Arlington "Guns and Hoses" Game Continues to Grow

ARLINGTON, MA—The Arlington Fire and Police Departments will strap up their skates and helmets for a game that means much more than just a battle for town bragging rights.

The departments will take to the ice for the 8th annual Guns and Hoses charity hockey game. The game benefits Autism Speaks, a leading autism science and advocacy group. While Arlington Fire Department Lt. Paul Houser has a special connection to the disorder, he told Arlington Patch that the issue seems to affect everyone.

“My nephew is autistic,” Houser told Arlington Patch.”I threw it out there and everyone seemed to either know someone or had a friend, family member affected by autism and it just kind of stuck.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1 in 68 children is on the autism spectrum. According to the Commonwealth’s most recent population, that means that around 100,000 people have autism in the Commonwealth.

This year’s event will take place on Mar. 18 at 7 p.m at Veteran’s Memorial Skating Rink at Ed Burns Arena in Arlington. Event-goers will have the opportunity to meet ”Blades”, the mascot of the Boston Bruins as well as members of the Ice Girls Team. Admission is $5 with a family maximum of $20. Children under 10 enter for free.

Last year’s edition of the event raised $10,500 for Autism Speaks, and the departments are chasing a goal of $12,000. Houser said that the community has supported the event in droves.

“It’s turned into something that the whole community rallies around,” Houser said. “It’s pretty amazing to see. I think our first year we raised $1,600 dollars or something. The number of people that come, it’s just amazing; families from other towns, families with children with autism, families with children who don’t have autism. It’s something the community looks forward to.”

Patch was not immediately able to reach the Police Department’s organizer for the event. Stay tuned for updates. 

Want more stories like this? Subscribe to Arlington Patch for the latest in local news and information.