Monthly Gather­ing

Our Chicago Area Bi-Monthly Gatherings are open to the public. Anyone interested in finding out more about Mensa is welcome to attend. The April Bi-Monthly Gathering will be held in Rolling Mead­ows Com­mu­ni­ty Center located at 3705 Pheasant Dr. in Rolling Meadows. Starting in 2026, our Gatherings will recur only during even months (see our Schedule below). During odd months, we may have special outings, so stay tuned and check our Schedule. 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.

Typical Bi-Monthly Gathering

Mensa Test
Special Offer

× Special Deal Offered by Mensa

PRIVATE TESTING 10% DISCOUNT IN APRIL
Schedule your Private Test by the end of the month and you’ll receive a 10% discount. Don't delay!

Learn More

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 coordinator 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.

5:00 PM

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.

April
Games
Spotlight

April Games Spotlight

by Elizabeth W.

Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Board Game – 40th Anniversary Collection

Will Sarah manage to defeat Jareth and his Labyrinth, or will the Goblin King turn little Toby into a goblin babe? You have thirteen hours to find out! Relive your favourite movie with the Collector's edition of Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Board Game! New “Humongous” expansion, exclusive miniatures, revised rules, and a unique box to keep your collection! This edition includes a lot of extras, so please take a look on BoardGameGeeks.com that includes a video of the unboxing.

Happy Little Dinosaurs: Exclusive Edition

Lately, it feels like we're all just dinosaurs trying to avoid the falling meteors. In this game, you'll try to dodge all of life's little disasters. You might fall into a pit of hot lava or get ghosted by your dino date, but the dino who survives it all wins the game! In Happy Little Dinosaurs, the first person to reach 50 points, or be the last Dinosaur standing, wins the game! During each round, you'll flip a Disaster card featuring a Natural, Predatory, or Emotional disaster. Each player will play a Point card in hopes of collecting points and avoiding the disaster. This is inclusive of the 5-6 player expansion so more can play.

Ministry of Lost Things: Case 1 – Lint Condition

Embark on a journey through the Elusiverse, a realm of forgotten treasures and misplaced memories. As a scout for the Ministry of Lost Things, your mission is to find and return an item mistakenly taken from your world. To do so, you’ll need to uncover details about the item and its owner, navigating the landscape of a place where lost items weave a grand tapestry of stories. Lint Condition is the first case in the Ministry of Lost Things series. It contains four envelopes which need to be solved in sequence, each revealing more about the lost item and its companion as you solve the puzzles. At the end of each envelope, verify your solutions online in the M.O.L.T website portal to progress to the next step.

Please come out and play with us.

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 Gathering (there are just too many). Contact our Game Warden to ensure a specific one is available.

Kids Room opens under the supervision of volunteers and parents. The Youth Program has been relaunched. We’ll have hands-on activities, often shaped by the kids themselves.

7:00 PM

Campaign
Statements

In-Person Voting for ExComm begins (April).

April
Topic

Speaker Presentation for April

The Midwest at the Center of the Cold War

presented by Cynthia Clampitt

Chicago first provisioned an overseas conflict, in the Crimea, in 1853, and feeding the world in both war and peace is still a huge part of what the Midwest does. However, the region has contributed so much more to world events. While traveling throughout the region over the last two years, researching a new book of Midwestern history, our April speaker, Cynthia Clampitt, encountered numerous reminders that the Cold War was very much anchored in this region. Leaders, ideas, and the Space Race all contributed, but so did new developments (from supercomputers to frozen food) that improved the standard of living nationwide. Plus, we are still really good at producing food.

Clampitt is an author and food historian who has traveled the globe but has more recently focused on the American Midwest. This newest presentation is part history lesson but also very much a travelogue, as the places she visited are all eager to have you come and see their collections. There is so much history here! She is the author of Pigs, Pork, and Heartland Hogs: From Wild Boar to Baconfest and Midwest Maize: How Corn Shaped the U.S. Heartland. Her last book, Destination Heartland, focuses on places to enjoy Midwestern history, and she is currently researching a sequel.

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

Electronic & In-Person Voting for ExComm ends (April).

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.

The majority of the people start arriving around 7 PM. Usually, about 40-80 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 kids to hang out together in a sepa­rate room where the children can play together under the supervision of volunteers and parents.

CAM 2026 Election

The candidates’ statements are available on our website as well as in the April issue of ChiMe. The Election Notice can be found in Appendix B.

