Wrangle & Ride Spring 2017

On Saturday, April 22, corral your friends for a horse-intensive day at DuBois Center! Wrangle & Ride is for pony enthusiasts ages 12 and older. Groom, tack, ride and enjoy other horse-themed activities from 9 am – 5 pm. The cost is $60 (or $55 if registered by April 1 – the early bird deadline); lunch is included.

To ensure more time in the saddle, space is limited to the first 12 registered. Click here for a flyer and reservation form or contact DuBois Center at 618-787-2202 or dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org.

Early Bird Registration Deadline – April 5

In less than three months, the first week of summer camp at DuBois Center will be in full swing! It’s time to THINK SUMMER! Register for 2017 Summer Adventures by the Early Bird Deadline and save $20 on full-week sessions and $10 on part-week sessions. Completed registration (online or by mail) and non-refundable deposit are required for this discount. The Early Bird Deadline this year is Wednesday, April 5.

View the brochure online or download it along with a registration form. You may also contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202 to receive these by mail, or register online here.

Meet Our Summer Staff – Meredith

Introducing Meredith Ellis, one of our returning Counselor/Activity Specialists! Meredith grew up in Glen Carbon, IL and is an active member of Troy United Methodist Church. She first came to DuBois Center for summer camp with a friend when she was in the sixth grade. She instantly loved it and returned year after year as a camper. In 2013, she participated in our CIT (Counselor in Training) program and then volunteered the next year. She dedicated the summer of 2016 to serving on our summer staff.

She has “wanted to be a counselor ever since [she] was a camper” and had an amazing experience in that role last summer. She is looking forward to “being back in such a beautiful place” and seeing her past campers again! Meredith’s experience, beyond camp, includes working with family programs and teaching youth tennis lessons at the YMCA. When not at camp, Meredith studies Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. At school, she is a student worker at her university library and is involved in campus ministry, a campus sexual assault education program and Alpha Delta Pi. In her free time she likes to read and drink tea. Welcome Meredith to our 2017 summer staff team!

Meredith Ellis

Sunday Fundays in 2017

Have you or your prospective camper never been to DuBois Center? Do you just want to enjoy a family-friendly afternoon at camp? Join us on either April 2 or April 30 for Sunday Funday!

Visit the horses and ride one in the arena; cruise the lake in a pontoon boat; play a round of Ga-ga ball; roast marshmallows and tour the facilities – all for FREE! A delicious, optional meal will be offered, but you are welcome to bring a picnic instead or pick up something on the way. The cost of the meal will be $11.00 for adults (ages 13 and older) and $6.50 for children (ages 5 – 12). Children ages four and under are free.

Sunday Fundays are a great introduction to DuBois Center. There are even orientations for prospective summer campers and their parents. Click here for a flyer to share and post.

Schedule:
Meal: Noon – 2 pm
Activities: 12:30-3:00 pm
Summer Camp Orientation:2:30 – 3:30 pm

Here’s What’s Cooking:
April 2 – Hearty turkey dinner with salad bar
April 30 – Pork Steaks with “think summer” picnic trimmings and salad bar
Meal reservations are due by noon the Monday prior.
Looking for a great event for your church family? Consider car-pooling to a Sunday Funday and participating together. You can even reserve an outdoor worship space or the labyrinth for a morning or afternoon service. Your ministry… in the outdoors!

Springtime at DuBois Center

Although the last few days haven’t quite felt like spring, it’s time to plan your spring activities at DuBois! There’s so much to do, and there’s still time to get involved.

Check out our Spring Brochure for information about the upcoming Father-Son Retreat, Wrangle & Ride event, Service Saturdays, Sunday Fundays and more. Click here to view the brochure and a reservation form, or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202 to receive these by mail. If you’re interested in registering for one (or all!) of the events, fill out this form.

Be a DuBois on Broadway 2.0 Sponsor!

Do you love DuBois Center and its mission? Are you looking for a way to support DuBois on Broadway 2.0 even further than just attending? A sponsorship may be perfect for you! Click here to learn more about the event, which will occur on Friday, May 12.

