up with every interested family
The goal is simple: more youth experiencing Scouting.
Recruiting Shout-Out: Troop 3377!
I want to give a BIG shout-out to Troop 3377 for following up on a membership lead and getting that new Scout connected and registered so quickly!
That follow-up is EXACTLY what we need during recruiting season. A lead is only the beginning. Reaching out quickly, answering questions, inviting the family to visit, and helping them complete registration is what turns interest into a new Scout.
And I’m especially excited to see Troop 3377 become our first official Family Troop! 
Congratulations, and keep that momentum going!
Packs: Get Your Troops Involved!
REACH OUT TO THEM! Get those older Scouts involved in your Join Scout Nights and recruiting events. Having Scouts BSA youth there gives younger Scouts someone to look up to, helps families see where the Scouting journey can lead, and gets our older Scouts involved in recruiting the next generation.
We’re all on the same team here!
EVERY UNIT: We Need Your Meeting Information!
A huge thank you to everyone who has already completed the Unit Meeting Information Form.
If you haven’t, please take a few minutes and get it done.
This information helps us coordinate commissioner visits, membership support, recruiting assistance, and future Friends of Scouting presentations.
Unit Meeting Information Form:
https://forms.gle/
The more information we have, the better we can support your unit!
PACKS: Confirmed Join Scout Nights Need to Be Submitted ASAP!
If your Pack has ANY confirmed Join Scout Nights coming up, I need your dates, times, and locations ASAP.
Submit your confirmed JSN here:
https://forms.gle/
I want your units to have professional recruiting materials and everything you need to make your Join Scout Night successful.
Recruiting material orders are placed every Friday and typically arrive the following Friday.
Please plan accordingly. If you tell me about your Join Scout Night two days before the event, there is only so much magic I can pull off! 
The earlier I have your information, the more we can do to help make your event successful.
And remember we can do 2nd chance join nights as well! If you’re interested in doing one, I would highly recommend targeting the first two weeks of October so we can take advantage of several great opportunities happening around the same time.
Many recreation and community centers will be hosting National Night Out events in early October, which gives us another chance to get Scouting in front of families. The timing also works really well with the Scout Shop Road Show on October 15th, where new and returning families can purchase uniforms, take advantage of discounts, and help their new Scouts feel that sense of belonging right away.
We’ll also have our Scouting 101 event for troops around that same time. If you recruit any older elementary-age youth, this gives them a chance to see what comes next in their Scouting journey. It can also be a great opportunity for your Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts to get excited about the transition into Scouts BSA.
AFTER Your Join Scout Night: Send Us Your Results!
Getting families through the door is step one. We also need to know what happened afterward!
After completing your Join Scout Night, please take a few minutes to submit your attendance, results, and feedback through the council’s JSN Results Form.
Capitol Area Council Join Scout Night Results:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/
This information goes directly to Vicki, our Central Service Area Field Director, and helps us:
Track our progress toward our membership goal See what is working Improve our recruiting process Identify units that may need additional support Spot new opportunities for growth
Most importantly, it helps us make sure we’re doing everything possible to give every child access to Scouting.
Please make submitting this form part of your normal Join Scout Night process:
Plan it. Hold it. Follow up. Report it. GROW!
CAMPOREE REGISTRATION IS LIVE!
Our 2026 Thunderbird District Camporee is getting closer!
September 25–27 Lost Pines Scout Reservation
Register for Camporee:
https://scoutingevent.com/564-
This year we’re partnering with Colorado River District, which means more Scouts, more fellowship, more competition, and an opportunity to make this one of our biggest Camporees yet!
Camporee Leaders Guide Coming TOMORROW!
The Camporee Leaders Guide will be sent out tomorrow, along with a sign-up sheet for units and volunteers to help with:
Activity stations
General event staffing Program support Other Camporee needs
Troop and Crew leaders, please be on the lookout for that email. We’re going to need everyone’s help to make this weekend something our Scouts remember!
Scouting 101 Is FAST Approaching!
October 3
Troops and Crews, this is a BIG recruiting opportunity for you!
Scouting 101 isn’t just an opportunity to meet Arrow of Light Scouts preparing to cross over. We’ve also been inviting new youth from across the district to come out, experience Scouting, and see what our older-youth programs have to offer.
That means Thunderbird’s Troops and Crews need to be ready to SHOW OFF!
Start planning your area now. Think about what would make a young person walk by your setup and say, “THAT’S the unit I want to join!”
Show families:
What adventures does your unit go on? What activities make your program different?
What do your Scouts love doing? What traditions make your unit special?
What experience will a new Scout have when they join?
Bring pictures. Bring gear. Bring Scouts. Bring something interactive!
And most importantly, bring your youth members and let THEM tell the story of your unit.
We’re going to have Arrow of Light Scouts looking for their next Scouting home AND youth who may be experiencing Scouts BSA or Venturing for the very first time.
This is our opportunity to connect them with a unit right then and there.
Don’t just set up a table and wait for someone to walk over. Engage them. Invite them in. Get their information. Follow up afterward.
Show them why they should choose YOUR unit, and let’s get these kids into Scouting!
SPEEDFEST REGISTRATION IS UNDERWAY!
Speaking of BIG recruiting tools…
SpeedFest is BACK at Circuit of the Americas!
November 14 Circuit of the Americas
Thunderbird has COTA right in our backyard, so I want us showing up BIG!
Please start advertising SpeedFest to your current families AND use it when you’re talking to prospective families throughout recruiting season.
Think about the conversation with a brand-new family:
“You just joined Scouting? Great! Wait until you see what we have coming up…”
Events like SpeedFest help families immediately understand that Scouting means adventure, experiences, and memories they won’t find everywhere else.
Register for SpeedFest:
https://scoutingevent.com/564-
Let’s PACK COTA with Thunderbird Scouts!
Thunderbird Needs YOU!
Growing our youth membership also means growing our adult volunteer team.
We’re looking for adults interested in:
• Teaching Merit Badge Classes at Roundtable
• Becoming Unit Commissioners
• Serving as our Roundtable Commissioner
• Joining District Committees
• Bringing more Pack representation to our district committees
You don’t have to take on another massive Scouting job. Even teaching one Merit Badge class a year, helping with a district event, or supporting a handful of units can make a difference.
Interested? Reach out!
commissioner.tbird@gmail.com districtchair.tbird@gmail.com Sherrick.West@scouting.org
District Notification Text Messages Are LIVE!
If you haven’t subscribed yet, DO IT!
Thunderbird is officially using our District Notification Text Message system for important, time-sensitive information including:
Weather alerts Event changes
Important reminders Time-sensitive district announcements
Subscribe here:
https://app2.simpletexting.
Sherrick West | Thunderbird District Executive
