Hello everyone,
After all this snow, we are really looking forward to spring! Team Velis would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the hard-working DPW crews, first responders, and local utility workers who worked tirelessly through yet another snowstorm to clear the roads and ensure the safety of our communities this week.
Happy Rare Disease Day! Each year, the final day of February is recognized and celebrated around the world as Rare Disease Day, a nod to February’s unique “rare” extra day every few years. We are proud to share that Massachusetts passed legislation in 2022 to join many states across the country in formally recognizing this day which aims to raise awareness and improve the lives of individuals and families affected by rare diseases. On Thursday, Caitlyn joined a briefing at the State House to discuss Massachusetts’s Rare Disease Advisory Council and legislative efforts to support research and resources for individuals living with a rare disease.
On Wednesday, Mark joined Mayor Vieau and the Chicopee Police Department for an announcement regarding the City’s new school bus safety program. Enabled by legislation passed last session that Senator Velis strongly supported, the City of Chicopee and other communities across the Commonwealth are now able to install school bus violation detection systems. These systems will capture evidence of those vehicles who fail to stop when a school bus’s flashing red lights are engaged, allowing citations to be issued to these bad actors who endanger the lives of students getting on and off the bus. Senator Velis is committed to the safety of our communities, especially for our children, and takes pride in seeing his legislative efforts positively impact our communities.
This week Senator Velis was named the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers’ (ADDP) 2025 Senator of the Year. Although Senator Velis is currently deployed and could not personally accept the award, which was thoughtfully created by an artist at Riverside Industries Inc. in Easthampton, Caitlyn from our office expressed the Senator’s deepest appreciation for this honor during the gathering. The Senator often shares how proud he is that his first vote as a member of the legislature was to strengthen protections for people with autism, just minutes after being sworn into the House of Representatives. His commitment is evident not only through his backing of policies and funding but also in the ongoing relationships he has built with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout our communities. Thank you to ADDP for honoring the Senator in this way!
This week, Team Velis hosted office hours in Southampton. Next Monday, we will hold office hours at the Agawam Council on Aging from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. If you are unable to make office hours, please remember that you can reach us by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and online at senatorjohnvelis.com.
Sincerely,
Team Velis