Oconomowoc Area Senior Center Bio

Oconomowoc Area Senior Center  aka   OASC

Mission:

The Oconomowoc Area Senior Center is dedicated to the enrichment of the lives of seniors offering opportunities filled with programs, including games, activities, socializing, and presentations including wellness and education for Oconomowoc area seniors to enjoy.

A Not for Profit 501(c) self-supported senior center not related to any government agency established in 1989.

Address:

     OASC

     210 S. Main St.

     Oconomowoc, WI. 53066

Phone Number:   262.567.4288

Hours:  weekdays 9 am to 4 pm 

             weekend Office is closed, however, several weekend activities occur.

Membership is $20.00 a year.  677 members as of 01/01/2023

Website     Oconomowoc Area Senior Center

Facebook  Oconomowoc Area Senior Center

Newsletter OASC News and Notes

We provide over 75 programs/activities/trips/games/classes/presentations monthly.  Most are free.

We do not limit where a senior resides. 

Senior Center in Oconomowoc, WI

Senior Center near Oconomowoc, WI

Senior Center in Waukesha County, WI

Senior Center near me.

Senior Center tour anytime we are open.

Mah-Jongg mahjong  at a Senior Center near me

Mah-Jongg mahjong  at the Oconomowoc Senior Center 

COME AND SEE 

Did You Know?

Oconomowoc Area Senior Center is special for as many reasons as there are members.   No doubt, seniors in other communities feel the same way about their centers.

But the Oconomowoc Area Senior Center, aka OASC, isn’t just special, it is very special in that it is not government-run nor government-managed.  Only a few other senior centers in Wisconsin and the USA share that distinction. OASC was free and independent from its start in 1988.

This means members, through their elected Board, make the decisions.  The elected representatives decide what activities will be pursued, what staff will be hired, when the Center will be open, and everything else about it.  This is a rare privilege, indeed. 

Most government-operated centers make every effort to be responsive to the needs of their senior participants.  But the responsiveness is limited by state government mandates, insurance requirements, union agreements, and the need for consistent policies throughout all departments.  OASC, with no such arbitrary restraints, has an unusual amount of freedom to pursue members’ wishes.

 The other side of this coin of freedom is, as always, responsibility.  Over the years, many members have stepped up, serving on the Board, Committees, and pitching in on specific tasks. Because of these volunteers, the Center serves its hundreds of members with one part-time paid staffer, a remarkable achievement. 

The hours of volunteer service lighten the fiscal burden but do not eliminate it.  Member dues do not begin to cover the challenges, so contributions are sought from the community and the members.  The need to raise funds is probably the most demanding cost of the Center’s independence.

This is not to say that the city of Oconomowoc neglects the needs of seniors.   Mayor Magnus has appointed a “Cohort Group” to help him choose senior priorities for city budgeting.  President Ginni Hicks serves on the group, providing valuable input on OASC  needs.

The message is clear - the Senior Center will always need “a little help from its friends,” but most of all, it needs the support of the “warm hearts and gentle people” it serves.  After all, this is our Center!

  written by F. Whalen / edited by H. Nelezen