outside retreats

Outside groups are able to hold retreats here at The Center for very reasonable rates.


Churches, religious groups, hospitals, social service agencies and business groups love to come to The Center. Distractions from a meeting at The Center might be a rare species of bird perched on a branch just outside a meeting room window, or perhaps a chipmunk peeking in.

The Center • 12700 Southwest Highway

Palos Park, Illinois 60464-1812


708.361.3650 (main phone) • 708.361.2811 (fax)


Contact Us/Directions

 

An excellent full-time chef and kitchen staff provide tasty cuisine in a dining room that matches the meeting rooms in ambience, with windows that frame the ever-changing beauty that only nature can provide. The informality of this dining arrangement has proven to be a leveler that often encourages conferees to contribute ideas they have never before felt free to articulate.


The agenda is of course up to you, but The Center provides the nature-oriented environment that is often the key to clear thinking that results in particularly productive meetings.


Present "clients" are usually from one of these categories: church, civic, or benevolent groups; and small business organizations. Most come for single-day retreats or conferences, or for two-day sessions over a weekend. Most retreat, or meeting goers complete their time at The Center declaring that they have a whole new sense of community with other members of their group, and that they have benefited personally from the refreshing experience of total immersion in a meaningful retreat experience.


FACILITIES AND SERVICES


Daytime Retreats

Fee is per person—rate includes luncheon meal and complimentary coffee/tea service in the meeting room. Snacks available for additional fee.


Overnight Retreats

Fee is per person per night—rate includes three meals, the use of Fireside Room and Library, and complimentary coffee/tea service in the meeting room. Maximum overnight capacity is 17 guests. Five rooms offer two beds for double occupancy. Seven rooms are equipped with one single bed for single occupancy.


Meals

Meals consist of chef's choice for the day, served buffet style. Snacks and other beverages can be provided for an additional fee.

That's quite different from the usual sight or sound of heavy traffic on a street or highway.


That's where the difference begins. It continues with the intimacy and warmth of décor of the meeting rooms, complimented by the modern conveniences that make a meeting work. All this is combined at The Center.


There are rooms for small groups or for those numbering up to 60, for one day or a series of days. There is a selection from four such rooms. When the weather is pleasant, meeting planners sometimes move their group to one of the lawns or gardens just outside. During meeting breaks there are nature paths and wooded hills to explore, and the stone chapel to visit; even an educational, fully operational farm, practicing ecologically sound sustainable agriculture. Hands-on introductions to various animals are possible. There are overnight accommodations for seventeen meeting guests.

Please note: At The Center itself, we accept cash and checks only. We do take credit cards online through PayPal.

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