Activities Bulletin
April 2020

1/ Wednes­day

• ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Ad­ver­tising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the May ChiMe.

• ChiMe Editorial Deadline. Last day for editorial submissions to the May ChiMe. Please submit original ar­ticles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensans would love to hear from you.

Northern Exposure

• Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner Cancelled.Please join us for dinner at Wildfire. “From the décor and jazz to the incredible service, Wildfire has the style and warmth that brings something special to experience of dining out in one of the Chicago area’s best restaurants. We offer a mouthwatering selection of steaks, chops, and seafood, along with a variety of fresh salads and sandwiches in a modern-day 1940s superclub atmosphere.” Many affordable entrées! Located at 235 Parkway Dr. in Lincolnwood. Please RSVP (no later than 10 AM) to our North Suburban Coördinator Michael B., so he can reserve a big enough table; also let him know if you need to cancel, even if it’s last minute (by text­ing), so the restaurant can change the seating and doesn’t wait until everyone shows up to take orders. You may also RSVP via Meetup.
  Event Cancelled Due to Illinois Stay-at-Home Order!!

• 

  CAM Election. This year, our Chicago Area Mensa election will be mail-in only! Please mail in your ballot. Follow the instructions to the left of the ballot exactly or your ballot will be disqualified. The candidates’ statements are in the April ChiMe as well as on our website. Please mail your completed ballot at least five business days prior to Thursday, April 30th, which is the deadline. Also, due to the Coronavirus , there have been issues getting the April ChiMe printed, so please print out the ballot even if you were expecting to get a paper version of ChiMe.
  Mail-in Ballots Only This Year!

• CultureQuest ® GOBS Deadline. If you’ve reg­istered, but have not submitted your request for GOBS funds, you still have time before the pseudo April Monthly Business Meeting. On Sunday, May 3rd, all across the country, all at the same time, teams of Mensans participate in a 90-minute-long contest of general trivia administered by American Mensa. Prizes will be award­ed to the twenty teams and one youth team with the highest scores! Submit your team registration information to American Mensa. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 31st (the day after tomorrow). CAM teams may apply for GOBS funds to cover the team registration fee. Team captains should read the GOBS instructions and fill out the online application form.

• Metropolitan Washington Mensa RG Registration. The RG will be held Friday, August 14th through Sunday, August 16th, just outside of our nation’s capital, at the Sheraton in Reston, Virginia. The theme, which was chosen prior to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, is Pandemic RG 2020 Around the World. The registration form is on their RG website or view their flyer.

2/ Thurs­day

• Downtown Lunch Cancelled. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the April ChiMe.
  Event Cancelled Due to Illinois Stay-at-Home Order!!

• Southeast Side Mensa Social (SEMinalS) Cancelled. Mensa dinner at Cocula South Chicago lo­cated at 8847 S. Commercial Ave. in Chicago. We will probably be in the back room near the windows nearest Commercial Ave. I [Ca­rol] will try to display a flag of some kind. To RSVP or for more information, contact Carol (her contact information can also be found in the April ChiMe). You may also RSVP via Meetup. RSVP recommended as event may be cancelled without notice. This event will recur on the first Thursday of the month.
  Event Cancelled Until Further Notice!!

4/ Satur­day

7/ Tues­day

• Downtown Lunch Cancelled. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the April ChiMe.
  Event Cancelled Due to Illinois Stay-at-Home Order!!

8/ Wednes­day

• 

  Pass­over begins.

10/ Fri­day

Rockford Mensans

• Rock­ford Mensa Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-area Mensans for dinner at the Olympic Tavern, lo­cated at 2327 N. Main St. in Rockford (SE corner of N. Main and Fulton Streets). To RSVP, for more information, or to get on our e‑mail list, contact Dave L., our Rockford Area Coördinator. Do not RSVP via Meetup since Dave is not a member.

