Phoenix District Communications

Keep up with the latest district Scouting information by subscribing to the district newsletter and following the district on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PhoenixDistrictSHAC. The new and improve Phoenix District newsletter is sent about once a month and contains information about upcoming district and council events and activities. 

November 2021 Newsletter        Subscribe to District Newsletter

Phoenix District Roundtable 

December 2, 2021  |  7:00 - 8:30 pm  |  Cypress Creek Christian Church

Stay Informed, Attend Roundtable graphicRoundtable is a district monthly meeting typically held the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm to help unit leaders plan and carry out their own program. Roundtable will be held inside Cypress Creek Christian Church  (6823 Cypresswood Dr, Spring, TX 77379). Face coverings are recommended.

Roundtable is a form of supplemental training for volunteers. The objective of roundtable is to give leaders program ideas, information on upcoming events and trainings, and an opportunity to share experiences and enjoy fun and fellowship with other Scouting leaders. As a result of the roundtable experience, unit leaders will be inspired, motivated, informed, and able to provide a stronger program for their Scouts. Roundtable breakouts are a great place for leaders and parents to come together to share so everyone can learn more about Scouting.

 
  • Cub Scout breakout focuses on the needs of leaders and volunteers in packs. Leaders are not on their own and don't have to reinvent the wheel. Learn about the resources available to help put together a top-notch program. 
  • Scouts BSA breakout focuses on leaders and volunteers in troops, crew, ships to share quality resources, knowledge, and skills that enable and motivate leaders to deliver an outstanding program. Parents and leaders of Webelos Scouts crossing over into troops are also invited.  
  • Order of the Arrow breakout is for members of the Order of the Arrow.
  • Special interest focuses on a special topic each month. 

District Award Nominations

Due by January 6, 2022

Nominate Scouters who have served Phoenix District youth above and beyond the call of duty. The deadline for submitting nominations is January 15, 2022.

  • Community Leadership Award is presented annually to a community leader who has provided outstanding support to the Scouting program in our district. 
  • Chartered Partner Award is for chartering organizations that demonstrate outstanding or distinctive relationships beyond the normal expectation. The chartering organization should provide noteworthy service to youth, contributing to increased youth participation, cooperates with the district and/or council, involve the instructional head in the selection of quality unit leadership, and causes a greater comprehension in the use of Scouting within the community organization. 
  • District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts. The award is available to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level.
  • Family of the Year Award is presented annually to a family who has, as a group, provided outstanding support to the Scouting program in our district.
  • Jack of All Trades Award is for that unit Scouter whose unit always seems to turn to when there is a need within the unit.
  • Rising Phoenix Award is for that Scouter whose unit always seems to turn to when there is a need within the district.
  • Unit Service Award recognizes exceptional BSA leaders who work with youth at the unit level. Each unit is strongly encouraged to consider leaders in their unit for nomination.

District Dinner 

January 29, 2021  |  5:00 pm

District Dinner is an opportunity for a night of fellowship and great food as we acknowledge and thank our adult volunteers for the hard work and dedication that made this year incredibly successful. Phoenix District’s outstanding leaders at the unit and district levels will also be recognized.

The registration fee is $20.00 payable online with credit card or electronic check. After January 15, 2022, a late fee of $5.00 will apply and dinner is not guaranteed. The event is being held at St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church (Sexton Hall).

Learn More & Register  

Website Feedback

Please send feedback on any of the council or district websites. 

Let us know about errors, corrections needed, information updates, broken links, or suggestions on how to improve. 

Website Feedback

Summer Camp 2022

It's time to sign up for summer camp. Summer camp is a week-long council-organized overnight camp for Scouts BSA that operates under council-retained leadership. The program provides opportunities for Scouts to earn merit badges along their advancement trail.

Summer camp is held at Camp Strake, a first-class and state-of-the-art facility for Scouts and their leaders. Program areas include shooting sports (rifle, shotgun, archery, sporting arrows), climbing, rappelling, boating (canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding), swimming, ATV riding, ziplining, merit badge classes and more.

Learn More and Register

Camp Strake is Going Full Throttle

Full Throttle is a weekend event for Scouts BSA. Troops who are camping at Camp Strake on April 29 - May 1, 2022, or May 7-8, 2022, can sign up their Scouts to participate in activities such as shooting sports (rifle, shotgun, archery), climbing, COPE (high-ropes course), zipline, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding or ATV riding. The camp staff provides the program leadership. Registration is now open for spring.

Learn More and Register

BSA Brand Guidance Training

To ensure that we promote our programs in a clear and Scout-like manner, it important to remind units to follow BSA Brand Guidelines and use approved materials from the BSA Brand Center in developing their recruiting materials. This includes following the requirements included in the Scouts BSA Branding Dos and Don’ts Guide and the associated Brand Training Guide.  

The Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training is one of the efforts underway to be sure Scouters have a clear understanding of what they can do. This training should be shared with all volunteers to bring this understanding to all parts of our community.

BSA Brand Guidelines     BSA Brand Center    Scouts BSA Branding Dos and Don’ts Guide    Brand Training Guide

While our goal is to encourage youth to join our program, we must always be clear in our communications about the program they are joining.

  • We are The Boy Scouts of America.
  • The Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA are different organizations.
  • We support all other youth organizations and do not disparage them.
  • We encourage parents to enroll all youth in a character development program that meets their needs – and the BSA is certainly ready to welcome them.

First Aid Training

The council offers are a variety of first aid training courses throughout the year including First Aid/CPR/AED, First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor Course, and Wilderness First Aid.

Learn More and Register

Support Scouting with Amazon Smile

Now you can support Scouting without lifting a finger — or at least not more than one. AmazonSmile, the simple and no-cost way to donate to the Sam Houston Area Council, now works on the Amazon Shopping app for iPhone and Android.

That means it’s easier than ever to support Scouting anytime, anywhere. Through its AmazonSmile program, Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to the charity of your choice — at no cost to you. You’ll get the same prices, selection and service found on Amazon.com, but now Amazon gives 0.5% of its cut to a good cause.

The Sam Houston Area Council is an eligible AmazonSmile charity. Individual packs, troops, posts, ships and crews are not eligible.

Previously, AmazonSmile required the user to shop using their browser — either on a desktop computer or through the mobile browser on a smartphone. That meant that when you shopped in the official Amazon app, you weren’t contributing to your chosen charity — even if you had already activated AmazonSmile. By adding AmazonSmile to its official app, Amazon is making the program available anytime, anywhere. So now when you buy a blender from the back seat or a printer from the patio — our council still gets that 0.5%.

If you aren’t yet an AmazonSmile member, sign up at smile.amazon.com using a web browser (mobile or desktop). You’ll sign in with your Amazon credentials, and the site will walk you through the process. Amazon will ask you to choose your favorite charity. This is where you search for “Sam Houston Area Council.”

Learn More