High school senior feels spending time with the elderly is worthwhile

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

"We visit ... and it gives them the sense they still belong to the community," related Daniel Silver, 18, of Waco.

May 19, 2005 - Daniel Silver is a highly-respected senior at Vanguard College Preparatory school in Waco. He is a worldly 18-year-old who is friendly with every student on campus and is involved in many activities.

Silver is a member of the Jewish Synagogue and one project he is involved in is spending time with the elderly during Jewish holidays.

"During the big Jewish holidays we bring gifts or food to older people from the Jewish community," Silver explained. "We visit their houses or nursing homes and it gives them the sense that they still belong to the community."

Silver's older brother, Scott, began this commitment to the elderly five years ago and Daniel has been visiting the elderly for the past three years. The holidays in which Silver and other teens from the Jewish community deliver gifts are Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot and Purim.

"Some of our parents help make the gifts and my dad's company, Wolf Manufacturing, donates many gifts, too."

Silver believes spending time with the elderly is worthwhile.

"It's very rewarding. We always go and talk to them for a while," Silver said. "Some aren't well enough for us to communicate with; like this one woman who lives in a trailer park and has MS (multiple sclerosis). Some are on full oxygen. Others really appreciate us and sit us down and talk for an hour. We just want want them to know that the Jewish community is still thinking about them even though they can't get out."

Not only does Silver help the elderly, but he is involved with other activities. He is a camp counselor at Young Judaea, a member of the Waco Youth Symphony Orchestra and enjoys playing the guitar. At Vanguard, Silver is the student council president and was a member of the basketball team as well as the tennis team that won the state championship. Silver spent last summer in Israel and he will attend the University of Wisconsin in the fall.