Ongoing Support

Historically, St. Peter’s UCC in Okawville has had strong ties to DuBois Center. This has been evident over the years through their support of summer campers, and their participation in workdays, Fall Festival and special fundraising efforts. They put on a great Shrimp Boil to support the new spillway and HVAC in Oak Lodge! Members have served and currently serve on ISC committees related to DuBois Center, on our summer staff, as chaplains and volunteers in other capacities.

Each spring they kick off recruitment efforts with a Camp Sunday and from there they provide significant support for their young people to attend summer camp. This year, with no summer camp, there were no campers to support. Instead, church leaders decided to allocate the $3500 that would have typically paid for summer camp fees to support DuBois Center directly. This gift will help to ensure the Center’s viability during these challenging times.

A SPECIAL THANKS to St. Peter’s UCC in Okawville!

It’s a Family Affair

Over the last couple of weeks a number of different small groups have been at DuBois Center for work days. Three hard workers from the Sullivan–Zbinden family spent part of their fall break from school lending a helping hand. Both Aralynn and Bailey were campers in 2019 and were planning to return in 2020, along with other family members. This year, they got their dose of DuBois in October instead of June or July. They hauled brush, painted and moved rocks for the pollinator gardens… and kept on smiling! They also took time to enjoy a picnic lunch and to visit the horses.

St. Paul UCC in Waterloo was back at camp for a second day this fall. This time, youth group members enjoyed trail rides in the morning, lunch in the back of a pick-up truck, and then an afternoon of work projects. This crew raked and raked and raked, then they moved 455 pieces of wood – first into the truck and then into the wood shed. A SPECIAL THANKS to these members of DuBois Center’s extended family! P.S. No, they did not ride on the back of the truck wVolunteers3hen moving the wood.

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Sixty Seconds of Solitude

Fall has arrived and with it all the beauty of the season! A carpet of leaves covers the ground and the air is fresh and crisp – especially on windy days. Today’s edition of 60 Seconds of Solitude features an early fall view of the lake at Deer Run on an especially windy day. Sit comfortably, relax your shoulders, breathe deeply and let the winds refresh you from afar. John 3:8 Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. (CEV)

Watch for occasional solitude postings on our website and Facebook page.

Fall Festival Challenge

If you have already contributed to the Fall Festival Challenge – THANK YOU! If not, there is still time! To date, nearly $1500 has been given! Norma Borgmann, Nancy Wagner and the Outdoor Ministries Team (OMT) are challenging friends of DuBois Center to keep the spirit alive. This would have been the 44th year for some version of this event. It is typically a major friend-raising and fund-raising event for the Center.

We hope you will consider donating $1, $2, $3 or more each year of Fall Festival.
$1 per year = a Yellow Leaf giver at $44
$2 per year = a Red Leaf giver at $88
$3 per year = an Orange Leaf giver at $132
Anything above this amount would be at the Gold Leaf level.

If you are a Fall Fest “regular,” it might be fun to consider what you would have spent at or for Fall Festival 2020 – either as a participant or as a volunteer or a provider of goods to be sold.  You may donate online or send a check to DuBois Center; 2651 Quarry Road; DuBois, IL 62831. Please be sure to note that your gift is in response to the Fall Fest Challenge.

Thank you for keeping the ministry of DuBois Center in your thoughts and prayers.

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Back in the Saddle

This past weekend, DuBois Center and our horse volunteers welcomed the first guest group riders since March! It was a beautiful day to make new horsey friends and to be out and about. As you have seen in regular posts, the horse team has been busy caring for and tending to the horses, barn and trails, but THIS is why they logged all those hours! Four family groups took advantage of the great weather. In addition to riding, they brought picnic lunches, explored the hiking trails and played in the leaves.

Dates are available in November for family and small group rides. Minimum number of participants is 4. For more information contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

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Camp Nurses – Servants with Sunscreen

Despite the falling leaves, it’s never too early to think about summer! We are hoping to be able to provide a full line-up of DuBois fun and adventure in 2021! One setting for ministry at DuBois Center is our Health Center. Volunteer camp nurses, most of whom are RNs, are a vital piece of our summer camp program. Many find serving at DuBois Center to be a rewarding mission opportunity, one that is quite different from their regular job. Responsibilities include reviewing camper medical forms, conducting health screenings, receiving & administering medications, providing first aid & basic medical treatment, and documentation. But when you really get down to it, nurses spend most of their time removing ticks, soothing rashes, distributing medications and providing extra TLC for homesick and nervous campers.

