Every August, Rocketdyne Road Church of Christ in Neosho, Missouri runs JumpStart Youth Rally — a Friday-night-to-Sunday-morning event now in its 28th year. This year, 355 students from 7th through 12th grade showed up for a weekend built around one idea: everyone has a story, and faith is part of telling it.
Zac Erisman has directed JumpStart Youth Rally for eight of those 28 years. He's also been ordering from Sunday Cool since 2024, when he picked up his first shirt at a youth ministry conference in Daytona Beach. This year, he added something new to the order: Woothoop+.
Sep 28, 2026
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See how JumpStart Youth Rally used Woothoop+ to reach 86% of attendees instantly — and kept the momentum going with daily devotionals after the weekend ended.
The Challenge
JumpStart Youth Rally has always had strong energy in the room. What it hasn't always had is a way to keep that energy going once the weekend ends.
"That's always kind of been a dream of several people — how do we keep in contact post-event. We had decent engagement through social media, posting some recap videos, some photos, some talking points, but..."
Zac's team had used standard silicone wristbands in years past, and a WootHoop the year before this one — which students loved and actually wore, unlike previous giveaways. But when Sunday Cool introduced Woothoop+, with an NFC chip built into the same soft-woven band, Zac saw an opportunity to do more than hand out a wristband. He saw a way to hand out a direct line to his students that would outlast the weekend.
The Partnership
The order almost didn't happen. Zac placed it just two and a half weeks before the event — while on vacation at Disneyland.
"We got them ordered within a day. I don't even think it was a 24-hour process to get everything turned around, and it was so simple."
Sunday Cool's Project Advisor, Stacia, got the wristbands designed, produced, and delivered five days before the rally kicked off.
"She's been so patient with me, and honestly, she's a miracle worker sometimes. She makes the process so easy. That is why we will keep coming back to Sunday Cool as often as we can."
For the link itself, Zac's team didn't need a new website or a developer. They used their existing church platform (Subsplash) and simply added a page to their current site — no new domain, no extra infrastructure.
"It was actually easier for us to use our church website and just add a special link to that."
The Moment
Wristbands went out at registration Friday afternoon. Some got worn right away. Some didn't — until Friday night, when Zac took the stage, held up his own wristband, and tapped his phone to it in front of the whole room.
"I said, hey, this will also give you all the information you need to know about the weekend. And that's when everyone was trying to get their Woothoops that weren't wearing them previously. They wanted it at that point."
The reaction was immediate: 307 of 355 registered attendees — 86% of the room — connected that weekend.
From there, the team used the link dynamically all weekend long: live schedule updates, breakout room assignments, speaker verses and images pushed the moment a session started. On Saturday, they used it to distribute a digital faith-story worksheet a college student had built for the event — something students could now revisit anytime, just by tapping their wrist.
"We were able to really give them a detailed schedule every time they scanned that wristband... and one of the things we wanted to do especially for this theme, there was a little booklet on how to write your faith story — that was able to be directly put on the Woothoop."
The Result
The weekend ended, but the link didn't stop working. Zac's team repointed the same URL toward daily devotionals tied to the rally's theme — something students could keep engaging with well into the fall.
"It's still on their Woothoop. If they scan it now, they can access that at any time."
Three weeks post-event, engagement had settled into a rhythm: from an initial 50–75 daily scans down to a range of 7 to 30-plus on any given day.
"That's about 10% who are coming back, and we're happy with that. We love that."
The reaction wasn't limited to students, either.
"The adults were the most impressed. I had other youth ministers and chaperones coming up like, how does this work? Tell me how to make this work."
One college recruiter at the event was impressed enough to place his own order — planning to embed his application link directly into a Woothoop+ for his upcoming recruiting season. And Zac isn't waiting for next summer to use his again: he's now handing Woothoop+ out to first-time visitors on Sunday and Wednesday nights, pointed at the church's calendar and event schedule.
