Summer Camp Volunteers

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Consider a week (or even a few days) at DuBois Center and join our Summer Camp 2018 team! Wanted: fun, engaging and caring volunteers to serve as nurses, cabin counselors, activity specialists and barn helpers. Minimum age is 18 for most positions; young adults and older adults are welcome.

Give of your time and talent; make a difference; and gain a wonderful sense of satisfaction…and even perhaps a bit of joy! Check out the photo above. Can you pick out the four volunteers? For more information, go to the volunteer page of our website or contact Shirley at shirley.director@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

High School Week at DuBois Center

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

June 17-22 older youth (completed grades 8-12) take over the Rustic Village. One week, two great options: Wranglers and X-Plore! It’s a week to be yourself, make good friends, find new adventures and grow with God.

Meals on Rustic are back! Choice times are back! And with them more opportunities to hang with your friends and customize your week. Play disc golf – DuBois style; get super crafty; fish at Deer Run; or ride horses in “the bottoms.” Play cricket or Aussie football with our international staff and check out weird and wacky activities at the waterfront.

For details, pick up a brochure in your church office, click here for the online version or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202. Ready to register? Click here. Don’t delay – June is just around the corner!

Meet Our Summer Staff: Rachel

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Welcome Rachel Kinzinger to our 2018 summer staff team! Rachel is returning for her eighth summer on staff and will again be serving as a Village Coordinator. From New Athens, Illinois, she is an active member of St. John UCC and serves on the Board of Christian Ed there. Rachel has a degree in special education and is currently teaching at Marissa Jr/Sr High School.

No stranger to DuBois Center, Rachel was first a camper here in 2002, then a CIT, a counselor beginning in 2011, and a coordinator since 2014. She also works throughout the year hosting groups, life-guarding and preparing for our summer season.

Outside of camp, Rachel enjoys reading, watching Netflix, spending time with her adorable one-year old nephew and relaxing in her hammock! Her favorite foods are anything Mexican, gummy bears, Ski and Ranger cookies – a camp favorite. Her favorite movies are Toy Story, Moana, Hercules, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and her favorite smell is the air after it rains.

Rachel grew up on a farm and one of her favorite childhood memories is of showing cattle through 4-H. She started showing when she was nine and continued through high school. That experience brought great friendships, enduring memories, and numerous life lessons.

One of Rachel’s role models is Mr. Hull, her high school science teacher. Mr. Hull was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when she was a senior. She was amazed by his dedication to his students. He even visited them weekly in the midst of chemo treatments, and kept his promise to attend their graduation – even though he was sick from chemo. Mr. Hull’s teaching went beyond the textbooks. Rachel wrote, “He taught us about the importance of laughter, about dedication, and about learning through mistakes. He passed away a few years ago, and he still inspires me every day to be involved in my students’ lives and show them the same love that he showed me as a student.”

Welcome back, Rachel!

Camps for Older Children: Completed Grades 3 – 6

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Classic or specialty camp, three days or five days – there is a wide variety of sessions from which to choose for this age group. Whether a first-timer or experienced camper, new adventures await.

The cozy cottages on the Main Camp side of the lake are “home” for many campers in this age group, but those attending our Horsin’ Around, Rustic 101 and Splash! sessions venture across the lake and live in the Rustic Village. The week of July 22-25 there are shorter sessions for those who would like “a taste” of horse camp or rustic camping.

Additional sessions for those completing grades 5-8 can be found in the camp brochure. For more information, pick up a brochure in your church office, click here for the online version or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202. Ready to register? Click here.

Session &

Grades Completed Dates

Settler (3-5) 6/10-15, 6/24-29, 7/15-20

Pony Express (4-6) 7/22-25

Mad Science (4-7) 7/8-13

Move It! Move It! (4-7) 7/8-13

Rustic 101 (4-6) 7/22-25

Horsin’ Around (5-7) 6/10-15, 7/8-13, 7/15-20

Splash! (5-7) 7/22-25

Churches: Here’s How You Can Help Promote DuBois

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

We often have churches ask us how they can help support DuBois Center! Our answer? Help us spread the word! We are often referred to as a best-kept-secret in Southern Illinois – well, let’s get that secret out there! See below for a list of ideas on how to share information on DuBois with your church, your community and below. Click here for a full list of additional information and downloadable promotional pieces.

 Celebrate FAITH FORMATION through OUTDOOR MINISTRIES in April and May! Pick a Sunday for your Camp Sunday. Recruit a planning team and help them brainstorm a list of creative possibilities, then turn them loose to implement the best ideas.

 Personally invite young people and their parents to participate in the spring events and summer camp program at DuBois Center. When pastors and key lay leaders speak, people listen. Your passion for church camp can be infectious.

 Community Outreach: Consider how your congregation might partner with DuBois Center to send children from low-income families in your community to camp. Special funds are available to assist.

 Involve experienced campers, volunteers and summer staff in the Children’s Message or a special Sunday School event. Personal testimonies, special camp stories, games and songs are especially helpful.