If you are an RN, please consider serving with us for a full or partial week. The living quarters do have AC and there is often time to join us for worship, explore the woods, ride a horse or just sit back and enjoy a book. Orientation is provided.

For more information, contact Alaina Scherle at her email alainakarn@yahoo.com or leave a message on her cell at 618-604-2540.

Goodbye Gala for Shirley Asmussen

The Outdoor Ministry Team of the Illinois South Conference cordially invites you to a virtual Goodbye Gala for Shirley Asmussen on Sunday, October 25th, from 2 pm to 4 pm on Zoom.

In November, Shirley will be closing out her ministry with the Illinois South Conference as our Director of Outdoor Ministry.  But before she goes, we want to send her off with well wishes and words of gratitude.  We hope you will join us in remembering and celebrating the ways Shirley’s ministry among us has impacted so many.

Log into Zoom with the invitation below and bring your memories, stories, pictures, and gratitude to share with Shirley:

Topic: Goodbye Gala for Shirley Asmussen

Time: Oct 25, 2020 02:00 PM Central Time

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84765700613

Meeting ID: 847 6570 0613

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Mother-Daughter Virtual Takeover – Saturday, October 24

While our 2020 Mother-Daughter Retreat may not be gathering in-person this year, the leadership team has still been hard at work creating a virtual Mother-Daughter Day you don’t want to miss! Join us Saturday, October 24 on Facebook for crafts, yoga, a campfire and more.

While the activities are geared towards mothers & daughters, grandmothers & granddaughters, aunts & nieces – all are welcome to take part in this free event. Be watching for a complete schedule and list of supplies to gather! Links to videos will also be available on our website as of that Saturday. Plan to check out highlights on our Instagram account.

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Waterloo St. Paul UCC for the WIN

On Saturday, a mighty crew from St. Paul UCC in Waterloo arrived at DuBois Center eager to serve. They departed with sore muscles and a well-deserved sense of satisfaction! After dividing into work groups, they got straight to it. One team’s primary task was priming and painting; the other team worked on storm clean-up – both priority projects. With chainsaws, goggles and masks in place, they cut and hauled fallen trees and branches from the heavy winds in early August. They primed and painted 25 posts for the fence on the road across the dam. Now all the needed fencing materials are ready for installation!

After enjoying a picnic lunch together – physically distancing of course – the teams joined forces. They hauled and stacked wood from trees cut previously near Coveside Cottage and set up the 9-Square for an upcoming guest group – both tasks that are better done with many hands.

THANKS to this hard-working crew from St. Paul UCC! Your efforts truly do make a difference! There is always lots to be done to help maintain your outdoor ministry facilities and grounds and you can help! For more information, contact us at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

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With a Little Help from our Friends!

The last two weeks have been busy ones at DuBois Center with eight different teams in motion – in addition to St. Jacob UCC, which we reported on last week. Neighbors John & Terry cut up and removed 5,000 pounds of wood from a dead tree off the Hickory Lodge patio. They did a great job with clean-up! Carol & David Shanks spent a day painting and repairing. Carol touched-up the entrance sign and painted more boards for the fence on the road across the dam. David replaced some rotted floorboards at the lumber shed and built new steps for it – no unstable cement blocks to contend with anymore! Margie & Mel Lindhorst continued working on the shade pollinator garden at the front of the office.

A crew from Grantfork UCC arrived with their mini-excavator and worked on one of the horse trails. They removed two old culvert pipes and cleaned up the area. They also worked on straightening the fence line at Deer Run. Teams from St. Paul UCC in Freeburg are making good progress on the cabins at Deer Run. Last week they installed windows and screen doors. The Horse Team stripped and re-bedded the horse stalls at the barn this past weekend. Watch for more about their efforts next week. In addition, two members were out earlier to check on the horses and help move round bales of hay. The Bee Team was back at camp on Sunday to check on the hives and the health of our bees. And last, but not least, Scott Schubert checked the lines and replaced the old phone on the front of the office. Guests without cell service can again make emergency calls after office hours.

THANKS to everyone for your hard work! It truly does make a difference. There is always lots to be done to maintain our outdoor ministry facilities and grounds. For more information, contact us at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

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