STEVE XIARHOS IS ENDORSED BY SANDWICH BUSINESS OWNER BOB AVILA

June 15, 2020

SANDWICH – Steve Xiarhos, Republican candidate for State Representative in the 5^th Barnstable District, proudly announced today that his candidacy has been endorsed by Sandwich business owner Bob Avila.

Avila, a resident of Sandwich, is a commercial boat Captain and is the owner of Captain John’s Fishing and Whale Watch tour boats, based in Plymouth. He has been a captain for more than forty years, and a professional whale watcher for the last three decades. A native of New Bedford, his family has a lengthy history in the boating and deep sea fishing industries. He is also a veteran, having served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War era.

“I appreciate Steve’s advocacy for our business community, especially during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Avila. “Steve has been a consistent supporter of small businesses and restaurants, and he has spoken up about our needs and advocated for us to be allowed to reopen as soon as possible. My own business has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars as our boats were forced to sit idle in Plymouth Harbor, unable to conduct tours due to the Coronavirus. I know many other business owners who are in similar circumstances. We need people like Steve to stand up for us and help us protect the businesses we’ve built up.”

“My wife and I have known Steve Xiarhos for a long time, and he is a friend of ours,” continued Avila. “Steve is a Gold Star Father whose son died while fighting for our country overseas. Despite suffering such a devastating personal loss, Steve has persevered and tried to make a positive difference in the community. I’ve always admired that. Steve was a dedicated police officer for many years, and he has also been extremely charitable with his help to those in need here on Cape Cod and beyond. I know Steve will be a terrific State Representative, and I am proud to endorse him.”

“I am proud to call Bob Avila my friend and I am honored and grateful for his endorsement of my campaign,” said Xiarhos. “Bob is one of many local business owners who are fighting to survive after months of closure due to COVID-19. As a community, we need to support the needs of our businesses, particularly our small businesses and restaurants. They are the life blood of our local economy and we depend on the jobs they create to keep us going.”

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