Poetry SIG

• Poetry Dis­cus­sion 7:30 PM. Contact Joe D., the SIG coördinator , for the contact information of the person selecting and providing copies of the poems and of the host(s), or for general information about this SIG. Do NOT RSVP via Meetup. This event is usually held on evening of the second Friday of the month or the following Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

11/ Satur­day

• Games and Conversation Cancelled. Games at the WeissWard Home for Wayward Mensans, on Broker Rd. in Bloomingdale. We have a wide variety of card and board games. I’m hoping for a game of Wizard as well as some euchre. Bring a snack to share and your beverage of choice. Beth is making TBD for dinner (hope you like surprises). Call if you need a ride from the Medinah train station. For more information or to RSVP, contact Beth.
  Event Cancelled Due to Coro­na­virus Concerns!!

SwAG Session

• SwAG Ses­sion 4 PM. Join the South­west Area Group for its monthly, laid-back time together with food and talk of any im­ag­inable topic. We meet at Kevin’s home (aka SwAG HQ) on Windstone Dr. in Plainfield. RSVP by one week prior (Saturday, April 4th) is required. Please see the South­west Area Group Facebook page to RSVP and for information about this and other SwAG events; contact the South­west Area Coördinators to find out how to join (Kevin’s contact information is also on our website). We’ve been meeting on the second Saturday of most months. Hope to see you there!

• RSVP for Chinese on Saturdays no later than 2 PM. You may RSVP via Meetup.

  Chinese on Saturdays 6 PM. We meet at Lao Sze Chuan House, 1331 Ogden Ave. in Downers Grove. Come for good food, good conversation, and occasionally some slightly warped humor. Please RSVP by 2 PM via e‑mail, Meetup, or phone. For those using the phone or whose Meetup messaging is blocked, provide a way you can be contacted about any last-minute changes to the event. For e-mail or phone RSVPs, Walt L.’s contact information can be found on our website or in the April ChiMe. This event recurs on the 2nd Saturday of the month.

12/ Sun­day

15/ Wednes­day

• 

  Federal Tax Deadline
  Now extended 90 days until July 15th
  for both federal and Illinois!

16/ Thurs­day

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the April ChiMe.

18/ Satur­day

• Conserv­atives Lunch 11:30 AM. Join other members of the Mensan cell of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy for lunch and “secret planning” at The Patio, 2780 S. Highland Ave. in Lombard. The Patio is on the NW corner of Butterfield and Highland, but you can enter only from Highland. Look for a table with a red Meetup sign. RSVPs appreciated. Open to non-Mensans; bring a conservative friend. For more info, contact Jim Z. the event coördinator. You may also RSVP via Meetup.

• Beverly Area Saturday Salon (B.A.S.S.) ~Noon. Spontaneous conversation in far SSW Chicago, approximate vicinity of 103rd St. & Western Ave. Please contact Rick E. the Beverly Area Coördinator, for this month’s lo­ca­tion and the exact time as well as more information; if e‑mailing, put “BASS” in the subject line. Usually recurs on the 3rd Saturday of the month, about midday.

• South Bend Mensa Dinner 6 PM. Contact Gary L., the South Bend Area Coördinator of Fort Wayne, Indiana Mensa, for lo­ca­tion information. His contact information is available here on our website or in the April ChiMe. Do NOT RSVP via Meetup since Gary is not a member.

19/ Sun­day

W-Sub Sundays

• West Suburban Sundays Noon. Join us for Sunday lunch in the south­west suburbs at the Steven’s Family Restaurant at 2393 63rd St. in Woodridge. The restaurant has a large variety of breakfast, lunch, and brunch items, reasonably priced. Please call John or Betty N. or e-mail John N., the West Suburban Coördinators, by 2 PM on Saturday, April 18th and let them know if you are coming. Their contact information is also in the April ChiMe. You may also RSVP via Meetup. This event recurs on the third Sunday of the month.

