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The DuBois Center Herd Grows by One

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After traveling hundreds of miles, members of the DuBois Center equestrian team found a horse that seems to be a perfect fit for our program. They are excited to introduce the newest member of the DuBois Center herd – Lexi! She is a seven year-old Haflinger who stands 14 hands tall. She is shorter than many of our horses, but very sturdy, which makes her an ideal ride for a variety of campers and guests.

Volunteers spent the last two weekends working with her in preparation for summer – introducing her to the herd, riding the trails and getting her settled in the Deer Run pasture for a week with her new friends. By all accounts, Lexi is a gentle, easy-going horse who is quick to make new friends. She already seems like “just one of the herd” – which is often not the case initially for new horses.

NOTE: After recent retirements, the equestrian team is still looking for one more “perfect fit” to round out the herd. If you have any recommendations, contact Scott Kuether at sekuether21@gmail.com.

Lexi two

Join Us for Sunday Welcome Team!

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Each Sunday of our five weeks of camp, scores of UCC campers will arrive at DuBois Center eager and excited to begin their time at camp. A minimum of 12 volunteers each of these Sundays (plus summer staff) are needed to make the check-in process run smoothly! Volunteers assist with greetings, parking, the camp store, registration, health screenings, dock duty and people-moving. They arrive by 1:15 pm and are done by 4 pm.
Please consider joining our Sunday Welcome Team on one or more check-in days. Check-in days this year are June 11 and 25, and July 9, 16 and 23. You are invited to wear a church t-shirt and show your spirit. Even consider bringing a team from your church! Let us know in advance when you can help – contact the DuBois office at dcinfo@duboiscenter.org or 618-787-2202.

Summer Staff – Kalaba

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Welcome Kalaba Kapunda to the 2017 summer staff team! Originally from Kitwe, Zambia, Kalaba lived in South Africa for the last nine years and is now a student at Eden Theological Seminary. After a successful career in community development in the private and non-profit sectors, he felt a call to ordained ministry. That call led him to study for his Masters of Divinity at Eden.
Back home, Kalaba was actively involved in his home church – Jerusalem United Methodist Church. Through his church and other organizations, he has facilitated youth groups, served as a soccer coach and worked as the youth choir director at an orphanage. Kalaba also did a short stint as a high school teacher – one of the options for mandatory government service. He is the father of his three young sons (seven, four and two years old). His family will be joining him at Eden in the fall.
In his free time, Kalaba enjoys sports, particularly soccer and volleyball. He also enjoys walking, being outside, participating in community work, singing and reading. Kalaba likes all kinds of food, but especially Pap – a favorite from South Africa, fish, rice, goat meat and vegetables. Kalaba is excited to exchange ideas and explore diversity with the campers and staff while at DuBois Center this summer. He believes “diversity can help us respect and celebrate our lives.” He is looking forward to building a team, meeting new friends, and playing together “in an attempt to create understanding, trust, and respect.”

There’s Still Time to Sign Up for Horse Camp!

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Our Horse Camps are filling quickly, but there are still great options for most age groups. Some mornings, it’s up and at ’em long before chow time – the horses need to be fed and groomed before breakfast. Some evenings, it’s untacking, feeding and barn chores before evening games. As long as the weather allows, horse campers have the option to ride each day! They spend more time with the ponies, but still have time for other camp favorites such as swimming, 9-Square and crafts. Younger campers can hop aboard the Pony Express for an introduction to horse camp. Older campers can choose from a variety of sessions.
Ready to register online? Click here. For more information, check out the camp brochure online or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202 to have one sent to you.
PONY EXPRESS (completed grades 4-5) July 23-26
HORSIN’ AROUND (completed grades 5-7) June 11-16; July 9-14; July 16-21
SADDLE ‘EM UP (completed grades 7-9) June 25-30 – FULL; July 16-21
WRANGLERS (completed grades 8-12) – June 18-23

2017 Theme – Do it for the Vine

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In the story of the vine and the branches, we learn that we have two responsibilities: staying connected to the vine and bearing fruit. Join us this summer as we discover ways to do both! With daily scriptures to guide us, we will explore the vineyard and ways to experience God’s love as we grow as branches. We’ll practice seeing with our hearts, listening for God and reconnecting with Jesus, ourselves and friends at camp. It will be a grand adventure, grounded by deep roots and braced by our strong vine – Jesus Christ.

High School Week

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Older youth (completed grades 8-12) take over the Rustic Village June 18-23. Two great options – Wrangler and X-Plore! Highlights of the week include great experiences with your family group, meaningful worship and study times, and choice activities to customize your week.

High School Week 2

Choice activities are a great way to spend time doing things you love – or maybe discovering a new passion – while making new friends or hanging out with old friends in other family groups. Opt to climb a tree, ride horseback in “the bottoms,” get super crafty, fish at Deer Run or get “sporty” with International staff. Adventure Tree is back! Meals on Rustic are back! In fact, this year most meals during this week will be served in the Rustic Village – less walking, more community time!

