Hello Thunderbird Family!
What a week for Thunderbird! 
Recruiting season is officially in full swing, Camporee is just around the corner, and we continue to see new families discovering Scouting across our district.
In just ONE DAY this week, more than 50 Scouts were added to the program!
That is what this season is all about. Every application represents another young person who now has access to the adventures, friendships, leadership opportunities, and experiences Scouting provides.
Let’s keep that momentum going!
Upcoming Events Spotlight
Our fall calendar is packed, so make sure these dates are on your unit calendars!
September 3 — TOMORROW! — Thunderbird District Roundtable | 7:00 PM @ Bethany Lutheran Church
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
These aren’t just events for our current Scouts. They are recruiting tools! When you’re talking to a prospective family, show them everything waiting for their Scout once they join.
MOVO — A Huge New Opportunity for Membership!
I also want to address some of the conversation surrounding MOVO and the short notice units received this week.
I completely understand that everyone wants as much time as possible to plan. The professional staff received the same short notice. This was an opportunity that was presented to us, and we wanted to move quickly to take advantage of it.
For this particular opportunity, we were only notified on Monday, so there simply wasn’t an opportunity to get it onto everyone’s calendars for weeks in advance.
Going forward, we will continue working to get recruiting opportunities onto the calendar earlier whenever possible. At the same time, there will occasionally be opportunities that come together quickly, and when they have the potential to put Scouting in front of a LOT of young people, we’re going to do our best to take advantage of them.
And MOVO has already shown us just how much potential it has.
In ONE DAY, we added more than 50 Scouts!
More than 50 young people connected with Scouting in a single day.
Once we get this process fully up and running, learn what works, and develop a rhythm around it, MOVO could be an absolute game changer for membership growth.
There will be things we learn and improve along the way—that’s part of trying something new. But if this gives us another avenue to reach families who might otherwise never find Scouting, then it is absolutely worth exploring.
Thank you to everyone who has jumped in, stayed flexible, asked questions, and helped us get this started.
We’re learning. We’re improving. And most importantly, we’re reaching kids!
ROUNDTABLE IS TOMORROW!
Don’t forget—Thunderbird District Roundtable is TOMORROW, Thursday, September 3!
7:00 PM
Bethany Lutheran Church
With everything happening across Thunderbird right now, this is a great opportunity to connect with other leaders, get district updates, ask questions, and make sure your unit is prepared for everything coming our way this fall.
I hope to see you there!
Membership Growth: Keep the Momentum Going!
I continue to be incredibly excited by what I’m seeing from our units this recruiting season.
Join Scout Nights, school recruiting, community events, follow-up calls, and individual conversations with families are all adding up.
Our goal remains simple:
MORE YOUTH EXPERIENCING SCOUTING.
Recruiting Shout-Outs!
I want to recognize Packs 82, 395, and 535 for some GREAT Join Scout Nights! 
Thank you to the leaders, parents, and Scouts who helped welcome prospective families, answer questions, and show them what Scouting is all about.
Every successful Join Scout Night is the result of volunteers putting in the work before, during, and after the event. Keep following up with those families and getting those applications completed!
And we have another HUGE district milestone to celebrate…
Congratulations, Troop 3377!
A BIG congratulations to Troop 3377 on officially becoming the FIRST Family Troop in the Thunderbird District!
This is an exciting milestone for the unit and for our district.
Congratulations to the Scouts and volunteers who helped make it happen. I’m excited to watch the unit grow and see where this next chapter takes you!
Packs: Keep Those Join Scout Nights Coming!
If your Pack has a confirmed Join Scout Night coming up, please submit your dates, times, and locations as soon as possible.
Submit your confirmed JSN:
https://forms.gle/
Remember that recruiting material orders are placed every Friday and typically arrive the following Friday, so please give us enough time to get you the best materials possible.
And don’t forget about Second Chance Join Nights!
The first couple of weeks of October give us another great window to reach families who may have missed your first opportunity. National Night Out events, Scouting 101, and the October 15 Scout Shop Road Show all give us additional ways to connect new families to Scouting.
One Join Scout Night doesn’t have to be the end of your fall recruiting!
After Your JSN — REPORT THOSE RESULTS!
After your Join Scout Night, please submit your attendance, results, and feedback.
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 progress, improve our recruiting process, identify opportunities, and determine where units may need additional support.
Plan it. Hold it. Follow up. Report it. GROW!
CAMPOREE LEADERS GUIDE IS ATTACHED!
Alright, Troops and Crews…
CAMPOREE IS ALMOST HERE! 
September 25–27 Lost Pines Scout Reservation
The Camporee Leaders Guide is officially attached to this email, so please take some time with your unit leadership and youth leaders to review it.
I cannot wait for this event to start! Between Thunderbird and Colorado River District coming together, the activities, competition, fellowship, and everything our Camping Committee has been working on, this is going to be an exciting one!
Camporee Registration:
https://scoutingevent.com/564-
If you haven’t registered yet, don’t wait!
We’re going to need everyone’s help to make the weekend successful, including support with activity stations, program areas, and general staffing. Troop and Crew leaders, please be ready to jump in.
Let’s make this a Camporee our Scouts talk about long after they leave Lost Pines!
SCOUTING 101 Is FAST Approaching!
October 3
Troops and Crews—this is a BIG recruiting opportunity for YOU!
Scouting 101 isn’t just about our Arrow of Light Scouts preparing to cross over.
We’ve been inviting new youth from across the district to come experience Scouting and see what our older-youth programs have to offer. That means you have an opportunity to recruit youth who may be experiencing Scouts BSA or Venturing for the very first time.
Start thinking about your area NOW.
What makes YOUR unit different?
Bring your Scouts. Bring pictures. Bring gear. Bring something interactive. Show off your adventures and traditions.
Most importantly, let your Scouts tell your story!
Don’t sit behind a table waiting for someone to approach you. Engage these young people. Invite them to your next meeting or outing. Get their information. FOLLOW UP!
We are bringing prospective Scouts to you.
Show them why they should choose YOUR unit, and let’s get them into Scouting!
SpeedFest Registration is UNDERWAY!
November 14 Circuit of the Americas
Thunderbird has COTA in our backyard, and I want us showing up BIG!
SpeedFest is also a fantastic recruiting tool. Tell those brand-new families you’re recruiting right now that this is one of the adventures waiting for them!
Register for SpeedFest:
https://scoutingevent.com/564-
Let’s PACK COTA with Thunderbird Scouts!
District Notification Text Messages
With recruiting, Camporee, and a VERY busy fall ahead, make sure you’re subscribed to our Thunderbird District text notification system.
We’ll use it for weather alerts, event changes, reminders, and other time-sensitive district information.
Subscribe:
https://app2.simpletexting.
Thunderbird, there is a LOT happening right now—and that’s a good thing.
We’re trying new recruiting tools. We’re getting into our schools and communities. We’re holding great Join Scout Nights. We’re preparing for Camporee. We’re getting ready for Scouting 101.
And most importantly…
WE’RE ADDING SCOUTS!
Thank you for your flexibility, your energy, and everything you’re doing to make these opportunities possible.
Let’s keep pushing and see just how much Thunderbird can grow before December 31st!
Sherrick West | Thunderbird District Executive