20/ Mon­day

21/ Tues­day

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the April ChiMe.

22/ Wednes­day

• 

  Earth Day

• CultureQuest ® GOBS Deadline. If you’ve reg­istered, but have not submitted your request for GOBS funds, you still have time to submit it today before tomorrow’s Monthly Business Meeting. On Sunday, May 3rd, all across the country, all at the same time, teams of Mensans participate in a 90-minute-long contest of general trivia administered by American Mensa. Prizes will be award­ed to the twenty teams and one youth team with the highest scores! Submit your team registration information to American Mensa. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 31st (the day after tomorrow). CAM teams may apply for GOBS funds to cover the team registration fee. Team captains should read the GOBS instructions and fill out the online application form.

23/ Thurs­day

• CAM Business Meeting 5 PM. Due to our bylaws requirements, Chicago Area Mensa must have a business meeting in April. This meeting will be held via video teleconference using Zoom. The meeting id can be found on our website.
  Special CAM Business Meeting!!

24/ Fri­day

• 

  Arbor Day

26/ Sun­day

Ethnic Dining

• Ethnic Dining: Burmese 6 PM. Join us for a family-style dinner (BYOB) at Pa Lian Burmese Restaurant, lo­cated at 254 E. Geneva Rd. in Wheaton. The food is mild with spicy sauces. The tea leaf salad alone is a sufficient reason to come…Gailon (Chinese broccoli), baby fish, goat…and the green tea cheesecake — it’s all good. Some of the ordered dishes are vegan and the variety may be increased depending upon the number of people indicating that preference when RSVPing. More details in the April ChiMe.

  One guest may accompany each CAM member at the GOBS-subsidized cost of $20, but additional guests will be charged the full price of $40 (cash only; payable upon arrival). Reservations are required by Thursday, April 23rd; attendance is limited. Contact Carey S. directly and, for each person in your party, include 1) their full name, 2) their CAM membership status, and 3) anyone who prefers vegan-only dishes. Details are also available on Meetup (when posted) and RSVPs there require a follow-up with the required info about your party. If you don’t receive a confirmation e‑mail, try again. If you need to cancel, let Carey know ASAP since your fellow Mensans may be waitlisted and would love your spot. Please try to avoid cancelling in the last 24 hours, but if you must, contact Carey by mobile phone, which you may also use if you are lost or will be late. If possible, text first, then call, as he may not hear it ring. For Ethnic Dining notifications, updates, and all the details, join the Mensa Connect Ethnic Dining Group.

28/ Tues­day

• Breakfast in the NW Suburbs 10 AM. Le Peep lo­cated at 10 E. Northwest Hwy. in Mt. Pros­pect (NW corner of Northwest Hwy. (U.S. 14) and Main St. (IL 83) where the parking lot can be accessed from Main St.). Sepa­rate checks will be available. Attendance is limited. RSVP strongly suggested in case of possible cancellation or changes in venue. Use Meetup, but if not on Meetup, RSVP Ken L. via e‑mail. Recurs on the 4th Tuesday of the month.

• Sterling/Rock Falls/Dixon Dinner Cancelled. The group will be on hiatus until May. For more information or to get on our e‑mail list, please send a message to Dave L. our Rockford Area Coördinator. This event is usually scheduled on the last Tuesday of the month from May through October.
  Event on Hiatus!!

29/ Wednes­day

• Dinner Out West 6:45 PM. Dinner Out West at Good Tequila’s Mexican Grill at 149 E. North Ave. in Glendale Heights. If we can have our April Monthly Gathering on April 32nd, we can have our Cinco de Mayo dinner on May -2nd (more commonly known as April 29th). The reviews mention tasty margaritas and good food. Please RSVP directly to Beth W.or via Meetup no later than Tuesday, April 28th so she can reserve the right size table.
  New Recurring Event!!

30/ Thurs­day

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the April ChiMe.

