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The Circumnavigators Club is an organization for people who have made a trip around the world. Learn more about the Club on the international website. The Chicago chapter sponsors 4 educational events a year plus a December Holiday party.

To raise funds to support the Circumnavigators Foundation, we have a fundraiser each year. One of the main activities of the Foundation is to send carefully selected students (Scholars) on an around the world trip to pursue research. Our creed is:

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See our 2022 events and photos in the archive. Also view all events and photos from 1986 to 2022.
The entire history of the Chicago Chapter can be found grouped by year in the Photos and Events archive.

Below is a listing of two 2023 events. As other event dates are determined they will be added to this page.

Click on the thumbnails for the paper invitation in pdf format.

  • Invitation Jan 2023 Saturday, January 21th, 2023
    "Meet Vivica Lewis, 2022 Scholar"
    at the Union League Club of Chicago (website) 65 West Jackson Boulevard (map) starting at 12:00pm.

    Cash bar -- 12:00 - 12:30 Gather and Cocktails
    Lunch ---- 12:30
    Program -- follows lunch

    Circumnavigators can sign up for this event using their credit card at eventbrite.com.

  • Invitation Mar 2023 Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023
    "Meet Mackenzie Gentz, 2022 Scholar"
    in the Community Room at 505 N. Lake Shore Drive (map) starting at 6:00pm.


    6:00 -- Gather & Light Supper
    7:00 -- Presentation by MacKenzie Gentz

    Circumnavigators can sign up for this event using their credit card at eventbrite.com.

  • Invitation June 2023 Sunday, June 25th, 2023
    "Foundation Scholar Fundraiser"
    at the Home of Home of Jeneane and Don Blom (map) from 12pm to 3pm.


    12:00 -- Gather & Lunch and Beverages
    3:00 -- Conclude


    Circumnavigators can donate $100 per guest using the paper invitation
    and mailing a check to Jim Franch.
    His address is on the invitation.

    or Circumnavigators can donate to the Foundation online via PayPal or Credit Card.

  • Invitation Sep 2023 Wednesday, September 20th, 2023
    "Dr. Nina Kraus and the Brainvolts Laboratory"
    Cliff Dwellers Club 22nd floor 200 S. Michigan Ave.. Their website.

    5:30 -- 6:30 Cocktails at a Cash Bar on the Lake View Terrace
    6:30 -- 7:30 Dinner
    7:30 -- Presentation with Q&A


    Cost: $65.00 (reservations must be made by September 15, 2023)
    Circumnavigators can sign up for this event using their credit card at
    eventbrite.com.


On January 21, 2023 we visited the Union League Club of Chicago. This is a famous historic location.

Our speaker was Vivica Lewis, who made her circumnavigation in the summer of 2022. Clicking on her name will give you more information about her and her research topic: "Birth Control Bans to Contraceptive Care".

To learn more about all 22 scholars our Chapter has sponsored over the past 2 decades: Click here.

Dave Waring, Pat Smith, Tim Foufas,
      Dan Dozier, Emma Harmon,
         Jackie Winship & Mary Houston
,
enjoy a libation and conversation before the formal event.
Jan2023Photo1
Jan2023Photo2 Jan2023Photo3 Deanna Padgett, VP - Foundation, presents Vivica Lewis
the 5 flags of the countries she visited on her circumnavigation.
The fuzzy photos capture the emotions of the moment.
This presentatiion of the flags is a long-standing Chapter tradition
which always delights.
Jan2023Photo4 Jan2023Photo2 Left: Vivica Lewis and her proud family.
Right: Past Chapter President Karen Schlueter, and VP - Programs and Mary Houston enjoy the many oil paintings in the Union League Club.

On March 22, 2023 we assembled in the Community Room, 505 N. Lake Shore Drive, home of Mary Houston for a light dinner and a presentation.

Our speaker & Foundation Scholar for 2021 was Mackenzie Gentz. She made her circumnavigation in the summer of 2022 due to Covid complications. Clicking on her name will give you more information about her and her research topic: "Linguistic Baggage: A Global Examination of Adult Accent Training in English as a Second Language".

To learn more about all 22 scholars our Chapter has sponsored over the past 2 decades: Click here.

This was a bittersweet moment for our chapter. We had managed to catch up after the damage Covid did to the plans of our Foundation Scholars, who are supported by Deanna Padgett, VP - Foundation.

But earlier this month a long-time chapter member and officer, Barb Franch, passed away. Only a week after this chapter meeting there was a celebration of Barb's life set up by her family and friends.

To recognize and honor Barb, our chapter made a donation to the Foundation which supports our Foundation Scholars.

And Barbara Gail Franch's name was entered on our Over the Horizon Page where we honor our dear members and remember our beloved friends.

Mar2023Photo1 Mar2023Photo2 Left: Chapter Officers with Mackenzie: Mary Houston, Don & Jeneane Blom, Jim Franch, Don Parrish; Right: Deanna Padgett, Mackenzie Gentz and her partner Jon McDermott.
Mar2023Photo3 Mar2023Photo4 Left & Right VP - Foundation Deanna Padgett and Foundation Scholar Mackenzie Gentz are old friends after collaborating on Mackenzie's Circumnavigation.
Mar2023Photo5 Mar2023Photo6 Left: VP - Membership Jim Franch presents Mackenzie with her Circumnavigator's membership certificate.
Right: Mackenzie gives her well received Powerpoint presentation on a large screen.