JE senior's community service project honors the memory of a classmate

Emily Mocyk’s home is filled with fleece. Whether buying from a local sale or receiving donations from community members, Emily is collecting for a cause. She’s on track to be one of the first female Eagle Scouts in the district, and the last piece to the puzzle is completing a community service project.

While coming up with an idea, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to commemorate her former classmate, Nathan Wagner. Nate lost a three-year battle to cancer last year. He spent a lot of time at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Keeping all that in mind, Emily came up with “Project 22.” She’s creating fleece blankets to be donated to patients at Upstate Golisano, using 22 as a tribute to Nate, who sported the number on his lacrosse jersey.

Emily said she spent some time in the hospital when she was a child. One memory that stuck with her was picking out a donated blanket. Her choice, with a pattern of green monkeys, was cherished throughout her childhood.

“It seemed full circle to be able to do something for Nate that also means something to me and my family,” said Emily.

For Nate’s family, the idea also seemed fitting. Emily reached out to them before finalizing her idea, and they told her Nate hated the hospital blankets.

“Knowing Nate is with me throughout this journey is amazing,” said Emily. “He deserves the best, and I’m determined to make this project the best for him, in his memory.”

Now that she’s got the supplies, Emily is looking for help putting the blankets together. She’s hosting a project day at Elbridge Community Church, across from Elbridge Elementary, on Saturday, March 27. Anyone is welcome to come help, whether they know how to make blankets or not.

“When I first announced the project, I was hoping to make 50 blankets,” said Emily. “Now, I’ll be surprised if I make fewer than 150.”

Emily is working with non-profit ‘Project Linus.’ She’ll drop off the finished blankets to them, where they will be sanitized, then brought to the hospital for distribution.