Hello Everyone,
I hope everybody enjoyed a milder week despite the haze here in Western Mass. Luckily, it looks like we have a beautiful weekend ahead of us. We had a busy week here in the district and so did our local schools! Congratulations to all the graduates of 2023.
Monday my team hosted office hours at the Agawam Council on Aging. These sessions offer a great opportunity for anyone to sit down with myself or a member of my team and raise any issues or questions you may have, or even just chat about what it is we do here in the community. I encourage you all to take advantage of this opportunity. Later in the day my team met with Rep. Duffy and several health organizations throughout Holyoke to learn about how we can work to promote health and wellness in our communities.
On Tuesday, as we recognized the Anniversary of D-Day and remembered the ultimate sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service of our Country, my team had the opportunity to sit down with several Veterans’ groups from throughout the District, including Operation Veteran Vacation, Warriors’ Art Room, and the Easthampton Coalition for Veteran Wellness. Kudos to these organizations for all they do for our service members.
It was an honor to join Mayor McCabe, Representative Pease, members of the Westfield City Council and Massachusetts School Building Authority for the groundbreaking at Franklin Avenue School in Westfield on Wednesday. The start of this project represents years of hard work, and I cannot wait to see the finished product!
A jam-packed Thursday gave me the opportunity to sit down with students and faculty from Westfield Technical Academy and Westfield High School to discuss mental health in our schools. These conversations offer valuable insight into how we can best support students, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators. In my role as Chair of the Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery Committee, I am proud to head up the efforts to address these evolving concerns and ensure that students throughout the Commonwealth have the resources and supports they need.
Next week we will be hosting office hours at the Chicopee Council on Aging on Tuesday at 10:00AM, and on Wednesday at the West Springfield Council on Aging at 11:00AM. Feel free to stop by with any questions, comments, concerns, or just to say hello!
If you are unable to make our office hours or need assistance any sooner, I can always be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413)572-3920. You can also find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter!
Best,
John Velis