Washington Nationals Players Visit Els for Autism Summer Camp in Jupiter

Els for Autism's summer camp in Jupiter got a visit from Washington Nationals baseball players this week — and for the kids there, it was a day they won't forget.

Dr. Erin Brooker Lozott, Els for Autism's program director, said the visit was about giving campers a genuine shared experience. "The Nationals baseball team gets to engage and interact with our campers, and it really brings the community into our campus and allows campers with autism to have the same experience as somebody without autism can have on a daily basis," Brooker Lozott said.

Among the campers was 12-year-old Alex Brown, who spent the afternoon with his new MLB friends. "It's fun pretty much every day here because this is a place where nobody is mean to me," Brown said.

The day included shooting hoops with the Nationals, hitting practice, a bouncy house, and board games. Nationals player Ty Bothwell said the visit hit close to home. "I've helped out in high school with special needs classes, and I had a couple family members that have Asperger's," Bothwell said. "Sometimes things are going well or bad on the field — it's always nice to just step away, and helping out with kids is the perfect way to spend time."

Els for Autism is a global non-profit based in Jupiter, providing programs for individuals with autism and their families at their Center of Excellence at 18370 Limestone Creek Road. The organization also runs Big Easy Cafe, a culinary training program open to the public every Friday.