We need people like you to make this event even more of a success. There are multiple sponsorship levels – and all proceeds will go to DuBois Center. Each level comes with different benefits, read on below to learn more.

  • Friend Level – $100 – $250
    • Includes: Your name(s) on the sponsorship board and program book
  • Honorary Level – $500.00 – $750.00
    • Includes: Your name(s) on the sponsorship board and program book, plus two (2) tickets to the event
  • Silver Level – $1,000
    • Includes: Your name(s) on the sponsorship board and program book, plus a table for eight (8)
  • Gold Level – $2,500
    • Includes: Your name(s) on the sponsorship board and program book, special recognition during the gala, plus two tables for eight (8) for a total of 16 seats

To sign up to be a sponsor, download fill out this form. Should you choose Honorary Level or above, be sure to include the names of the event attendees on the form. You can return the form via email to ISC DuBois on Broadway – 1312 Broadway, Highland, IL 62249 or scan and email the completed form to CPursell@iscucc.org. Please call 618-654-2125 with credit card details. Sponsorship forms and payment are due by April 28, 2017.

Job Opening – Summer Barn Coordinator

Enjoy working with children? Have significant experience with horses and barn management? Apply NOW to be a member of the DuBois Center summer staff team. We are searching for a hard-working, early-rising, horse-loving individual to lead our summer barn team as Barn Coordinator. You’ll get to work hands-on with the horses all summer, and will also have the chance to lead campers as well as fellow staff members.

Click here for general information on joining summer staff, and download the position description for more details. Learn more by contacting the DuBois Center office at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-22202.

Calling All Quilters!

For over a decade, a quilt drawing has been a significant piece of the annual DuBois Center Fall Festival. In recent years, we have been blessed to have two or more art quality quilts each year which together have raised $1,500-$2,400 annually. We’re reaching out now to see if anyone is interested in creating and donating a quilt for this years’ event.

The quilts are typically donated by local church quilting groups and other friends of DuBois Center. Specifications include queen-size, appealing to a wide audience and made with love and prayers. Ideally, the quilts begin traveling to local churches in August, so a July completion date works well. If you or your quilting group might be interested in donating a work-of-art quilt for the 2017 Fall Festival, please contact the DuBois Center office at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202. We’d love to talk to you about the possibilities.

Meet Our Summer Staff – Kalie

We are excited to announce Kalie Vyers as the 2017 Lead Counselor! From Belleville, Illinois, Kalie grew up as an active member of Damascus Road Fellowship, where her father is the pastor. She has always enjoyed working with children – having gone on mission trips to orphanages in Mexico, working with day camps, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, and currently working as a missionary with a preschool through a church program in Tahoe City, California.

Kalie’s relationship with DuBois Center began as a camper when she was 12 years old. She recalled, “I always looked up to my counselors and knew that one day I wanted to be just like them.” Kalie graduated from our CIT (counselor in training) program, volunteered at DuBois Center in 2011, 2012 and 2015. She dedicated her summers to being on summer staff in 2013, 2014, and 2016.

She says she is excited to be back again in 2017 because, “Being a counselor is the best job I have ever had. I enjoy getting to meet children with many different lifestyles and personalities. It feels great to be able to give them the wonderful camp experience that I always loved to have when I was a kid.”

This summer Kalie has agreed to be our Lead Counselor – a position that only appears occasionally when an individual has extensive experience and skills to share with newer leaders, but prefers to spend most of their time working directly with campers. When not at camp, Kalie loves to be outdoors – hiking, skiing, playing basketball and engaging in all kinds of water activities. She also enjoys painting, and playing cards and board games with friends and family.

Kalie Image 2

Service Saturdays

March 25 & April 22

Lend a hand with spring cleaning and summer prep! Spend quality time with your family, friends, youth or fellowship group and make a big difference. We’ve got engaging projects for all ability levels and you’ll leave camp with a real sense of satisfaction. Projects vary, depending on weather and the skills of the workers, but could include raking, carpentry, painting, cleaning and more. If you or your group has any special skills, please let us know ahead of time.

For more information check out this flyer. Lunch is provided, so please RSVP to DuBois Center at or dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

Service Saturday 3

Service Saturday 2