Rainbow Camp and thoughts on marking a change in season

We were lucky to welcome the Sixth Rainbow Camp to DuBois Center on Saturday, August 7. From activities like horseback riding, archery, crafting and canoeing to conversations at a shared table, more than 40 of us enjoyed a day of fellowship, nature, the taste of the first honey from the DuBois Center bees, and camp fun. We look forward to welcoming even more people to Rainbow Camp in 2022 as we continue to draw the circle of God’s love ever wider.

HoneyTrail ride2

Rainbow Camp 2021

Our Rainbow Camp coincided with our coordinator wrap up of the season, where our summer leadership team comes to debrief and do the manual tasks associated with transitioning from summer to fall. These moments of transition are always bittersweet when you are a year-round camp director. On the one hand, you get to really sleep for the first time in almost three months. On the other, you are saying goodbye (for now) to people who have profoundly impacted you despite only knowing them for a short time. I’d like to share a brief excerpt from our closing circle at Rainbow Camp. While words fail to express my gratitude for your hospitality, I hope you hear it in the spaces between the words.

“One of my favorite things about outdoor ministry is that, over time as you move through a space, it begins to move through you. And so, Rainbow Camp is also the close of our summer season. It’s been 4 months and two days (but who is counting) since I started as Acting Director for Outdoor Ministry. I find it difficult to really put into words the way this space has moved through me this summer. In a large part, I find it difficult because in addition to the beautiful place, it is also these beautiful people who have had this profound impact on me. When you ask an individual to do all the things that are required to reopen a camp, the result is chaos and failure. But when you ask a team to do it? You experience a summer like the one we have had. Sure, things were often haywire; we were understaffed; things could’ve easily fallen apart at any moment; but instead, now we are here, in this beautiful moment, celebrating not only our camp community, but my community as well. I wasn’t sure as an out, loud, queer person what this job might be like, but with a staff like the one we have, who were endlessly supportive and adaptable, even the hardest moments felt joyful, peaceful, important. It is this sort of connectivity and love reflected in my staff that reminds me of the best experiences I have had as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. That moment when everything has fallen apart, but your chosen family picks up the pieces, that’s what camp, and being a queer person, is for me. So, I want to say thank you, whether you’ve shared this space with me for months, or you’ve just been here in this space today. I hope it moved you. I hope it changed you. And I hope you leave feeling a little better than you did when you got here.”

Hayley Elliott, Acting Director of Outdoor Ministry

Rainbow Camp 2021 registration is open!

Camp will be Sat, Aug 7 at DuBois Center, from 9 am-7 pm. It’s a full day, and you can be as active or as relaxed as you like. We’ve got everything from horseback riding and archery to pontoon rides and crafts in the craft grotto overlooking the lake.

Rainbow Camp was started for LGBTQ+ folks and straight allies. This year, we extend a special invitation to neurodivergent folks to join us, too. Everyone is welcomed as a whole child of God at DuBois Center.

Register by going to www.DuBoisCenter.org, click register, and search under Day Camps. Secure the early bird rate by registering before July 18.

Rainbow Camp is a whole lot of fun in the sun – come join the party. Click here for a flyer.

Rainbow Camp 2021 registration is open!

Rainbow Camp will be Saturday, Aug 7 at DuBois Center, from 9 am-7 pm. It’s a full day, and you can be as active or as relaxed as you like. We’ve got everything from horseback riding and archery to pontoon rides and crafts in the craft grotto overlooking the lake.

Rainbow Camp was started for LGBTQ+ folks and straight allies. This year, we extend a special invitation to neurodivergent folks to join us, too. Everyone is welcomed as a whole child of God at DuBois Center.

Register now or later by going to www.DuBoisCenter.org and clicking the Register button.  Search for Rainbow Camp under Day Camps.

Secure the early bird rate by registering before July 18.

Rainbow Camp is a whole lot of fun in the sun – come join the party. Click here for a flyer.

Rainbow Camp Registration Deadline is July 26!

The 5th Annual Rainbow Camp will be held at DuBois Center on Saturday, Aug 10.  It’s a full day of fun in community, where everyone is recognized as a whole child of God. Anyone can attend, regardless of denomination, and all ages are welcome. Rainbow Camp is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer singles, couples and families. Straight allies are welcome, too!

See the informational flyer for more details. To register online, click here.

