Falcon Foundation Foray

Purpose

We believe the gift of an education is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Our Falcon Foundation Foray will offer a wonderful opportunity for alumni and friends to enjoy fun and fellowship through great entertainment, cool dining experiences, and enjoyment of one of the best Christmas markets in the United States all while staying at a beautiful, historic hotel, The Palmer House. The purpose of our travel experience together promises to be a celebration of the bright future we offer by changing lives through education.

The activities on our itinerary have been chosen, in large part and of course, because we believe these experiences will offer a great opportunity for fun and fellowship. We also chose activities on our itinerary that reflect the achievements of our alumni through the educational opportunities we offer at East Central College. For instance, we will begin our journey dining at the Blue Duck restaurant in St. Louis where ECC alumnus, Chef Trenton Garvey, applies his culinary skills.

While time will not permit engaging in all of the activities in which we have educated so many for future success, we will visit the Museum of Science and Industry to help us contemplate the contributions of our alumni to business, science, and industry. Here at ECC, we love the performing arts. Our enjoyment of a Broadway quality theater experience, in addition to being a great entertainment experience, offers us the opportunity to reflect on all that the performing arts means to so many at ECC. Dinner at the Berghoff and our experience of the Christmas market will allow us to remember and celebrate the German heritage of so many in our community. We will also look forward to hearing alumni reflect on their own success as a way of reminding us, and motivating us, to continue our important work for our community and beyond.

We hear many people say, “I would not be where I am today if it had not been for ECC.” Our Falcon Foundation Foray will be a celebration of education in the lives we have changed and the lives we look forward to changing at East Central College.

Our Philosophy

We hope you will measure the quality of your journey not by the quantity of sights you see, but by the invaluable experiences you absorb.

Balance of stimulating experience, serious reflection
… …and just plain fun.

One word describes our intention for your journey: balance. We believe each place we visit should relate to whole story, the arc of a narrative. We believe in creating journeys formed and shaped as narratives; journeys that are serious, purposeful, and fulfilling with time to reflect with fellow travelers or alone while providing opportunity for experiences that are just plain fun.

Expert interaction and rich personal encounters

Rather than a trip led by a tour guide trained to disseminate information from a script, we endeavor to seek experts to lead you on a journey who are available as a resource for as much depth as you desire or to leave you to your own reflection.

 One beautiful base location

Too often, group travel can leave you feeling like you are part of a herd of a large group of strangers hustled from sight to sight, packing, and unpacking every day of your trip. With us you will stay in one beautiful location that serves as a base for our excursions. Changing hotels as few times as possible during a journey allows greater opportunity to experience people and culture.

Meticulously planned; yet flexible journey

How does a trip become a journey? Carefully selected excursions that form a narrative, staying in one beautiful base location, with time and flexibility for reflection, and activities that are just plain fun.

Cuisine as a delectable complement to culture and conversation

Cuisine, and the wonderful dining experiences we share in an eclectic array of venues, provide a delectable complement to your rich encounters with the culture and the delightful conversation you enjoy with fellow travelers.

Arrangements

Arrangements for this journey will appear in this section as those arrangements are confirmed. More detailed information will appear on the password protected Fellow Travelers page. Once you become part of this journey, you will be sent a password to access specific arrangements for this journey:

Transportation Information

Transportation to and from the Amtrak station in St. Louis will be provided by motorcoach that will depart from and return to the East Central College campus. Your coach class ticket on Amtrak from St. Louis to Chicago is included in the cost of your journey.

 Hotel Accommodations

Arrangements have been made for fellow travelers at the Palmer House Hilton—Chicago.

Ground Transportation

Ground transportation by deluxe travel coach will be provided throughout the journey as appropriate where venues are not within walking distance.

Meals

Most meals are included in this purposeful journey. Meals provide time for us to relax, to take in the culture, and discuss all that we have seen and experienced as fellow travelers that day. See the current, tentative itinerary for details of meals that are included in your journey.

Sightseeing and Events

This purposeful journey includes entrance fees to attractions as specified in the final itinerary.

Price

Land Only Cost—$1,600 (Please be sure to check for current discounts and incentives!)

 Current Discounts and Incentives:

• Alumni and friends of East Central College may receive a discount of $250
• Apply to travel early and receive a discount of $100
• Settle your balance in full by the due date of your first payment and receive a discount of $100

 Your journey includes:

• Deluxe coach transportation throughout your itinerary as appropriate and specified in the final itinerary.
• Double occupancy hotel room ($350 single supplement)
• Meals as specified in the final itinerary
• Admission fees as specified in the final itinerary
• Only goods, services, or activities as explicitly included in the General Terms and Conditions.

Your journey does not include:

• Gratuities for service staff, coach driver(s) and guides
• Alcoholic beverages, bottled water, after dinner drinks
• Travel insurance
• Any goods, services, or activities expressly excluded in the General Terms and Conditions.

Travel Insurance Decision:

• Your application will be accepted as complete with your decision on travel insurance.
• Purposeful Journeys offers Cancel-For-Any-Reason (CFAR) travel insurance for about the cost of a Basic policy. You may decline to purchase Aon NTA Travel Protect travel insurance through Purposeful Journeys, but your decision with regard to whether or not to purchase travel insurance is required.
• Payments due as specified in your remittance schedule.
• Final payment must be received no later than the date specified on your invoice and remittance schedule.

When approved as a fellow traveler…

…you will receive an invoice and a remittance schedule from Malone Clan Expeditions, LLC doing business as Purposeful Journeys along with a link to a password protected page on our website that will offer details and updates about your journey.

General Terms and Conditions

Malone Clan Expeditions, LLC doing business as Purposeful Journeys will administer your journey. You must accept the General Terms and Conditions at the time you submit your application. Please refer to the General Terms and Conditions for any applicable additional fees that may apply in certain situations and circumstances such as any deviation from the group flight itinerary or your requirement of a single room.

We cordially invite you to apply to join us as a fellow traveler

Our journey application process has changed. We now offer Cancel-For-Any-Reason (CFAR) travel insurance for about the cost of Basic travel insurance. We no longer collect any deposit at the time you submit your application.

Your application now requires a decision on travel insurance. Your application will not be deemed complete until you have either declined to purchase NTA Travel Connect travel insurance or paid your travel insurance invoice. Once you complete your application form, you will receive a quote from Purposeful Journeys for CFAR travel insurance. Your quote will be about the cost of Basic Travel insurance, a large discount.   You will also receive a more detailed explanation about NTA Travel Protect travel insurance. By using this process Purposeful Journeys can guarantee that fellow travelers purchase their CFAR travel insurance policy within the 14-day window allotted for purchasing CFAR travel insurance. You may also decline your purchase of travel insurance.

We are delighted you are taking the step of submitting your application to become a member of a journey with us. We look forward to notifying you of your acceptance as a fellow traveler.