Prayers for our Camp Staff

On Wednesday, May 29, our summer camp program staff officially arrived for nine days of intensive training covering topics such as health and safety, faith formation, activity leadership, behavior management and so much more! They came from local Illinois South Conference churches and from communities of faith around the world.

Please keep the leadership team, program staff and site staff in your thoughts and prayers. They have an awesome task in front of them! We also ask that you keep our international staff and their families close to your heart. These staff members have traveled from Finland, New Zealand, Peru, Poland and Tanzania, and will be far from their homes for three months and even longer for some. Thank you!

Meet Our Summer Staff – Ryan and Jack!

Welcome back to Ryan Goetter from Collinsville and Jack Lockhart from Motueka, New Zealand!
Ryan – AKA Shark Bait – is returning for this fifth summer on staff. We celebrate his recent graduation from Missouri State University with his bachelors degree in music education and his new teaching position at DuQuoin Middle School. Another highlight – the designation of Ryan’s chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha as “Chapter of the Year.” An honor in itself, but even more so because Ryan was a founding brother early in his college career. Ryan is an active member of St. John UCC in Collinsville and long-term DuBois Center camper. His favorite childhood memories are from his adventures at camp. When asked why he has such a passion for working at DuBois Center, Ryan wrote, “I grew up at camp! It’s such an amazing and magical place and I want an opportunity to give the kids a great experience like I had!”
Jack – AKA Chip – is returning for his second summer on staff. He had such an incredible time last year, he couldn’t wait to return! Jack is a certified lifeguard, and volunteers with the rural fire department back home. Serving others is in his DNA. Jack is excited to be back at DuBois Center because he loves the “family atmosphere” and wants to gain more experience working with young people and families. His goal after completing university is to work with youth in the criminal justice system to make a difference while there is still an opportunity for significant life changes. Jack enjoys all camp activities – especially those involving water or horses. He was a rookie last summer, but quickly grew his grooming, tacking and riding skills.
5_31 Staff 2

THANKS to the Happy Quilters and St. John UCC in Mascoutah

The Happy Quilters of St. John UCC in Mascoutah have done it once again! Each year this group creates a beautiful kid-friendly quilt to celebrate and raise funds for DuBois Center. But that’s just the beginning! Teams of quilters then hit the road and visit churches throughout the conference on Sunday mornings bringing goodwill and selling quilt tickets. Ticket sales raised $1760. St. John UCC matched this amount dollar for dollar, bringing the total donation to $3520. This year, the proceeds are designated for the spillway and AC projects that comprise Operation Shimmer.

Thanks so much to the Happy Quilters (Kay, Beth, Nancy, Marion, Muriel, Treva, Dorothy, Lou Ann and Kim) for all their hard work and to all the members of St. John UCC in Mascoutah for their support. Thanks also to the following churches for hosting the traveling quilt: Christ UCC in Dupo, Grantfork UCC in Grantfork, St John UCC in Trenton, St. Paul UCC in Lebanon, St Peter’s UCC in Okawville and Zion UCC in New Baden. The quilters have been known to go to great lengths to sell tickets. In fact, this year the winning one was purchased – not at a church or the Quilt Fair – but at a family Easter meal at which one salesperson sold $60 worth of tickets. Congratulations to quilt winner Ronald Ostrom of Fairfax, Virginia!

Mission Week 2019

Since 2014, members of Dupo Christ UCC have made  two annual pilgrimages to DuBois Center. In the fall, they help set up and break down before and after Fall Festival. In the spring, they take on a variety of work projects. This crew is a testament to what can be accomplished by a small team of dedicated folks. It’s hard to imagine getting ready for summer camp without them! A HUGE THANKS to members of Christ UCC in Dupo: Bob, Clifford, Larry, Marvin, and Pastor Todd and Pete from St. Paul UCC in Belleville. Watch for additional photos on the DuBois Center Facebook page.

 

Here’s an overview of their 2019 projects:
●  Rustic cabin screens and doors checked and repaired
●  Upgrades to the Beach House completed
●  Stage area of the chapel in main camp extended
●  Decrepit dock at Deer Run removed
●  Brighter & more efficient lighting installed in Rustic Shower House
●  Safety enhancements and other projects throughout camp
●  Benches built

Peace Works – This Year’s Camp Theme

What do the parables of the Great Feast and the Good Samaritan have in common with Bible verses about Spiritual Gifts and sharing God’s Peace, or the stories about Isaac blessing Jacob and Jesus washing the feet of the Disciples? All have something to do with love, peace or reconciliation, and the work required to build a peace-filled world “on earth as it is in heaven.” This summer, scripture will be paired with words from around the globe such as Aloha, Agape, Heiwa, Shalom and Ubuntu as we explore how each of us can be faithful peace-makers. For more information view our brochure online.