Rainbow Camp Celebrates Diversity

Campers ages 2 to seventy came to Rainbow Camp this year, and all had a great time. The fourth incarnation of this annual event set a new record for participants and included all the classic camp activities, like canoeing, fishing, archery and horseback riding. There was a special presentation by Master Naturalist Kathleen Gaare-Wiese on amphibians and reptiles, which was followed by making toad houses during craft time. Another special activity this year was a nature hike led by Marty Kemper, DuBois volunteer and also a Master Naturalist. Marty shared his vast knowledge of the plant and animal life at camp during the hike, including finding a tiny, rare orchid.
It’s hard to capture what Rainbow Camp means to participants, but one high school camper put it this way, “You often think you have to be OR. You’re either LGBT or you’re Christian. Here you can be AND. You can be both.”
When participants spoke at the closing circle about what they got from the day, words like community, love, authentic, family, understanding, and peace all freely bubbled up. This camp is a special place where everyone can be their authentic selves and all are seen as children of God.
Rainbow Camp is for LGBTQ singles, couples and families, as well as straight allies. It will be held again next August at DuBois Center.

4th annual Rainbow Camp – Registration Open

Rainbow Camp is a day filed with activities and fun, where everyone is recognized as a child of God.  Come play in the water, take aim with archery, try your hand at crafts, or just take in the outdoors from horseback or pontoon. We have activities for all ages. We will gather on Sat, Aug 18 from 9 am to 7 pm, at DuBois Center. Rainbow Camp is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer singles, couples and families. Straight allies are welcome too.

If there are at least 15 people interested, we can stay Friday night as a group at Hickory Lodge. If you want to register for just the day, select Rainbow Camp.  If you want to stay Friday night and attend camp the next day, select Rainbow Camp Overnight. Register now to get the early bird rates. See this flyer for more details. Click here if you’re ready to register. Got questions?  Contact ISC Pride at iscpride@iscucc.org.

Registration for Rainbow Camp is Open

Rainbow Camp is a day filed with activities and fun, where everyone is recognized as a child of God. Come play in the water, take aim with archery, try your hand at crafts, or just take in the outdoors from horseback or pontoon. We have activities for all ages.

We will gather on Sat, Aug 18 from 9 am to 7 pm, at DuBois Center. Rainbow Camp is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer singles, couples and families. Straight allies are welcome too. If there are at least 15 people interested, we can stay Friday night as a group at Hickory Lodge. During registration, you have the option to select “Rainbow Camp” for the day camp option or “Rainbow Camp Overnight” to stay the night.

Register now to get the early bird rates. See this flyer for more details. Click here if you’re ready to register. Got questions? Contact ISC Pride at iscpride@iscucc.org.

Registration for the 4th Annual Rainbow Camp Is Open!

Rainbow Camp is a day filed with activities and fun, where everyone is recognized as a child of God. Come play in the water, take aim with archery, try your hand at crafts, or just take in the outdoors from horseback or pontoon. We have activities for all ages. We will gather on Sat, Aug 18 from 9 am to 7 pm, at DuBois Center. Rainbow Camp is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer singles, couples and families. Straight allies are welcome too.

If there are at least 15 people interested, we can stay Friday night as a group at Hickory Lodge. If you want to register for just the day, select Rainbow Camp. If you want to stay Friday night and attend camp the next day, select Rainbow Camp Overnight. Register now to get the early bird rates. See this flier for more details. Click here if you’re ready to register. Got questions?  Contact ISC Pride at iscpride@iscucc.org.

Rainbow Camp

Wednesday, July 2 – Thursday, July 3, 2025
Come celebrate Pride in the Woods!

Join us on Thursday for Rainbow Camp, or come earlier for Rainbow Camp Plus!

  • Wednesday Night: Enjoy a meal, evening social time, and campfire with s’mores. We’ll also have optional late-night stargazing.
  • Thursday: Rainbow Camp is a day of outdoor fun with water games, canoeing, fishing, optional horseback riding, archery, crafts, pontoon rides, and more. We finish the day with a great dinner as the sun sets over the lake.

Rainbow Camp was started for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer students, singles, couples and families. Allies are always welcome, too.

Registration opens soon!2022 Rainbow Camp Group Photo

  • Cost for Wednesday & Thursday:
    • Adult = $120
    • Ages 12-17 = $100
    • 11 & Under = $75
  • Cost for Thursday Only:
    • Adult = $80
    • Ages 12-17 = $65
    • 11 & Under = $45

*Optional horseback riding:

  • Trail Ride (1 hour) = $25
  • Arena Ride (30 minutes) = $20

UCC Church Scholarships!

Many United Church of Christ congregations in the Illinois South Conference offer to pay a portion of the camp fee for their members.  Check with your church!

Financial Assistance

There are several financial assistance options available. First, we recommend checking with your church. Many UCC congregations pay a portion of the camp fee for their members. If church assistance is not available, or more support is needed, call DuBois Center Registration at 618.357.1809.