On product quality specifically, Zac didn't hold back:
"The designs are fantastic. The shirt quality is like — you can't get any better, super soft. And the ink is just baked right in. So that's why we wanted to give credit where credit was due — you're not just buying a t-shirt."
The Ask
JumpStart Youth Rally isn't a one-off. It's a 28-year tradition that just found a new way to stay connected to the students who show up for it — well past the weekend it happens.
If your church, camp, or ministry is planning an event where you need to get information into people's hands fast, and keep them engaged after it ends, Woothoop+ is built for exactly that.
👉 See how Woothoop+ works, or start your own order HERE.
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"Your Logo Here" has never looked so good - let us guide the way.
Thanking a big team on a budget? Go with a custom ornament.
Want something wearable? The beanie is the sweet spot.
Thanking your key leaders or staff? Go cozy with a hoodie or blanket.
Custom Leatherette Ornaments
New this season, and a great fit for church Christmas gifts and volunteer thank-yous. Each ornament has a rich leather-look finish, stitched edges, and a gold hanging string, so it’s tree-ready out of the box. Your design or logo is printed in full-color Digital Ink, so every detail stays crisp and bright.
Order basics: 12-piece minimum and a $40 setup fee. Prices start at $4.87 each for a front-only print, and drop as your quantity grows. Want both sides? A front-and-back print is available. Each product page has ready-to-customize templates, so you can personalize one in minutes.
Great for: big volunteer teams, a keepsake they’ll pull out every December, adding your church name and year
Cuff Beanie w/ Leatherette Patch
A gift volunteers actually wear. The Cuff Beanie w/ Leatherette Patch puts your logo on a custom leatherette patch (square, rectangle, or circle, up to 3" x 2").
Order basics: 12-piece minimum, 72-hour turnaround, and a $0 setup fee. Pricing starts around $8 each at larger quantities. Check the product page for exact tiers.
Great for: small group leaders, worship teams, serve teams that work outdoors
Super-Soft Hoodie
For your core leaders, give something they’ll reach for all winter. The Super-Soft Hoodie comes in six colors, including our newest, Cocoa, and Sand.
Order basics: 12-piece minimum for a one-color, one-location design and a 72-hour turnaround.
Great for: staff, key volunteers, leaders who give the most
Super-Soft Fleece Blanket
Looking for the gift that says “rest up, you earned it”? The Super-Soft Fleece Blanket is a cozy keepsake for a pastor, a longtime volunteer, or anyone who needs a break.
Great for: staff, retiring volunteers, a “go big” thank-you
Make It Personal
The best volunteer gifts feel like they were made for your team. A few ideas:
Add the year and a verse. A dated ornament becomes a tradition.
Pair it with a handwritten note. A short thank-you turns a nice gift into a memorable one.
Give it a moment. Hand them out at a volunteer dinner or a Sunday-morning shout-out.
Match your look. Pull your church colors or logo across every piece so it feels cohesive. Our church merch guidecovers how.
Plan Your Timeline
Gifts have a deadline, and the ornaments have different turnarounds:
Round Leatherette Ornament: 4 days
Tree Leatherette Ornament: 2 weeks
Cuff Beanie and Super-Soft Hoodie: 72 hours after art approval
Build in time for design approval and shipping. For a mid-December volunteer dinner, we’d start the Tree Leatherette Ornament by mid-November and everything else by early December.
People Also Ask
What are good volunteer appreciation gifts for church? Small, thoughtful, personalized gifts work best. Custom ornaments, a beanie, a hoodie, or a fleece blanket all give volunteers something to keep.
What is the minimum order for custom leatherette ornaments? 12 pieces for both the Round Leatherette Ornament and the Tree Leatherette Ornament.
How long do custom ornaments take? The round ornament has a 4-day turnaround and the tree ornament takes 2 weeks, plus shipping time.
Can I put our church logo or a verse on the ornament? Yes. Your design or logo prints in full-color Digital Ink, and ornament templates are available on each product page.
