Kid – focused! Faith-filled! Safety-conscious! Young at heart! If these characteristics describe you, please consider sharing your gifts and talents at DuBois Center this summer. Volunteer cabin counselors work hand in hand with summer staff members to guide small groups of campers. In doing so, they touch lives and make a real difference. We are currently recruiting volunteer counselors for three and six-day sessions.
Contact the DuBois Center office at 618-787-2202 or dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org.
It was a soggy Earth Day, but nothing dampened the spirits of the hardworking crew that turned out for the April Service Saturday. A HUGE THANKS to volunteers from Christ UCC in Dupo, Evangelical UCC in Highland, St. Jacob UCC and St. Paul UCC in Waterloo.
Painting projects ranged from fence boards and picnic table seats to cottage bathrooms. Grimy chairs were deep cleaned, drop ceiling tiles replaced, and new fascia installed on some of the rustic cabins. This down and dirty work makes a significant difference! We are thankful for the new friends and their gifts of time and talent.
On this Saturday, April 22, St. John United Church of Christ in Mascoutah will host their 38th Annual Quilt Show. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 200+ quilts will be displayed, and activities including Bed Turning and Quilting Demonstrations will take place throughout the day. Items for sale will include baby quilts, queen size quilts and hand crafted items.
There will also be a raffle prize drawing for a youth quilt with a “Secret Life of Pets” theme (pictured). All proceeds will be donated to DuBois Center. Raffle tickets will be available at the quilt show for $1 each or six for $5. Admission to the show is $3.00 and lunch and baked goods will be available.
For more information, contact Kay Ostrom at 618-556-8776 or ostromdk@charter.net. The church’s address is 55 West Church Street, Mascoutah, IL 62258.
Youth and adults from across the Illinois South Conference have put their hands, hearts and backs into a variety of projects at DuBois Center this spring. Cords of wood have been split and stacked; the water is back on in many of the rustic areas of camp, and benches have been moved out of winter storage. The patio on Oak Lodge is now much cleaner and Phase 1 of the swim area renovation is complete. The aging docks in the swim area have been removed and dismantled and the area prepped for Phase 2. In addition, work has begun on the bathrooms in Woodside; they’re getting a facelift.
A special thanks to the workers from our Father-Son Retreat, Grantfork UCC, St. John UCC – Trenton, St. Paul – Columbia, St. Paul UCC – Nashville, Zoar UCC – New Hanover. Rev Bev Kahle stacked wood with the Nashville confirmands and Rev RJ Morgan coordinated both the dock and bathroom projects.
Don’t worry, we still have plenty of projects for those looking to come out for our next Service Saturday on Earth Day – that’s this Saturday, April 22. Please RSVP to the DuBois Center office if you plan on coming so we know how many to expect.
April 22 is Earth Day! What better way to celebrate than with a Service Saturday at DuBois Center? Get outside with family and friends and help prepare this sacred space to welcome hundreds of campers and guests this spring and summer. Paint, prune, build, rake, clean, stack; there will be projects for volunteers of varied ages and abilities. If you or your group has a special skill, let us know ahead of time and we can plan a project for you!
We’ll gather between 8:30 am and 8:45 am, and finish up around 4 p.m. Lunch is provided. Because we try to plan projects based on the specialized skills our volunteers bring, please RSVP by Monday, April 17. To register, please use this form, call 618-787-2202, or email us at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org. Supplies for general projects will be provided, but if you have specialized or professional tools/ equipment, please bring them along! See the Service Saturday flyer for more information.
Remember – if this date doesn’t work for you or your group, call the office to schedule your own work day (or even a work week or part-week!). Work days can also be scheduled as part of a larger retreat.
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.
Volunteer health care professionals are a key component of our ministry. Camp nurses tend to a variety of ailments – everything from fevers and sprains to ticks and rashes. They provide special attention when a camper needs a little extra TLC or just a break from the action. Their’s is a ministry of compassion, presence and healing.
We are currently seeking volunteer nurses for this coming summer. The nurse’s living quarters are air-conditioned, and there is often time to sit back and read a good book, take a hike or dip your toes in the lake. For more information about this ministry opportunity, contact Shirley at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.
The DuBois on Broadway Gala 2.0, which takes place on May 12, will feature Broadway-style performances, a full meal and an auction. All proceeds will go to DuBois Center.
An evening like this, however, can’t happen without help! The team is looking for volunteers, stage performers, sponsors and auction donations. There are a variety of volunteer positions open, as well as sponsorship opportunities. Additional sponsorship information will be posted next week.
Auction donations may include those for the silent auction or the oral auction. Ideas for items for the silent auction include gift cards, kitchen items, crafts, tickets, theme baskets and more. Oral auction ideas include getaway weekends, sporting event tickets, sports apparel, autographed items, antiques, artwork and anything else that may attract bidders.
For additional auction ideas, or to sign up to be a volunteer, fill out and return this flyer by April 28 via the directions listed in the flyer.