Hi Everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend and were able to enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Coming off the long weekend, Team Velis was ready to hit the ground running and get back out into the community.
We began the week hosting office hours at the Chicopee and West Springfield Councils on Aging. Bridget had the chance to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones as well. Getting out into the community, talking with residents, and hearing directly about what matters most to them will always be one of my favorite parts of this job. If there is ever anything our office can assist you with—or if you simply want to stop by and say hello—please feel free to visit any of the office hours Team Velis hosts throughout the district each month.
This week I also visited Holyoke Fire Headquarters and met with firefighters to tour the facilities, and also to discuss funding opportunities that support the health and wellness of our first responders. Their work is vital, and it will always be a priority of mine to learn how we can better support our firefighters and the essential services they provide.
On Thursday afternoon, I stopped by Westfield State University to meet President Dr. Thompson, along with university, municipal, and state leaders, for a conversation about how we can continue to support the needs of a growing student population. Our region is fortunate to be home to so many strong educational institutions, and it’s important that we work together to ensure students have the resources they need to succeed.
Afterward on Thursday, I attended the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County’s “Welcome Back” Networking Social, where I had the opportunity to connect with professionals in this field and discuss state policy issues and tax legislation that is relevant to their work.
Friday marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. It was a solemn morning in Westfield as our community gathered to remember all those we lost and to support the families of Tara Shea Creamer, Brian Murphy, and Daniel Trant. As a nation, we made a promise to “Never Forget,” and that promise is more important now than ever as we pass on the stories of that tragic day to an entire generation who were too young to remember or not yet born. It is our responsibility to honor the heroic actions of both civilians and first responders who ran toward danger on that day, and to keep alive the memories of the many beautiful lives lost.
As we head into the weekend, I look forward to stopping by more events throughout the district taking place. Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours at the Easthampton Council on Aging on Tuesday from 10:30am to 11:30am and again on Wednesday at the Holyoke Council on Aging from 10:00am to 11:00am. If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.
Sincerely,
John Velis