Hello everyone,
I hope you all had a great week! In case you missed it, this week the Executive Office of Veteran Services launched the Massachusetts Veterans Legacy Trail in celebration of the 250th anniversary of our state. Featuring over 1,200 war memorials, including some right here in our backyard, the Legacy Trail is a powerful tribute to the generations of men and women who have served our Commonwealth and nation
To kick off the week, I joined local officials, members of law enforcement, state leaders, and the Governor for a roundtable discussion on public safety. It was an incredibly productive and informative conversation, covering everything from current crime prevention efforts to the tools law enforcement needs to best serve our communities. Whether it’s through conversations like this or by joining law enforcement out on patrol, I always value these opportunities to better understand their challenging and complex work so that I can, in turn, best advocate for them on Beacon Hill.
On Wednesday, I welcomed my co-chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery, Representative Mindy Domb, to Westfield to learn more about the BYRT Program. In just five short months since the program was introduced at Westfield Middle School, we’ve already heard many powerful stories from students about how it has helped them transition back to their academics after experiencing a mental health crisis. I’m proud to have supported funding for this important statewide program in the FY26 Budget, ensuring that schools like Westfield Middle School can continue to access these critical services.
Later in the week, I was in Agawam to celebrate $125,000 in state funding through a Fair Share earmark that I was proud to secure for the Agawam Public Schools. Together with Mayor Johnson, Superintendent Martin, and other local officials, we shared with community members how this funding will help the district replace aging elementary school roofs, including the one at the William P. Sapelli Elementary School where we gathered. In the coming weeks, I’ll be highlighting additional earmarks for our local school districts. Be sure to visit my website for a full list of the recent funding I’ve secured for our district at large!
Speaking of celebrations, there was a lot more to celebrate around our district this week. Congratulations to Baroco Corporation, Entre Tech, and Sip and Spin on their exciting grand openings this week.
Next week Team Velis and I are excited to be hosting community office hours again. Stop in for assistance or to say hello on Monday at the Agawam Council on Aging from 11:00am to 12:00pm, or on Wednesday at the West Springfield Council on Aging from 11:00AM to 12:00PM. 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, 
John Velis