Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a great week and found ways to stay cool! Having finally reached the month of August, I am so excited to be able to spend more time in the communities across our district with the legislative session moving a bit slower out in Boston.
On Tuesday, my fellow Special Commissioner, Rita Blanter, welcomed Senator Jake Oliveira and I to Serenity Care PACE in Springfield to learn more about their incredible and compassionate work. At this location and others in our region, Serenity Care PACE provides quality health and supportive services to enhance the well-being of aging adults and those with disabilities. I am incredibly grateful for Commissioner Blanter for extending this invitation to Senator Oliveria and I to learn more about her routine work outside of supporting the efforts of the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism.
Later that day I had the opportunity to sit down with the recently appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Kiame Mahaniah. The Secretary of Health and Human Services plays an instrumental role in leading the health and well-being of our state as they oversee 11 different state agencies. It was fantastic to be able to learn more about the Secretary’s goals, especially given the that Secretary is a practicing physician in the field of addiction medicine. I am looking forward to working closely with the Secretary on legislation before the Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery Committee in addition to all that we can collaborate on to improve the lives of constituents more broadly.
There is nothing I love more than stepping on to the basketball court for a good cause, especially if it involves supporting local youth. On Thursday night I was back at the Greater Holyoke YMCA to join their Girls Empowerment Basketball League to celebrate the final games of their inaugural season. This new program is the first of its kind for girls in Holyoke between fifth and eighth grade where they are not only learning to grow as athletes but as confident young women. After shooting a few hoops with the teams during warm ups and kicking off the game, I was proud to share a donation with the league that will help with the transportation costs associated with their upcoming trip to a WNBA game. I would not be surprised if you happen to see some of the YMCA girls on a WNBA Team in the future with the great skills they showcased Thursday night.
This week Team Velis hosted office hours in Chicopee and West Springfield. Next week Team Velis will be hosting office hours 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.  
Best,  Â
John Velis