Clayton Woman's Nonprofit Engages 400,000 Senior Americans

Marylen Mann formed OASIS in 1982 because she wanted to provide interesting and intellectually stimulating educational and civic opportunities for seniors.

Marylen Mann used her background in curriculum development and teacher training to launch OASIS, a nonprofit educational and civic organization for senior Americans that today boasts 400,000 members across the U.S. "I think that we need to get rid of the image of a grandma on the front porch in a rocking chair," said Mann, 75, who has lived in Clayton since 1968. She served for 13 years on the Clayton Board of Education. Mann grew up surrounded by sick family members who had a limited ability to take advantage of opportunities to learn and stay active. As an adult, she spent time in senior centers. She generally found the environment there patronizing, built around a hot-lunch program instead of the adults who had raised their children and…

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