If you’re not attending April’s Bi-Monthly Gathering, please cast your vote electronically using this fool-proof online ballot at or before 8:30 PM, Saturday, April 25th. If you prefer a paper ballot, mail it so it is received at or before 8 PM, Friday, April 24th, or give it to a trusted messenger who can drop it into the ballot box at the Monthly Gathering during the in-person voting hours.

To cast an electronic ballot, click on this link. Fill out your American Mensa membership number (required) which is listed as part of your profile on the American Mensa website. Cast your vote for officers. Candidates will appear in random order. Use “Other” if you want to vote for a write-in for Local Secretary, Business Manager, and/or Treasurer. If you wish to vote for a write-in candidate for Gen Rep please vote for write-in (1 or 2) and fill in the name below. The form will not allow you to vote for more than the allowed number of Candidates. You do not need to vote for every office to submit your ballot.

Paper ballots are on our website and are available in the April ChiMe. Please print out the ballot or, if you get a paper version of ChiMe, use the one in the April issue. Follow the instructions to the right of the ballot exactly to avoid having your ballot disqualified.

• Your mail-in ballot must be received by at or before 8 PM, Friday, April 24th, so make sure you mail it at least 5 business days prior.
• The envelope can also be dropped off at the Bi-Monthly Gathering by a trusted messenger during the in-person voting hours.

In the case multiple ballots are received from a member, only the most recently received ballot will count. For mailed ballots, the postmark will be used as the date of submittal.

The results will be announced sometime after in-person voting closes at the April Bi-Monthly Gathering. The results will be available on the website a few days later and in the June issue of ChiMe. Our Officers webpage will reflect the new ExComm members as of May 1st, the first day of their term. If you have questions, please contact Deb Johnston, our Election Procedures Committee Chair.

Fees

Venue Info for

Georgetown West Club House Rolling Mead­ows Comm Ctr Westin North Shore Hotel

The Saturday, April 25th Bi-Monthly 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).

We’ve relaunched Youth Program. There will be a Parents-Kids Play Room available at 6 PM. We’ll have hands-on activites led by volunteers and shaped by the kids themselves. We encourage you to bring your kids to try it out.

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.

Via the Kirchoff Road exit (from IL-53 heading north)

• 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).

Via the Euclid Avenue exit (from IL-53 heading south)

• 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).

Train & Taxi// Uber

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 Bi-Monthly Gatherings, between the closest Metra station and the meeting site with prior approval from GenRep Marty Jalove  by Wednesday, April 22nd. 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 Marty Jalove  by Wednesday, April 22nd.
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.

The Saturday, June 20th Bi-Monthly Gathering will be held at the Georgetown West Club House at 301 S. Prospect Ave. in Wood Dale. The Club House is lo­cated just south of Irving Park (west of I-294, west of O'Hare, west of IL-83, east of IL-53, east of I-290/I-355, and south of IL-390).

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).

We’ve relaunched Youth Program. There will be a Parents-Kids Play Room available at 6 PM. We’ll have hands-on activites led by volunteers and shaped by the kids themselves. We encourage you to bring your kids to try it out.

Parking is plentiful and free. The lot is just north of the Club House parallel to George St. Enter from Prospect Ave.

Please note that we have this venue only until midnight—plan accordingly.

Via the Prospect Ave exit (from IL-390)

• From IL-390, look for the Prospect Ave. exit.
• Continue south on N. Prospect Ave. for ~1.3 miles past Irving Park Road (stop light).
• Just after crossing George St. (the first intersection south of Irving Park)), the entrance to the parking lot will be on your left (east).

Via the Irving Park exit (from I-294)

• From I-294,look for the IL-19/W Irving Park Ave. exit (via Thorndale if coming from the west).
• Continue west on Irving Park ~7½ miles to Prospect Ave. (stop light).
• Turn south (left) onto Prospect Ave. and continue south for a short distance.
• Just after crossing George St. (the first intersection), the entrance to the parking lot will be on your left (east).

Train & Taxi// Uber

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 Bi-Monthly Gatherings, between the closest Metra station and the meeting site with prior approval from GenRep Marty Jalove  three days prior to the MG. The best location and time is the Wood Dale station (about 1½ miles east of the Club House on the south side of Irving Road) at 6:08 PM (Milwaukee District–West line —it leaves Ogilvie Station at 5:30 PM). You should then plan to leave the Club House by 10 PM to return you to the Wood Dale station for the 10:42 PM train, which is the final train of the evening. Use of any of these services must be requested in advance by emailing GenRep Marty Jalove  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.

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 29th through Sunday, November 1st. Expect games, dance(s), programs, and costume contests. 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).

Book your room today! The hotel is offering a WeeM room rate of $132 through October 9th. 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 .