WELCOME to the 68th Western Area Organized Unit Meet Hosted by Sphinx Court No. 65

Hotel: The Embassy Suites Scottsdale located in the heart of Scottsdale is ready to welcome you to experience our great Arizona hospitality. The hotel is located at 5001 N. Scottsdale Rd,

Scottsdale, AZ 85250, a short 15 minutes from Sky Harbor Airport.Rooms are available at the rate of $179.00 per night plus tax. This rate is good for two people in a room from September 17th to the 22nd so that you may enjoy the many sights that Arizona has to offer. Deadline to make your hotel reservation is August 14, 2025.

Reservations may be made by calling the hotel directly at 480-421-5512, or 800-362-2779 or use this link.

The Embassy Suites Scottsdale has enough suites to accommodate all of us as well as adequate meeting rooms for our events.

Each hotel room is a suite and has a sitting area big enough for entertaining. Each suite has a wet bar, mini fridge, coffee maker, and sink, ironing board and iron, and a hair dryer. There is a made to order free hot breakfast each morning and a complimentary evening reception. The discounted resort fee includes free parking, free WiFi, beach cruiser bikes; family games in the Courtyard; tennis court use with rackets and tennis balls; 10% off $50 or more in the Azul Clubhouse; and there is a free resort shuttle that will take you off property within a 3 mile radius from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening.

Sky Harbor International Airport: There are more than 1,100 flights flying in to Phoenix daily.

Transportation to and from the Hotel: The Embassy Suites hotel does NOT provide free airport shuttle services. Taxis, Uber and Lyft are readily available. Costs vary based on the service and demand pricing. There are also several private shuttle services that can be arranged ahead of time.

Super Shuttle Express: www.supershuttle.com
Airport Shuttle of Phoenix: https://airportshuttleofphoenix.com/

The hotel DOES provide a free shuttle service to and from anywhere within a three mile radius. The City of Scottsdale also runs a free trolley service that runs to several destinations. Information on the trolley service is available here: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/transit-system

Ladies Registration: Pre-registration is required and MUST be postmarked by August 1, 2025. Registrations postmarked after August 1st will incur a $25 late fee. Event registration will open Thursday at 1:00 PM. Be sure to have your current dues card with you when you register. Registration will include the Friday Fun Night Dinner (themed –costumes encouraged). Cancellations not received 14 days prior to the Meet will be forfeited, unless due to illness or death. All cancellations are subject to a $10.00 handling fee. The Ladies’ Registration form is on page 22 of the printed packet.

Men’s Registration: Men’s Registration will include the Friday Fun Night Dinner, and access to the Men’s Hospitality Suite throughout the event as well as a Saturday morning excursion to Scottsdale Lodge. #43 for a delicious breakfast. The Men’s registration form is on page 23 of the printed packet.

Register online: You may register for everything, except for flowers, online by visiting our online presence sphinxcourt65.org/68waoum

Men’s Social Events: See page 8 for all the plans for where to be when.

Payments: We will accept checks with a copy of your registration form by mail post marked by August 1, 2025 and Stripe payments with registration form emailed the same day, email: waoum2025@gmail.com.

Boot Scootin’ Fun Night: Bring your boots and western duds and be ready for dancing, singing, and having FUN. Social hour begins at 5:30 PM, dinner begins at 6:30 PM, party to follow. Page 17 has all you need to know about Fun Night.

Game Night; Thursday Night: An evening of games where you will get to greet old friends and meet new ones. See page 16 for all the information.

Photo Opportunities: We have a professional photographer who will be happy to snap that pose and send it home with you to enjoy right away. More information on page 11 of the printed Registration Packet.

Flowers: Roadrunner Florist will be our florist. Please call them directly to order corsages or bouquets. Ordering information is on page 21 of the printed Registration packet.

Business Meeting: At the Saturday Business Meeting, remember that you will need to bring your WAOUM Name Badge AND Current Dues Card to be admitted. Remember to wear your Fez as well!

Exhibition Drills: We look forward to seeing all the units strut their stuff at our Saturday afternoon Exhibition Drills. Please remember that any Lady performing must be registered for this Unit Meet. WAOUM registration badge will be checked prior to performances. Performance order will be drawn at the Friendship Luncheon on Friday. See the information on page 19 for the registration process and music requirements. Drill practice will be Friday afternoon 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

The Blanket Dance: Show your support for the Grand High Priestess’ Special project prior to the start of the Exhibition Drills. See page 19 for details.

The Sunset Marketplace: The Market Place will be open: Thursday, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Friendship Lunch: The Friday Friendship lunch will be much more than enjoying each other’s company. It will be about renewing old friendships and creating new ones. There will also be door prizes and drawing for places in the Saturday drills. We will have a sign-up sheet for Friday afternoon practice times at this lunch. If your Court doesn’t sign-up, a time will not be slotted for your Units to practice. This is also the activity where the past and present line officers will be able to catch up with all their classmates at the same time. See page 13 for details.

Food Allergies: If you have special dietary needs, please say so on the registration form and we will attempt to accommodate your request. Menus are included in this package for all meals. Menus are on page 6 of the printed packet.

Mobility Assistance: We are working with Copper State Home Medical Supplies if you need to rent a mobility assistance device. Of course, you may rent from any company you choose with the understanding that you are responsible for renting the devices on your own. Even though the devices will be delivered directly to the hotel, neither the hotel nor Western Area Organized Unit Meet are responsible for the devices. Ordering information is on page 9.

Program Book Advertisements: Please use the enclosed “Advertisement Form” to submit your entry for the Official Program. The photo ready program ad must be submitted no later than August 14, 2025, to be included in this book. For further details, see the Advertisement Form on page 17 for ad submission information.

Cactus Pokes: What a great way to send a message to a friend, your High Priestess or someone who needs a Poke Me Up. For $5.00, you get a Sheriff badge with a ribbon attached with your message on the ribbon. See the order form on page 10.

Be a Well Wisher: Show your support for WAOUM 2025 by adding your name to our page of individuals who want to let others know they are happy to be with us in addition to being members of our WAOUM Courts and Units. Page 12 will show you the way to participate.

Open Houses: The Embassy Suites Scottsdale has a policy that prohibits public advertising of Open Houses. If your Court wishes to have one, you need to plan how to get the word out. We suggest putting together an invitation to hand out at the Friendship Lunch on Friday. Open Houses will be held on Friday afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00.

Door decorating Contest: If you were at Grand Council last year, you will remember the fun you had in decorating your sleeping room door and hoping you won a prize. We are having the same activity and the information is on page 14.

Our Hats Are Off to You: To help get you in the Scottsdale spirit, we will provide a cowboy hat to each registered lady as well as supplies you can use for decorating your hat. If you have a special decoration to use, feel free to bring it along. Additional information on page 15.

Scottsdale Weather: While the daytime September temperatures can be warm, it usually cools off once the sun goes down. Air conditioned meeting rooms can be quite cool, so make it a point to pack a light jacket or sweater. Bring along casual wear for the warm days and beautiful nights under the stars, but remember that you must wear long pants, skirts either short or long, but no jeans, to the Business Meeting.

Come share stories and pictures and greet people before the Meet even starts! Join us on Facebook!