What’s a good gift for staff or key leaders? A Super-Soft Hoodie or Super-Soft Fleece Blanket is a cozy way to say thanks to the people who give the most.
Your volunteers give a lot. A small, thoughtful gift tells them you see it.
Want your hoodie to stand out from every other group’s? Puff Ink adds raised, textured detail to a logo or key word, and it’s a favorite pairing for fleece.
Everything else prints with Super-Soft Ink, our water-based ink that soaks into the fabric instead of sitting on top, so the print stays soft and breathable. Water-based ink gives hoodies a muted, vintage look. Our Guide to Understanding Water-Based Print Results explains what to expect.
Ordering Youth Group Hoodies: What to Know
Minimum order: 12 pieces for a one-color, one-location design. 36 pieces for multiple colors or locations.
Turnaround: 72 hours after art approval
Setup fee: $15 per screen
Same design across the order: every piece in one order shares the same artwork, and youth and adult sizes can ride together.
Timeline tip: start 4–6 weeks before your event. Design and sizing take longer than printing, and a 72-hour turnaroundonly helps once your art is approved.
Sizing tip: collect sizes early and tell students the hoodie runs regular. If they like a relaxed fit, they should size up.
Keep Them Soft for Years
Pass this on to your students and parents:
Wash inside out, on cold and gentle
Skip the bleach
Add fabric softener to keep the softness (and prevent piling)
People Also Ask
What is the best hoodie for a youth group? A soft, regular-fit pullover that holds up to repeat wear. The Super-Soft Hoodie is made for group merch, camps, retreats, and DNOW weekends.
Should we order hoodies or crewnecks for our youth group? Hoodies give you the most warmth and the most print placements, including the hood-side details and a sleeve print. The Super-Soft Crewneck is a clean, hood-free option that works well for leaders, volunteers, or groups that want a more polished look.
What is the minimum order for custom hoodies? 12 pieces for a one-color, one-location design, and 36 pieces for multiple colors or locations.
How long does it take to get custom youth group hoodies? Turnaround is 72 hours after art approval. Plan on starting the design and sizing process 4–6 weeks before your event.
What size hoodies should we order for our group? Collect sizes from your students and let them know the fit is regular. A roomier look means sizing up.
Can we mix youth and adult sizes in one order? Yes, as long as the whole order uses the same artwork.
Hoodies are the layer students reach for when the weather turns. Make yours one they’re proud to wear.
All November long, Sunday Cool is offering free standard ground shipping on qualifying fleecewear orders. That means more of your budget goes toward the gear your group will actually wear, whether it’s for a winter retreat, a Christmas gift for your team, or matching hoodies for your student ministry.
What Fleece Qualifies?
This promo covers our two cool-weather favorites:
Super-Soft Hoodie: our go-to layer for cold nights, early mornings, and everything in between.
Super-Soft Crewneck: a clean, classic fit that’s just as comfortable as it looks.
Terms and Conditions
More than 50% of your total order quantity must be inventoried fleece.
Eligible fleece is limited to our Super-Soft Hoodies and Crewnecks.
Includes standard ground shipping only.
Valid for orders shipping to one address.
Cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
Order must be invoiced by November 30, 2026.
Free shipping cannot be applied after an order has been invoiced.
People Also Ask
Can I include tees or other items in my order? Yes, as long as more than half of your total order quantity is Super-Soft Hoodies or Crewnecks.
Does free shipping include rush or expedited shipping? No. This promotion covers standard ground shipping only.
Can I ship my order to multiple locations? Free shipping applies to orders shipping to one address.
Can I use this with another Sunday Cool discount? No. This offer can’t be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
What if my order has already been invoiced? Free shipping can’t be added after invoicing, so make sure your order qualifies before it’s finalized.
Hoodie weather doesn’t wait, and neither does this deal! Get your order invoiced by November 30, 2026 to make it count.
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