Meet our Summer Staff – Rachel, Catie and Georgia

Welcome Rachel Kinzinger, Catie Goetter and Georgia Agan to our 2019 summer staff leadership team! Rachel is returning for her 9th summer on staff and will be serving as our Program Coordinator. This will be Catie’s third and Georgia’s first summers on staff, and they will both be serving as Program Specialists with our riding program.

Rachel’s home church is St. John’s UCC in New Athens, where she is on the Board of Christian Ed and works with the youth group. She just completed her third year as a special education teacher at Marissa Jr-Sr High School. Rachel wrote, “Camp has always been home to me, from the time I was a young camper. It’s brought me friends, laughter and lifelong memories!” Her favorite things about camp include watching campers try new things, overcome their fears and homesickness, and fall in love with DuBois Center just like she did!

Catie just completed her junior year at Missouri State where she is majoring in elementary education. She is from Maryville, IL and grew up attending St. John UCC in Collinsville. She now regularly attends Schweitzer UMC in Springfield, MO. At school, Catie is a section leader for the MSU marching band and is a child care provider for the park district. When asked what she loves about camp, Catie replied “as a camper, I loved all of the activities, being in nature, and meeting new people. As a staff member, I love watching and helping kids overcome fears (because I still have some too), try new things, and become passionate about camp.”

Georgia is a local girl from Venedy, IL. She has experience working with children and youth in a variety of settings. Georgia studies general agriculture with a focus in equine at Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College, where she barrel races and is a member of the school’s rodeo team. Her mom had her on a horse since before she could walk, and she has been passionate about horses ever since. Georgia was blessed to find a wonderful faith community in Oklahoma. She attends Miami Friends Church which is a very small, close-knit congregation. Georgia is “so excited to work at DuBois this summer, because I remember my experience as a camper, and I had the time of my life!”

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS in Main Camp – June 16-21

It’s Middle Schoolers ONLY in main camp the week of June 16-21 – middle school fun from the comfort of the main camp cottages. Whether it’s a camper’s first summer or fifth, there will be new adventures for everyone. Along with family group activities, there will be a number of “choice times” when campers pick from a variety of fun activities. They can get super crafty, spend some leisurely time fishing, try a bit of sport from the other side of the pond with Kwik Cricket, learn about another country, take aim at the archery range, explore the trails and the creek, or hang with the horses.

Middle School campersThere are two great options from which to choose: Splash! – with a special focus on water-based activities, and Trail Mix – a great mix of DuBois favorites. To learn more, pick up a camp brochure at your UCC church or download one. To receive a brochure by mail, contact DuBois Center at 618-787-2202 or dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org. Ready to register? Click here.

We Still Need Volunteers!

Volunteers are the heart of strong and healthy outdoor ministry programs. At DuBois Center, volunteers serve throughout the year on committees and teams, at the barn, in the office, on work projects, as retreat leaders and fund raisers. During the summer, there are a variety of ways to be involved and make a difference in the lives of the young people we serve. Join us for a few hours on a Sunday afternoon, a couple days during the week, or a full session of camp. Volunteers work hand-in-hand with paid summer staff to provide our fun, engaging and faith-filled program.
Summer 2019 opportunities include:
● Cabin Counselor
● Chaplain
● Nurse
● Barn Helper
● Sunday Welcome Team
● Activity Specialist
● Photographer

Contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202 with questions. More information and volunteer applications can be found here. We hope to see you at DuBois this summer!

Sign Up for Camp!

There are still openings throughout the summer and lots of new friends to be made! But don’t delay, spots are filling quickly, and a number of sessions are already full. To learn more about summer camp at DuBois Center, check out the camp brochure online or pick one up at your UCC church. To have a brochure sent by mail, contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202. Click here to register online.

Spring Thank You Party a Success

Despite weeks of rain and a questionable forecast, the skies cleared for DuBois Center’s annual “Thank You” Party. On Sunday, April 28, pproximately 65 volunteers, donors and staff – all who are essential to the success of DuBois Center – enjoyed a taste of DuBois.

As usual, there was a wonderful catered meal. But, this year, camp tours and activities were added to agenda. One of the goals of the event was to get folks out and about to see camp. During tram and pontoon boat rides, volunteers pointed out the new bee hives and docks, as well as the broken spillway. Guest visited the horses at the barn, checked out some spring wildflowers and “toured” camp from the porch of Oak Lodge using mega-binoculars. Photos and s’mores were part of the fun – of course. Believe it or not, for some it was their very first s’more!

Pictured here are centerpiece winners Micah Palmer, son of Pastor Brett and Carolyn Palmer, and Connie Freels. They won for being the youngest and oldest (90+) in attendance!

THANKS to the Outdoor Ministries Team, Green DuBois and the Marketing Committee for making this event possible!