UPDATE, July 10, 2014 / Greg Gordon, owner of Dog Patch Pet & Feed, was among the featured programs for the fourth day of the second session of Camp Divergent hosted by Anderson’s Bookshop at Naper Settlement. His topic was abnegation.
After dividing the 40 campers into two groups, Gordon and Maureen Cate, also from Dog Patch, introduced the campers to two 12-week old puppies, Giggles and Ted, that had been rescued by Dog Patch for adoption.
While one group played with the adorable pups, Gordon addressed the other half in the gazebo, providing insights about “abnegation” (the selfless) while engaging the campers in conversation about how they care for their pets in unselfish and giving ways.
Gordon explained how his full-service pet store has placed more than 600 dogs and cats since 2010 when he began rescuing animals from places in Chicago and A Place To Bark in Tennessee. He explained why it’s important to spay and neuter every animal before it finds a new home.
He also encouraged the campers to learn more about rescue at local shelters and to make a choice to help.
“Support shelters with a dollar,” Gordon suggested. “Or volunteer at a local shelter. Donate towels. Or stop by Dog Patch to play with our puppies to help socialize them for their new lives.”
The final session, already filled to capacity, of Camp Divergent will be held in August. Watch for news after the first of the year for the 2015 camp series hosted by Anderson’s Bookshop.
Meanwhile, check out many upcoming booksignings to meet and greet some of the nation’s best-selling writers, including writers from Naperville, too.
Greg Gordon also writes a monthly column in Positively Naperville. Find his Pet Words of Wisdom featured online.
Earlier Post & Overview of Camp Divergent
Anderson’s Bookshops are launching an exciting new summer camp/literary opportunity for students entering sixth through twelfth grades. Camp Divergent’s impetus is the incredibly popular Divergent young adult series of books by Veronica Roth-of which publisher Harper Collins reports have sold 10 million copies!
Campers will be immersed in the pages of these blockbuster books: Divergent (2011), Insurgent (2012), and Allegiant (2013).
The Divergent saga enters a dystopian Chicago where society is broken into five virtues: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Each day will focus on one the trilogy’s five “factions,” and activities will highlight related traits, bringing the books to life. The number one New York Times bestselling series has spawned a movie-filmed in Chicago-that released in March.
Camp sessions at Naper Settlement
Three weeklong sessions of day camps will take place at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St. in Naperville. Each camp day will run from 9AM to 3PM and cost $250 per attendee per week. Camp sessions are limited, and will enroll just 25 campers per week. Each camper will receive a Camp Divergent tee-shirt and faction button. Dates available include the weeks of June 9, July 7 and August 4. The camps are a partnership between Anderson’s Bookshops and Naper Settlement. (Update: All three sessions of the literary camp sold out for 2014.)
The camps have been a longtime dream of Anderson’s co-owner Becky Anderson. “Our aim is to place young readers in the world of Divergent, and thereby boost the impact of reading,” says Anderson. “We cannot allow summer to pull young readers away from books. We want to enhance the experience and dig in, and add fun, creativity, adventure, and friendship to the mix.”
In making the camps a reality, Anderson praises Naper Settlement. Camp Naper hosts several engaging and fun summer camps for young students, catering to many interests from art, science, and history. Learn more about the 2014 session schedule, visit www.napersettlement.com.
“Our friends at the Settlement have been extremely generous and cooperative about hosting something brand new for our community,” Anderson notes. “We can’t wait to get underway with this exciting programming.”
Camp Divergent Registration / Filled for 2014
How to Participate in Camp Divergent: Simply visit www.andersonsbookshop.com and find our Camp Divergent tab. That is the spot to pull up our camp registration form. Print it out, and return it to Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave.
For more information about Anderson’s Camp Divergent Summer Literary Camp, contact Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville at (630) 355-2665 or Downers Grove at (630) 963-2665. For nearly 50 years, Anderson’s Bookshops have specialized in book sales, author events, book signings, and building a sense of community, learning and fun. Two Doors East, Anderson’s Naperville gift shop, opened in Fall 2009. Keep updated on current literary events by visiting www.andersonsbookshop.com.
