Our Chicago Area
Monthly Gatherings are open to the public.
There is no Monthly Gathering this month. Instead we encourage everyone to
join us at the Funway Ultimate Entertainment Center in Batavia.
The March Funway Outing will be held at Funway located at 1335 S. River St. in Batavia.
The gatherings are held each month, except for months (like this month) when we offer special CAM events (see schedule) and every November.
Check this site to ensure you’re heading to the correct venue.
Members can also check
Chicago Mensa Meetup
or the latest issue of ChiMe. The website will supersede information in ChiMe should there be a discrepancy.
The March Business Meeting was held virtually at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, March 12th.
Typical Monthly Gathering
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Special Deal Offered by Mensa
FREE PRIOR EVIDENCE REVIEW IN MARCH Get your scores evaluated and become a member through March 31, 2025 for $79!
Through the end of March, you can submit your score from any of 200+ IQ tests that American Mensa accepts for admission.
For details, visit here.
5:00 PM
Mensa Admissions Test
(for anyone who wishes to become a member) —
Preregister
to reserve a space for this session or for a different
test location/date.
Walk-ins are welcome but you cannot be late; it’s best to
contact the test coördinator in case the session is cancelled.
To see if any of your past tests (ACT, SAT, LSAT…) qualify for membership, see
which tests qualify.
Or arrange for an approved private test.
If there is a spike in Covid cases, the in-person MG may become virtual & testing may be cancelled!!
5:00 PM 7:30 PM on Tuesday, March 12th.
Business Meeting —
Our five elected ExComm members and any other interested members discuss
various topics and issues. Members are welcome to attend and voice their opinions, but only the
Executive Committee can vote.
This month’s BM was held virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, March 12th at 7:30 PM!!
6:00 PM
Games Room opens
for any early-arrivers and game enthusiasts.
At recent gatherings, members have played their favorite games such as
Chess, Scrabble, Set, and Boggle, as well as current hit games.
Our game collection is pretty extensive,
so if you have a favorite, there’s a fair chance we’ll have it on
hand. Here’s the
list of our entire collection (minus a couple of oldies for which the Geek has no entry) over on
Board Game Geek,
although not all games are conveyed to every
Monthly Gathering (there are just too many).
Contact our Game Warden
to ensure a specific one is available.
7:30 PM
Speaker Presentation —
The gathering usually begins with announcements from our Local Secretary (LocSec),
followed by a guest who speaks on an interesting topic for about an hour.
8:30 PM until midnight
Refreshments, Socializing, and Games —
After the speaker presentation,
our hospitality volunteers provide an assortment of party food and
beverages, and people browse and mingle. Conversation and games
continue into the night.
Pet Policy
Pets are not allowed in any group event areas at Chicago
Area Mensa sponsored events, with the exception as laid out
by the Americans with Disabilities Act. This exception is
listed below.
Service animals, as defined by Title II and Title III of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, are always allowed in any
Chicago Area Mensa sponsored event. The handler is responsible
for the care and supervision of the animal, including cleaning
up after the animal. The ADA guidelines on Service Animals
should be used if questions arise.
Events held in private homes are exempt from this policy.
The majority of the people start arriving around 7 PM.
Usually, about 60-100 people attend the Monthly Gathering. If you
prefer a smaller group, try
one of our many restaurant gatherings hosted at various
locations throughout the metropolitan area. Check out the latest monthly calendar
of events for dates, or, for more information, contact the
Membership Chair.
Babysitting
is no longer available unless we get
some volunteers willing to do so or to arrange it. If interested, contact our LocSec .
In the meantime, we encourage parents
and kids to hang out together in a separate room where
the children can play together under their parents’ supervision.
Also please contact our Gifted Youth Coördinators ,
who may be restarting the Gifted Youth MG activity held
in conjunction with the regular MG.
Code of Conduct
Chicago Area Mensa is a safe and inclusive in-person and on-line community for CAM members and guests
regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical
appearance, race, ethnicity, age or religion.
Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated. Unacceptable physical, written, or verbal behavior
includes, but is not limited to: intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or
demeaning conduct.
