Happy Holidays Everyone!
I hope you all are getting into the holiday spirit! I am looking forward to spending Christmas tomorrow with my family and wish you all a happy and healthy holiday as well.
As we head deeper into the winter months, it is clear that COVID-19 is not going away as the Omicron variant continues to spread throughout Massachusetts and our country. Vaccines and boosters are widely available and have proven to be extremely effective at preventing serious disease. I encourage you to get vaccinated if you have not done so already. Testing is also critically important if you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. I know that many are facing challenges in finding tests and I will continue to push for increased testing resources from the state. You can find vaccine locations at vaxfinder.mass.gov and testing sites at mass.gov/covid-19-testing
This past Monday, Team Velis held office hours at the Holyoke Senior Center to meet with constituents and answer questions. My office is always available to assist, and my next office hours will be on Monday, January 3rd, from 10:30-11:30AM at the Agawam Senior Center.
Later that day, I joined some of my Western Mass colleagues at Chicopee City Hall for a funding presentation for the Food Bank of Western Mass. In the American Rescue Plan Act supplemental budget, we were able to secure $5 million for Food Bank of Western Mass’ new building project in Chicopee, which will greatly expand their outreach and capacity. I was glad to help secure these funds and know they will be put to good use! I wrapped up my Monday at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home with Major General Gary W. Keefe, the Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard. We stopped by to visit and help hand out some new winter coats to residents.
It’s always great to stop by Westfield High School, but especially when it’s to celebrate our students’ achievements. I was thrilled to present Jay Sherpa with a Senate Citation on Tuesday in honor of his best-in-the-nation recognition by the National Association for Music Education. In his senior year, Jay holds the only bass trombone spot in the National Symphony Orchestra but can play SIX other instruments as well. Congratulations on the incredible achievement Jay! While I was at Westfield High, I also stopped in to check out the schools “Community Closet”, a space where students, faculty, and staff can get access to anything they might possibly need, including toiletries, food, clothing, backpacks, and more. Great work WHS!
During these unprecedented times, our community organizations continue to do great work for residents in our communities. I was glad to help out the Westfield Senior Center on Wednesday for their holiday curbside meal event. With over 200 residents attending, it was great to spend some time volunteering and also get to see some familiar faces. Later on Wednesday I joined the Russell Police Department and Fire Chief to help drop off holiday meals to folks throughout Russell.
One of my favorite traditions in the Senate is our annual “gift exchange” where we each make a donation to an organization in our colleagues’ names. It’s a great way for us to learn about each other’s districts while supporting great initiatives. This year I picked the Ascentria Care Alliance of West Springfield to support their Refugee and Immigrant Services program. As an Afghanistan Veteran who knows many Afghan citizens who are desperately trying to rebuild their lives here in the United States, this is a cause very near and dear to my heart. As our Commonwealth continues to welcome Afghan refugees, Ascentria is one of the major organizations who has stepped up to support these individuals and their families, from finding housing to assisting with job training. As the holiday season continues, I hope we can all remember the individuals throughout our communities who need our support during these difficult times.
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