• 

  CAM Election Ballot Deadline. This year, our Chicago Area Mensa election will be mail-in only! Please mail in your ballot. Follow the instructions to the left of the ballot exactly or your ballot will be disqualified. The candidates’ statements are in the April ChiMe as well as on our website. Please mail your completed ballot at least five business days prior to Thursday, April 30th, which is the deadline. Also, due to the Coronavirus , there have been issues getting the April ChiMe printed, so please print out the ballot even if you were expecting to get a paper version of ChiMe.
  Mail-in Ballots Only This Year!

* * * * *

1 May /Fri­day

• ChiMe Activ­ity Bulletin and Ad­vertising Dead­lines. Last day for these submissions to the June ChiMe.

• ChiMe Editorial Dead­line. Last day for editorial submissions to the June ChiMe. Please submit original ar­ticles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensans would love to hear from you.

• Metropolitan Washington Mensa RG Registration. The RG will be held Friday, August 14th through Sunday, August 16th, just outside of our nation’s capital, at the Sheraton in Reston, Virginia. The theme, which was chosen prior to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, is Pandemic RG 2020 Around the World. The registration form is on their RG website or view their flyer.

2 May /Satur­day

• 

  CAM April Monthly Gathering @Rolling Mead­ows Com­munity Center

  Monthly Gath­ering
  The location of our pseudo April Month­ly Gath­ering is the Rolling Mead­ows Com­munity Center
  3705 Pheasant Dr. in Rolling Meadows.
  Games and hos­pi­tal­ity are in the spacious auditorium, with overflow space in the lobby. The speaker event is in the Card Room. A Parents-Kids Play Room is available after the Mensa Test. Please note that we have this venue only until midnight, so plan accordingly. This gathering is open to the general public. So if you’re interested in learning more about Chicago Mensa, come join us. There is an admissions fee to help cover costs; the April MG is free to all members. Members, RSVP via Meetup to let your friends know you’re going to be there.

  Test:

  4 PM.

  Business Meeting:

  5 PM via teleconference on Thursday, April 23rd.

  Game room opens:

  6 PM.

  Voting opens:

  Cancelled — Mail-in Only!

  Program:

  7:30 PM.

  Voting closes:

  Cancelled — Mail-in Only!

  Party:

  8:30 PM - Midnight.

  Time to vote for your Chicago Area Mensa Board Members!! See the candidates’ statements here or in the April ChiMe. This year, the election will be mail-in only! Please fill out, and mail in your paper ballot by following all the instructions on the page to the left of the ballot. The ballot is included in the April ChiMe. You may print out the pdf version of the ballot from our website or from the April ChiMe. Your ballot must be received by Thursday, April 30th, so make sure you mail it at least 5 business days prior. Also, due to the Coronavirus , there have been issues getting the April ChiMe printed, so please print out the ballot even if you were expecting to get a paper version of ChiMe.
  * * * * *
  Our GenRep Greg has arranged for a free taxi to pick members up from the METRA station and to get them back in time to board the last train. Details are on our Monthly Gathering page.
  * * * * *
  Get involved! Chicago Mensa needs you. We’re looking for vol­un­teers to fill some of the open po­sitions listed both in the back of ChiMe or on the List of Officers. Or consider watching the children at the MG for a fee. You can also view the job descriptions and the required qualifications. Or try your hand at writing an ar­ticle for ChiMe, submitting a photo, or creating a puzzle; see our Submission Guidelines for contact information and deadlines.

  

  Monthly Gathering

  Program Topic: Native Plants for Small Gardens
  Whether you live in a condo, apartment, townhouse, or house, you can benefit from hearing our speaker Heather Prince. She will explore with us a curated list of native plants that can enliven the home garden without growing out of bounds. Plants will be examined for all types of sites, from shady to sunny and wet to dry.
  See the full write-up in our April ChiMe.
  This is the April MG which is Free to CAM members!!