 Focus on the goals and values of Christian camping during worship on Sunday. Music, responsive readings and sermons can all be effective tools for this.

 Invite a guest from DuBois Center to join you on a Sunday to share a sermon, extended mission moment, children’s message and/or activities in Sunday School.

 Plan something special for Coffee Hour. Try s’mores or “ants on a log” instead of cookies. Set up a BBQ pit and roast hot dogs, hamburgers or marshmallows.

 Designate and PROMOTE a couple of Sundays during which DuBois alumni are at a table, before & after worship, to distribute brochures and answer questions.

 Encourage grandparents to send their grandchildren to camp.

 Utilize DuBois Center bulletin inserts – copy, cut and insert.

 Gather a group together and attend the RUSTIC BLOCK PARTY at DuBois Center. Enjoy free youth-friendly activities and tour the facilities – Sunday, May 6.
 Post the CAMP SCHEDULE, POSTERS and FLYERS throughout the church.
 On two or more Sundays, advertise and insert a special offering envelope in the bulletin designated to provide financial assistance for your church’s youth to attend camp.
 Have a Chili Cook-off and use the funds raised to help send kids to camp.
 Have the Sunday School or mid-week program make a special camp banner,
then hang it in the Sanctuary or Fellowship Hall from March through June.

Summer Camp: Faith, Friends and Fun

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Studies show that opportunities for kids to just be kids are critical to their development as healthy and well-rounded children and youth. Active, unplugged, joyful, connected and adventuresome are all words that describe the DuBois experience. It’s good old-fashioned fun, yet a modern classic. All this as well as an opportunity to experience God and each other in new ways, make new friends and have loads of fun.

It’s not too late to make a session of summer camp at DuBois Center a priority! Click here to view our online brochure, and here to register today!

Meet Our Summer Staff: Hayley

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Welcome, Hayley Bell to our 2018 summer staff team! Hayley is from Whakamarama, New Zealand and will be serving as a Counselor/Activity Specialist. Her experience working with children and youth is varied. She has assisted in primary school classrooms, babysat children of all ages, worked as a professional birthday party planner, and served as deputy house captain at school. In this last role, she organized and implemented activities for 50-100 students aged 12-18.

One of Hayley’s references wrote, “She has a genuine care for those around her and her warm disposition puts young people at ease. Hayley has a fun sense of humor and is full of enthusiasm.”

Hayley’s interests are as varied as her experience. She thoroughly enjoys acting and drama – one of her favorite subjects in school. Design, drawing, crafts and gardening are also at the top of her list. She is a self-proclaimed water baby and loves spending time “at waterholes or at the beach.” She also enjoys just spending time with her family and friends, and her favorite foods are Maltesers and Satay Noodles.

When asked why she wanted to spend the summer at a camp in the States, she explained that, after her first year at “Uni,” she realized that she should have taken a Gap year – as is the custom for many students in the UK (United Kingdom) and beyond. She wanted to find ways to give back and serve others for a year, before returning to school. She is also excited about traveling. When asked about one thing she would really like to see or experience in the USA, Hayley wrote, “The culture and landscape differences! Oh! and a large-sized meal where they give you the GIGANTIC cups for your drink!” Hopefully, when she returns home, Hayley will have so many amazing memories and new experiences that super-sized anything will be at the bottom of her list! Welcome, Hayley!

Volunteer at Camp!

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Whether in a cabin, at the barn, in the health center, during specialized activities, on the Sunday Welcome Team or all around snapping photos of camper fun – volunteers make a huge difference at DuBois Center! They work hand-in-hand with paid summer staff to provide and support our fun, engaging, faith-filled program.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities click here or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

Service Saturday – April 21

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Stretch your muscles, get a little dirty and make a difference! Help spruce up the grounds for our busy spring and summer seasons. We can’t do it without YOU! Projects vary, depending on the weather and the skills of the workers – carpentry, cleaning, painting, raking and more. We may even dismantle a dock. Serve together with friends and family, and gain a sense of satisfaction. Lunch is provided. Check out this flyer for more information.

RSVP to DuBois Center by Monday, April 16 at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202. If this date doesn’t work for you, we have a mission work group in camp May 16-20 and the extra helping hands are always welcome, or we can see if another day works for you and your group!

Counselor in Training (CIT) – June 24-29

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Dubois Center — No Comments ↓

Counselor in Training, or CIT, is a great opportunity for young people who are interested in developing their leadership skills, working with younger children, and having a great time at DuBois Center!

The program, which runs from June 24 through 29 this year, functions much like a “lab school” with discussion, training, practice and evaluation sessions. Skills gained will help participants grow as positive Christian leaders, manage problematic behavior, create a safe, fun environment, and teach basic camp skills. CIT is designed for youth who have completed grades 10-12. Previous camp experience is NOT required.

NOTE: A special application is required in addition to the Camp Registration Form. The CIT application packet is available online or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org. For more information, check out this flyer.

Author: Dubois Center