The East Coast Jumbos are a youth hockey team made up of children with special needs.
The players consist of kids ages 9-20 years old, most of whom are autistic. The team is not just focused on hockey, but hopes to help the children flourish in school, build their confidence and help them develop and maintain relationships.
The team is making a trip to Washington, D.C., in April to participate in a tournament that will give the players an opportunity to meet new friends and build social skills. It is the team's biggest goal of the season.
If you'd like to send a donation to the team, send a check made out to "East Coast Jumbos" to:
East Coast Jumbos Hockey
P.O. Box 122
Hopkinton, MA 01748-0122
The team was started by two fathers, Jim Perry and Ray LeBlanc, who are both Waltham firefighters with autistic sons. It originally started as a casual hockey skating session, but quickly turned into a team that competes against other special needs teams.
On Dec. 19, the players will visit the NESN studio to be on the Bruins' pregame show.