Please be aware that the other members are real people; gossip and negativity negatively impact the
group as a whole. Controversial topics are part of Mensa; that is not license to be tiresome or exhibit
a belief that everyone else is wrong. Assume good intentions. If your interactions frequently turn
negative, please consider self-reflection.
CAM encourages members to report any illegal activity to the proper authorities. CAM’s response
to unacceptable behavior is not dependent on the involvement of outside authorities.
Consequences can include being removed from an event, denial of access to future events and/or CAM on-line
communities, and referral to a regional or national hearing.
If you encounter inappropriate behavior, please immediately report it to the event host, a
CAM ExComm member, or the
CAM Ombudsperson.
Fees
Admission Fees *
Ages
18-∞
8-17
Members
$10.00 ‡
$5.00 ‡
Guests
$12.00
$7.00
Check-in starts at 7 PM. CAM is now accepting major credit cards at the MGs.
* Children under the age of 8 are free provided they under the supervision of an adult attending the gathering.
Venue Info for
Instead of the usual
Monthly Gathering on a Saturday,
join us at the Ultimate Entertainment Center,
at 2 PM on Sunday, March 24th.
The complex is located at
1335 S. River St. in Batavia
(on the west side of River St. (Rt. 25), about 2¼ miles north of Butterfield Rd. (Rt. 56), and east of the Fox River).
We have a party room reserved.
Find out more details, including all the available fun indoor activities, by visiting our Funway Outing webpage.
Funway building
Parking is plentiful and free.
There’s a large parking lot in front the
Ultimate Entertainment Center (west side of S. River St.).
The entire complex is just east of the Fox River and about 2¼ miles north of Butterfield Rd. (Rt. 56).
The Saturday, April 27thMonthly Gathering will be held at the Rolling Meadows Community Center
at 3705 Pheasant Drive in Rolling Meadows.
The Community Center is located just east of IL-53, just north of the Algonquin exit,
and south of the IL-53 Euclid exit.
April is also when Chicago Area Mensa members can vote for the
Executive Committee. You can vote in-person at the Monthly Gathering.
For other voting options and all the details, visit our Election webpage.
We will have games and hospitality in their spacious auditorium (straight back when you enter)
with overflow space in the lobby.
The speaker event will be in the Card Room (when you enter, to the right via the hallway, past the restrooms).
There will be a Parents-Kids Play Room available.
Rolling Meadows Community Center
Parking is plentiful and free behind the building. The NW lot is closest to Entrance K, located near the inner corner of building.
Please note that we have this venue only until midnight — plan accordingly.
Heading north on IL-53 north through the Northwest Suburbs, look for the Kirchoff Road exit.
Exit right (east) onto Kirchoff Road.
Continue east on Kirchoff Road for ~1 mile to Meadow Drive.
Turn south (right) onto Meadow Drive.
Continue south on Meadow Drive for two blocks to Martin Lane.
Turn west (right) onto Martin Lane.
Continue west on Martin Lane as it curves south into Pheasant Drive.
Continue south on Pheasant Drive to the Community
Center which is on the west (right) side of Pheasant Drive.
Pull into the first (northern-most) driveway (white dotted line on detail map)
and head for the rear lot.
Park near Entrance K (see photo above; northwest inner corner slightly taller with an array of 4×3 windows just to the right).
Exit at the Euclid Ave East exit.
Continue east on Euclid Avenue a short distance to Rohlwing Road.
Turn south (right) onto Rohlwing Road and continue south for a ½ mile to Kirchoff Road.
Turn east (left) onto Kirchoff Road and continue east for 0.7 miles to Meadow Drive.
Turn south (right) onto Meadow Drive and continue south for a ½ mile to Grouse Lane.
Turn west (right) onto Grouse Lane and continue for 0.2 miles to Pheasant Drive.
Turn north (right) onto Pheasant Drive and continue northwest for 295 ft. to the Community
Center which is on the west side (left) of Pheasant Drive.
Pull into the last (northern-most) driveway (white dotted line on detail map)
and head for the rear lot.
Park near Entrance K (see photo above; northwest inner corner slightly taller with an array of 4×3 windows just to the right).
