Happy Astronomical Autumn Everyone! With the passing of the Autumnal Equinox this last Thursday, Fall has officially arrived in New England. I hope everyone can get their fill of pumpkin spice and get out there and enjoy fair season while it’s still here.
I started off this week presenting a citation to Maria Cruz of Atrium Assisted Living in Agawam. Maria has been a steadfast care provider at Atrium for the last twenty-five years. This community is lucky to have you and we all thank you for your service, Maria!
Tuesday, Representative Duffy of Holyoke and I met with the staff of the Nuestras Raices farm in Holyoke. This farm is a part of the rapidly growing industry of urban agriculture and this meeting was an excellent chance to discuss how our urban areas can become food production centers. These sorts of farms have been shown to drastically improve nutrition standards in our cities while creating new jobs. I can’t wait to see them continue to expand and grow.
Wednesday, I presented a citation to staff of the new Westfield site of James Hardie Inc. This material manufacturing company will be an excellent addition to Westfield bring in new jobs to our community. Congratulations to the company and I look forward to the formal ribbon cutting in a few weeks.
Thursday morning was the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce’s September Breakfast. This is one of my favorite events as it allows me to connect with community leaders and small business owners from all over the district. The breakfast was held at the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base, one of the centerpieces of districts economy. Thank you to the Chamber for putting this on.
On Wednesday I also joined Representative Dan Carey of Easthampton and Representative Mindy Domb of Amherst to present a citation to Learn to Cope’s new site in Easthampton. Learn to Cope is an outstanding organization that creates a space for the families of those struggling with addiction. So often in the fight against substance abuse, the struggles of loved ones and caregivers can get sidelined. Learn to Cope’s main objective is to make sure all involved in the fight get the support they deserve. I know they will be an excellent addition to our community.
This week my team held office hours on Monday at the Holyoke Council on Aging from 10:00am – 11:00am. Next week, we’ll be in Westfield on Monday from 12:30am to 1:30pm. Please feel free to stop by with any questions or concerns. We are always happy to help!
As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter!
Sincerely,
John Velis