Hello Everyone,
To all who ran on Monday in Boston, Congratulations! 26.2 miles is no small feat, and you should all be proud of this accomplishment. I still proudly display my Boston Marathon medal in my office from 2017.
This week was another busy one filled with events throughout the district. On Tuesday morning, I took a tour of Meridian Industrial Group’s facility in Holyoke. Having been in operation for over 140 years, this company specializes in precision machining for aerospace and commercial production. It’s businesses like this that are the heart of our local economy, and I would like to thank the team at Meridian for inviting me on this tour.
Later that day, I went over for a tour of the Holyoke YMCA and to meet with new director, Conor Bevan. I’ve worked alongside Conor in the past during his time with the Boys & Girls club and I know he will do a fantastic job as the new YMCA director. Congratulations again and I look forward to collaborating with you and all of our other YMCAs throughout the district.
One of my favorite things to do when I have a moment of free time is to read a good book. On Wednesday I went over to Agawam to see just how some of my favorite books are printed and bound at the Bridgeport National Bindery. Whether you are looking for a small quantity of your own personal book, or you are an international publisher, Bridgeport National Binder does it all!
Yesterday, I and many across the Pioneer Valley, gathered together to celebrate and officially welcome the new President of Holyoke Community College, Dr. George Timmons, during his inauguration ceremony on campus. HCC is an integral part of our community, offering a quality education to many for whom an education may have been seemed impossible. Having gotten to know Dr. Timmons over the past few months I am sure will do an excellent job as HCC’s fifth president. I look forward to all the work we will be doing together in the future to best serve the students at Holyoke Community College.
This week my office hosted office hours at the Easthampton COA on Tuesday and at the Holyoke COA on Wednesday. Next week, we will be at the Westfield COA on Monday from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, the Russell COA on Tuesday from 11:30am to 12:30pm, and the Southampton COA on Wednesday from 9:30am to 10:30am. If you can’t 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