Hello Everyone,
Each year on the third Monday of April, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts commemorates the opening military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. When you draw a line through history from the Battles of Lexington and Concord to Patriots’ Day 2022 you arrive at a distinct conclusion: Massachusetts is a place full of proud, willful, and patriotic people. This tremendous sense of pride has only increased over the years. With the 126th running of the Boston Marathon this past Monday, we remember those lost or impacted by the horrific events that took place there nine years ago. While many of the scars of the Boston Marathon bombing will never completely heal, it is important to remember how we always come together as state, just as our predecessors did in 1775.
In Westfield on Monday, I attended a Patriots’ Day ceremony at Parker Memorial Park. Put on by the Westfield Veterans’ Council, it was a great opportunity to celebrate patriotism and commend local youths for their contributions to the community. During the event, I had the privilege of presenting a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Westfield to Jillian Battles. Jillian has done tremendous work collecting donated items for Veterans and is a shining example of youth activism. Way to go Jillian!
On Thursday, I reconnected with Easthampton High School’s “We The People” civics class via zoom for their last day of prep before heading to Washington, D.C. Although I was happy to provide any additional insight and advice that I could muster, these students are ready to compete! I cannot express how impressed I am with this class and their teacher, Kelley Brown. Good luck to Easthampton High at the national ”We The People” competition this weekend.
Later on Thursday I visited V&F Auto on Springfield Street in Agawam. I toured the businesses and had a great talk with the owner about issues impacting small businesses and the importance of COVID relief.
Friday morning I spent some time researching and talking with folks about sober homes in Massachusetts. With an anticipated substance use bill coming up this session, my team has been looking at sober homes recently to see their impact and how the state can better support individuals struggling with addiction.
I wrapped up Friday in South Holyoke for a Earth Day clean up with the Holyoke Safe Community Initiative! It was great to get outside and join community members in volunteering.
Nothing tells me that summer is around the corner more than the crack of a baseball bat, and summer was certainly in the air this morning in Agawam. After a several year hiatus, Agawam’s Little League opening day was back on! Thank you to the Agawam Little League Board of Directors for inviting me to the opening day parade. Wishing all the little leaguers in Agawam a successful season!
I’d like to give a big shout out to second-grader Temperance Freeman of Westfield for her efforts in fundraising for a new tree at the Munger Hill School! Temperance worked diligently to help raise contributions to replace a fallen tree at the school, and she took part in a campus cleanup this weekend. May the tree grow strong for future generations to admire!
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.
Sincerely,
John C. Velis