Attention, city-dwelling Chicago Area Ms! Until further notice, you can request taxi service
or get reimbursed for the use of a ride sharing service
like or Uber
for our suburban Monthly Gatherings, between the closest Metra station and the meeting
site with prior approval from
GenRep Michael three days prior to the MG.
The best location and time is the
Arlington Park station
at 6:30 PM
(Union Pacific–Northwest line
— it leaves
Ogilvie Station at 5:40 PM).
You should then plan to leave the Park District building by 10 PM to return you to the Arlington
Park station for the 10:29 PM train, which is the
final train
of the evening.
Use of any of these services must be requested in advance by emailing
GenRep Michael three days prior to the MG.
Note: CAM will cover the cost of the taxi, , or Uber
but you are responsible for your own train ticket.
Double check the Metra Train schedule which may have changed.
On Saturday, June 15th, instead of the usual
Monthly Gathering,
join us at the Annual Picnic starting at 11 AM held
at Salt Creek Park located at
574 W. Second St. in Elmhurst
(just west of Kingery Hwy. (IL-83), south of North Ave. (IL-64),
east of N. York St., and north of St. Charles Rd.).
Find out more details and sign up in advance on our Picnic Info webpage,
so our Picnic Chairs know how much food to have on
hand, although they will bring extra for any last minute attendees. The grills will
shut down at 2 PM, so if you want hot food, show up before then.
Salt Creek Park Facilities
Parking is plentiful and free. The lot nearest the pavilion is at the west
end of the park along the east side of Kingery Hwy. (IL-83).
If coming from the south on northbound IL-83, turn right (E) onto
W. Second St. and turn right (S) again into the parking lot.
If on east- or westbound W. North Ave. (IL-64), turn south onto
West Ave. at the stop light (Bethel Assembly of God
Church is on the SW corner) (located east of of Kingery Hwy. (IL-83)).
Continue south to W. Second St. on your right.
Turn right (W) onto Second St. Drive past most of the park until you see the
gravel entrance to the parking lot to your left (S), just before
Kingery Hwy. (IL-83).
If on east- or westbound St. Charles Rd., turn north onto S. West Ave.
at the stoplight by the Kohl’s on the NW corner.
Continue north on West Ave. to W. Second St. on your left (W). Turn left
onto Second St. Drive past most of the park until you see the
gravel entrance to the parking lot to your left (S), just before
Kingery Hwy. (IL-83).
There is no Monthly Gathering in October nor in November. Instead, CAM hosts
HalloweeM,
the largest Regional Gathering (RG) in the country.
It's a wonderful, fun, and informative event that runs
Thursday, October 31st through
Sunday, November 3rd.
Expect games, dances, programs, costume parades, and excursions.
Our great RG
will be held at the Westin-Chicago North Shore Hotel at
601 North Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling.
The hotel is located on the east side of Milwaukee and the main entrance is at the
intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and Wolf Road (just south of Lake-Cook and
north of Dundee Road).
The rooms facing east enjoy a great view of the Forest Preserves.
The hotel is located just west of the Des Plaines River and is steps away from the
Des Plaines River Trail leading into the Potawatomi Woods Forest Preserve.
There’s also a pool and workout equipment.
There’s plenty of free parking both on the north and the south side
of the hotel. The south lot is closer to the meeting rooms.
The hotel offers a shuttle service from the nearby
METRA stations .
Please call them well in advance to arrange a pickup given staff shortages have increased wait times.
Otherwise use one of the ridesharing services like
or Uber .
The test is administered at 5 PM at every Monthly Gathering. Walk-ins are welcome, but you cannot be late.
Get more information about taking a
proctored test to join Mensa
including preregistering to guarantee a spot or to view different dates and locations. You must preregister at certain sites and to take advantage of some special offers from
American Mensa but we recommended you do so regardless.
Or check out if any of the tests you’ve taken in the past (ACT, SAT, LSAT…) can be used as prior evidence to
qualify to join — during March, a $79 fee includes both a free evaluation of these past tests and dues through March 31, 2025.
Or arrange for an approved private test.
If there is a spike in Covid cases, the in-person MG may become virtual & testing may be cancelled!!