Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1545463
wbjournal.com | June 22, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 3 Before "e Shot Heard 'Round the World", Worcester Patriots Led the Way: An Open Letter to the Underdog in All of Us. I n many ways the American story is a Worcester story of overcoming unlikely odds, and that spirit has carried all of us at one point in our lives or another. Let's be honest, we've all been there before. e odds are stacked against you, it seems like every advantage is reserved for someone else, and you're growing tired of getting back up after every crushing fall. At times victory feels out of reach as you journey through life, business, education, or the hidden battles you fight alone. Some say your bold reach is reckless. Many whisper, and others shout, that you're not meant to win. Not now. Maybe not ever. But surrender is the graveyard where dreams get buried alive. Defeat is not your destiny. So, day after day you choose to push forward and take command of your future. You know that the Underdog is not a label for the doomed, it's a badge for the daring souls who achieve what others decide impossible. History's greatest chapters are forged in these unseen trials of resilience and resolve. In these quiet moments, even as belief burns low, legends ignite. Over 250 years ago, the often-forgotten 1774 Worcester Revolution shocked the world to mark one such great chapter in American history. Against the might of an empire, months before the famous battles of Lexington and Concord, over 4,600 brave Patriots and local leaders from 37 surrounding towns stood ready, determined to defy the odds. On the morning of September 6th in Worcester, Massachusetts, ordinary people summoned breathtaking courage and conviction to achieve something extraordinary and removed an oppressive British authority from their communities. ose brave souls triumphed over tyranny without the need for violence or bloodshed. is powerful, albeit unexpected, feat laid the foundation for future victories over seemingly inexorable forces and paved the path to American independence in 1776. Everyone loves a good underdog story. Your story can yield remarkable results if you keep moving forward. America was born from impossible odds and endures today as living proof that a united peoples' perseverance can author history's greatest chapters. Our communities, large and small, across this great nation are filled with the past, present, and future stories proving that we can all become more together and contribute meaningfully to something bigger than ourselves. So, continue to rise, refuse regret, and reject retreat. Bring your vision to life. Turn every mess into a message and every test into a testimony. Someone out there needs to hear it more than you know. Keep pushing forward and remember to widen the path for those that follow. Your community is right beside you, rooting for your success. ank you for being you. ank you for being in business. ank you for getting back up each time you fall. ank you for inspiring others to battle on. ank you for helping those in need without requiring recognition. ank you for helping us believe in a hopeful future. I hope this letter finds you when you need it most. I also hope that circumstances will someday make it possible for me to meet you, not as a banker or community leader but as a partner and a friend. Let's celebrate 250 years of American independence by honoring the community spirit of collective determination, despite even the greatest odds against us, and let's build a better tomorrow each day, together. I believe in you. rough the ups and the downs, through failure and success. Ever forward. S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N | America at 250 Seth A. Pitts President & CEO Bay State Bank S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N | America at 250