 

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 – sessions are filling quickly.

 

Camps for Youth – Grades 5 – 9

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Our campers that have completed grades 5 – 9 for the 2017 summer season have a variety of choices when it comes to choosing a camp. Whether your camper prefers the Main Camp cottages or the Rustic Village cabins, there are great options throughout the summer on both sides of the lake.
Explore the marvels of God’s creation through a scientific lens or hang out with the ponies. Make a big splash, enjoy a “classic” camp or try roughin’ it. For this age group, individual choice times are a popular addition to the line-up. For details, pick up a 2017 camp brochure in your church office, click here for the online version or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202. To register today, click here. Don’t delay; some sessions are nearly full!
 
Here is a list of all camps for this age group:
Horsin’ Around (Grades 5-7) – 6/11-16, 7/9-14, 7/16-21
Splash! (Grades 5-7) – 7/23-26
Base Camp Unleashed (Grades 5-8) – 7/9-14
Trekkin’ It (Grades 5-8) – 6/11-16, 7/16-21
Outlander (Grades 6-9) – 6/25-30, 7/9-14
Outpost Lab (Grades 6-9) – 7/9-14
Saddle ‘Em Up (Grades 7-9) – 6/25-30, 7/16-21

Summer Staff – Olivia

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Welcome Olivia Cruthis to DuBois Center’s 2017 summer staff team! Olivia is an avid swimmer, lifeguard and horse lover – all helpful traits when serving as a Counselor /Activity Specialist. She is from Lebanon, Illinois and is a DuBois Center veteran, attending summer camp for nine years, including our CIT – Counselor in Training program in 2014. Last summer, Olivia returned to volunteer as a camp counselor.

A student at Illinois College, she is majoring in secondary English education, with a music and theatre minor. She is also on the swimming and diving teams there. Olivia loves gymnastics, reading, artistic endeavors and Mexican food. It’s not unusual to find her singing (perhaps even screaming) and dancing to Disney tunes in her dorm room.

An active member of St. John UCC in Mascoutah, Olivia credits Rachael Berth, Minister of Youth and Christian Education, with nurturing her on her faith journey. “[She] has inspired me since she walked into my life when I was a freshman in high school; we were in the church choir together. She has helped me strengthen my relationship with God as well as help me find who I truly am.”

Olivia can’t wait to spend the summer “praising God with all the kids and staff.” She applied for the position because she loved camp so much as a kid, and as she got older, she saw the impact that the DuBois staff had on the campers and she wanted “to be a part of this amazing group of people.”

Fun Facts: Crawdads

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Crawdads, Crawfish, Crayfish, Mudbugs…whatever you call them, they’re all over the grounds at DuBois Center! You might spot one of their stacked mud towers down by the creek, in a horse pasture, or even in the middle of grassy areas near the lake. Next time you go for a creek walk, tread lightly and observe – our resident creek lobsters are not hard to find. Just like humans, they are more active in the spring. If you’re lucky, you might see one swimming (backwards!) or even catch one!

In honor of these curious crustaceans, enjoy these fun facts:

  • Crayfish are relatives of lobster, shrimp, crab, krill and barnacles.
  • They lay about 800 eggs at one time.
  • Crayfish have eight pairs of legs; four are used for walking and four are used for swimming.
  • Crayfish limbs can regenerate.
  • Their eyes move independently of each other.
  • In captivity, Crayfish live on average 2 years, but in the wild they have been known to live up to 30 years.

Crawdads 2

CANCELED – Sunday Funday – April 30

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Update on 4/28/17: We are sad to announce that this Sunday Funday has been canceled due to forecasted inclement weather. We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope to see you soon! If you were interested in camp orientation, please contact the office at 618.787.2202.

If you missed our first Sunday Funday this year, we have a second one coming up on April 30, 2017. If you or your potential future camper have never been to DuBois Center, Sunday Fundays are a great introduction. 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! There are even orientations for perspective summer campers and their parents. See below for a schedule of events.

A yummy, reasonably-priced meal will be available – but optional. Meal costs are listed below. We’re planning to serve pork steaks with “think summer” picnic trimmings and a salad bar. A vegetarian alternative will be available as well. You are also welcome to bring a picnic instead or pick up something on the way. Meal reservations are due by noon on Monday, April 24 – that’s one week away!

View our 2017 Sunday Funday flyer to share and post. 

Sunday Fundays 1Schedule:     

Meal: Noon – 2 p.m.

Activities: 12:30-3:00 p.m.

Summer Camp Orientation: 2:30-3:30 p.m.

(Optional) Meal Costs: 

Adults (ages 13+): $11.00

Children (ages 5 – 12): $6.50

Ages 4 and under: Free