PA Wilds Champion Award nominations due by April 6

The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc. (PA Wilds Center) is pleased to announce that DuBois Country Club in DuBois, Clearfield County, will be the location for the 2026 PA Wilds Dinner & Awards. Planned for Thursday, July 30, this special event is the premier networking opportunity in the Pennsylvania Wilds. The theme for this year’s event is “The Power of Partnerships.”

Located along the I-80 Frontier landscape within the Pennsylvania Wilds region, the DuBois Country Club served as the venue for the annual PA Wilds Dinner in 2017 and 2019. The nonprofit will return to the venue for 2026, using its spacious facilities and convenient location as the backdrop for the night’s celebration.

“It has been several years since our event was held at the DuBois Country Club, and we are excited to return to this beautiful venue. The space offers plenty of room and a stunning view of the nearby lake and golf course,” said Abbi Peters, COO of the PA Wilds Center. “We move the event’s location around the 13-county PA Wilds region each year, and Clearfield County’s central spot within our region makes it easy for folks from both eastern and western sides of the PA Wilds to attend, as well as state partners from Harrisburg. The DuBois Country Club’s convenient location near Interstate 80 also allows quick access to some of our region’s key assets.”

Held by PA Wilds Center and the PA Wilds Planning Team, the dinner provides a chance to recognize winners of the Champions of the PA Wilds Awards and get an update on the effort to grow the region’s outdoor recreation economy. The Champion Awards celebrate individuals, organizations, communities and businesses that are making a positive impact in the PA Wilds region by helping to grow and sustainably develop the outdoor recreation economy and nature tourism in the PA Wilds. Their efforts help create jobs, diversify local economies, inspire stewardship and improve quality of life.

The nomination period is still open for the PA Wilds Champion Awards. There are nine award categories open for public nomination at www.PAWildsCenter.org/nominate. Nominations made by end of day April 6 will be considered for this year’s awards.

ABOUT THE VENUE

The DuBois Country Club offers premier, modern banquet facilities. Its ballroom provides plenty of room for the typical 200 guests at the PA Wilds Dinner to mingle and relax.

Hundreds of events have been held over the years at the DuBois Country Club, including weddings, receptions, reunions, anniversaries, holiday parties, sports banquets, and golf tournaments. The venue’s ballroom features a one-of-a-kind view of the country’s club 18-hole golf course. “We’re proud to host this prestigious event, and we know that attendees will enjoy their time in DuBois,” said Kyra Gray, Director of Sales & Events at the DuBois Country Club. “We encourage everyone to spend the day exploring the area prior to the event or extend the experience by staying overnight at the Comfort Suites, conveniently attached to the conference center. Grab lunch at The Tannery, our delicious on-site restaurant, or enjoy a round of golf with your colleagues.”

The DuBois Country Club offers on-site hotel lodging at the award-winning Comfort Suites, located directly next door to the venue space.

During an open call for venue hosts, DuBois Country Club submitted a proposal to host the 2026 dinner at the renovated space. A member of the PA Wilds Cooperative network, DuBois Country Club was selected as a fitting location for the dinner and ceremony to be held this year for several reasons.

NOMINATE A CHAMPION BY APRIL 6

Nominations are still being accepted for 2026 Champion of the PA Wild Awards, which include Artisan of the Year, Best Brand Ambassador, Business of the Year, Conservation Stewardship, Event of the Year, Great Design, Great Places, Inspiring Youth, and Outstanding Leader Awards. Nominations for these awards can be made at PAWildsCenter.org/nominate.

The deadline for 2026 award nominations is April 6, 2026. Award winners will be announced by early June.

Learn more at PAWildsCenter.org/programs-and-services/awards-dinner.

ABOUT THE PA WILDS

The Pennsylvania Wilds is a 13-county region that includes the counties of Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren, and northern Centre. The PA Wilds is home to the greatest concentration of public lands in the Commonwealth. The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that inspires the communities of the Pennsylvania Wilds. Based in the region, the Center is the lead nonprofit for the PA Wilds Conservation Landscape effort, a 15+year collaborative effort by local, state and federal partners to establish the region as a premier outdoor recreation destination as a way to diversify local economies, attract investment, inspire stewardship, improve quality of life and attract and retain the region’s working-age population. PA Wilds Center works closely with PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Department of Community and Economic Development, the region’s county governments, and other investors in the regional strategy.

For more information on the PA Wilds Center and the Wilds Cooperative, visit www.PAWildsCenter.org. Explore the PA Wilds and find locally made products at www.PAWilds.com.