The Executive Committee has voted to officially reopen the DuBois Center grounds on April 19, 2021. Visitors, work groups and individual volunteers can call to get on the calendar after this date. Safety measures will still be in place, including masks and social distancing.
We’ve come this far through the pandemic, and we’re rounding the last turn toward the finish line. Stay tuned for more summer plans at DuBois Center.
We have scheduled our first open house for April 25th from 1-6pm! This would be a great way to visit camp for a while and see what we are doing to prepare for the summer! We will have volunteers on hand to show you around and to explain our evolving procedures for our summer programs. Feel free to bring a picnic along as we will have designated areas to lounge and relax with your family!
We are asking for reservations, so please let us know if you will be there! Email to DCInfo@duboiscenter.org to get on the list! If we fill up, we have a back-up day scheduled in May.
As we prepare for Summer Camp, we want to add two or three horses to our herd. We’re hoping someone out there knows of a horse or two that might be a good fit for camp that could be donated or purchased at a reasonable cost.
Here’s what we are looking for:
If you know a horse that is available and might be a good camp horse, contact Scott Kuether at sekuether21@gmail.com.
The Search Committee and the Executive Committee are pleased to announce the Illinois South Conference has extended a two-year contract with Hayley Elliott for the position of Acting Director of Outdoor Ministry. After an extensive search process which included: Zoom interviews; submissions of candidates’ faith journeys and personal theology; a strategic plan of staffing, programming, finances, and partnerships for the coming year at DuBois Center; checking candidates’ professional references; and an onsite tour of DuBois, the Search Committee unanimously recommended Hayley to serve as the Acting Director of Outdoor Ministry.
Hayley Elliott was born and raised in West Virginia, where love of nature and earth were instilled in her from a young age. She spent most of her formative summers at church camp and has fond memories of learning to swim, making friends, playing games, and learning the importance of faith formation in this setting. As she grew up, she began volunteering at camp and eventually became a camp counselor.
Hayley received a B.S. in Business Administration from Mars Hill University. Her undergraduate capstone project was related to the digital and social marketing of camps and how to reach new audiences and form new partnerships. After completing undergraduate studies, Hayley entered Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, where she completed an MTS (Master of Theological Studies) degree. While in divinity school, Hayley furthered her commitment to youth education by working at a local elementary and middle school as the lead counselor in their afterschool and summer programs.
After graduating from Vanderbilt Divinity School, Hayley and her wife, Rachel, moved to Denver, Colorado so that Rachel could complete a yearlong CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) residency. During this time, Hayley worked full time as an anti-money laundering analyst while maintaining an additional role as a co-director for youth and children at Sixth Avenue UCC and sharing her gifts at LaForet Conference and Retreat Center, the Rocky Mountain Conference’s camp.
Hayley is very passionate about outdoor ministry within the United Church of Christ and excited about the future of caring for God’s creation and extending God’s extravagant welcome at DuBois Center!
Hayley will begin her new ministry with us on Monday, April 5, 2021. In the meantime, the Outdoor Ministry Team has done a phenomenal job creating staffing-, programming-, and safety-contingency plans to hold programming this summer in some form at DuBois Center with summer staff onsite to welcome children, youth, and adults to experience what makes DuBois Center such a special and sacred space.
The Illinois South Conference sincerely thanks the Search Committee for the time and energy they spent in prayerful and Spirit-led discussions, deliberations, and decisions.
Its members were:
We can’t wait for you to meet Hayley soon!!
Not only did Priscilla give DuBois Center over 35 years as a dedicated employee, but she continues to care for it now! Illinois South Conference thanks her for preparing the DuBois office for new staff and, hopefully, a summer of campers! Her dedication is inspiring!
While the temperatures are cold and Cabin Fever is starting to set in, you can rest assured that we are feverishly planning our summer possibilities with full expectations to be able to serve you this summer!
We are currently making preliminary provisions to offer in-person summer camps complete with many, if not all, of your favorite activities! After having to take last summer off, we know that many of you are more than eager to get back to your camp!
After all, this is your camp. Since 1965, we have been here for you. Each and every one of us has memories deeply embedded in the fabric that ties DuBois Center together. Even when we weren’t able to be in person last year, we were still here for you.
For 2021, we have up to four, yes four, potential options that offer DuBois Center in different lights — all contingent on the needs of the people, state of the current health situations, and governing authorities.
First and foremost, our Plan A includes in-person summer camp options! If all goes to plan, we could begin welcoming summer campers the week of June 6. Exciting, right? Of course, we will have additional plans and protocols in place for enhanced safety measures. While our mission is to see all of our campers again, we need to be sure we can do that safely and effectively.
While we do have Plans B, C, and D on paper, we wanted to share with you now that Plan A is what we are aiming for and Plan A is in person!
Final details will be a bit delayed as we are having to adjust with the ever-changing climate, but please continue to look for emailed updates like this. Our website is also being revamped as we speak to ensure it has the most helpful and up-to-date information as possible. If we ever have to ‘toggle’ our focus from Plan A to anything else, our website will have the details you need.
If you are anxiously waiting for a mailed brochure, or at least something brochure-like, you are in luck! While we will be mailing summer promotions and schedules a bit later than normal, you should still receive mailed postcards from us in early spring! These postcards will highlight what we hope to offer and to provide you with something to stick on your fridge to remember us by!
Please follow us online, at www.DuBoisCenter.org for the most current information we have. Also, our Facebook and Instagram feeds are continually going as well. If you need to contact us, our phone number is the same at 618-787-2202, you may also email to DCinfo@DuBoisCenter.org.
Please note: The Conference Council has closed the DuBois Center grounds to everyone except maintenance and animal care staff until such time as a new Acting Director is hired. While we have people on the grounds, they cannot supervise visitors or do the COVID-level of cleaning required to host guests of any kind right now. This reduces liability and safety issues for both people and property. We all know and enjoy the beautiful campgrounds, and we expect to open them again very soon.
Tami, Bill, and Rachel Hughes from St Paul’s UCC in Freeburg spent days cutting old barn wood down to size before installing inside a cabin at Deer Run. Thanks for your hard work. It’s beautiful.
Although we will likely not have programming in the winter months, Outdoor Ministry Team along with Executive Committee, and Conference Council will be working together to determine the programming for late Spring and Summer months of this year. Although much will depend upon when we find the right person for the Acting Director’s position, we are committing to creating a Plan A, B, C and a variety of contingency plans. We know much like what we have all experienced together in the past year, there are many unknowns, and so we covet your patience, prayers, and support. But please know, we will also do our best to keep you up to date and informed about what is happening at YOUR camp.
And if you have questions, please ask. You can connect with the chair of our Outdoor Ministry Team, Nancy Wagner at nancywagner1958@gmail.com, the chair of Property Committee, Priscilla Self at pjj48@hotmail.com, our Conference Moderator, Dr. Jill Baker at jabaker5@aol.com, or our Conference Minister, Rev. Shana Johnson at sjohnson@iscucc.org.
The Search Committee for the Acting Director has been named, has met and will soon be conducting interviews for the position. We are working hard to get the word out about this wonderful opportunity, and we welcome your help. If you know someone who might be interested in applying please reach out directly to our Conference Minister, Rev. Shana Johnson at sjohnson@iscucc.org.