ADOPT summer camp brings kids, animals closer together
When Miranda and Madison Beja and Alyssa Hopping return to school this fall, they’ll have plenty to tell their friends about how they spent their summer vacation.
Miranda, Madison and Alyssa soon will spend a week at one of the summer day camps sponsored by Naperville-based Animals Deserving of Proper Treatment.
Mom Heather Beja says the ADOPT camp is the “first thing they ask for every year.” And mom Robyn Hopping says she would recommend the camp to friends.
In its second summer, Camp Paws and Claws is a “fun-filled, animal-themed summer camp for kids,” according to the ADOPT website.
“We’re trying to actively involve kids in the shelter,” said volunteer Donna Picard, who serves as humane education coordinator. “We realize the future of animal welfare is in the children. We need to teach kids kindness, compassion and respect for animals.”
Picard, who also coordinates children’s birthday parties at the shelter, says the camps emphasize interacting with the animals, learning about responsible pet ownership and giving back to one’s community.
“We’re trying to do our part to educate,” Picard said. “It’s a fun time. We try to involve them in activities, reading and crafts. We try to provide a variety of experiences.”
Miranda, soon to be an eighth-grader, enjoys the camp.
“We get to learn about the animals and how to take care of them,” Miranda said. “We make a lot of crafts. One day we made treats for the animals.”
Miranda’s mom says her older daughter “has tossed around the idea of being a veterinarian.”
“She’s like the ‘dog and cat whisperer’ with animals,” Beja said. “They just love her.”
Miranda agrees.
“I love taking care of animals and helping them feel better,” she said. “I try to help my dogs and cats when they’re sick.”
Alyssa, too, says she loves “hanging out with the dogs and the cats.” And when she gets older, she “wants to volunteer at ADOPT.”
Picard said that because the maximum participants in a session is 15, the counselors can break kids into small groups and do lots of hands-on activities and visuals.
“We need to teach kids in a really fun way so they understand the real issues in animal welfare,” she said, “because 20 years from now, it’s going to be up to them.”
One such issue, Picard said, is the lifelong commitment of responsible pet ownership — providing food, water, training and medical care — so fewer animals end up in shelters.
“We usually get to go to the operating room,” Alyssa said. “They’ve shown us worms (that can be found in sick dogs). I was the only girl who said, ‘Oh, that’s so cool.’”
In addition, camp counselors emphasize topics like the importance of spaying/neutering and the need for volunteerism.
Miranda and Madison’s mother especially appreciates the session “Lending a Hand,” which stresses giving back to the community.
“I want the girls to grow up and say, ‘This is what you do in life,’” Beja said. “‘You don’t just sit around in front of the TV or video games. You do something with your life; you’re involved. You’re giving back to the community that you’re living in.’”
Animals are a big part of both the Beja and the Hopping families. The Bejas have four dogs, two cats and one fish; the Hoppings have two dogs. Both families have adopted pets from ADOPT.
“I could have 20 dogs running around my house and it wouldn’t bother me,” Beja said.
Picard says the ultimate goal is to expand the program with time and resources.
“We want kids to want to come to the shelter,” she said. “We want kids to learn about what we do, the animals we help, and how they can make a difference … because, you know, kids can make a difference.”
Ÿ Linda Kane is a volunteer and writer for ADOPT.
If you go
If you go
What: Camp Paws and Claws, sponsored by Animals Deserving of Proper Treatment
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays, July 25-29 or Aug. 8-12 for ages 9 to 13; Aug. 1-5 for ages 5 to 8
Where: ADOPT Pet Shelter, 420 Industrial Drive, Naperville
Cost: $150 a week
Info: donnarpicard@sbcglobal.net