MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Walz Designates June as Public Service Month to Honor Melissa and Mark Hortman's Legacy of Civic Engagement

ST. PAUL, MN (June 13, 2026) One year after a tragedy that stunned Minnesota and reverberated far beyond its borders, Governor Tim Walz is asking Minnesotans to remember Melissa and Mark Hortman not only through mourning, but through service.

In an official proclamation issued from the State Capitol, Walz has designated June 2026 as Public Service Month, encouraging residents across Minnesota to volunteer, engage in civic life, support their neighbors, and participate in community service activities in honor of the late House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman.

The proclamation arrives on the eve of the first anniversary of the June 14, 2025 attacks that killed the Hortmans and seriously wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, in what federal prosecutors described as a politically motivated plot targeting elected officials.

Rather than allowing the anniversary to be defined solely by violence, state leaders are attempting to focus public attention on the values that shaped the Hortmans' lives: service, community involvement, civic responsibility, and a belief that democracy depends on ordinary citizens contributing to the common good.

"Melissa and Mark remind us that public service is not just for elected officials. It's for all of us," Walz said in announcing the proclamation, urging Minnesotans to perform acts of service throughout June and particularly around June 14.

A Legacy Rooted in Service

For many Minnesotans, Melissa Hortman will be remembered as one of the most consequential legislative leaders in modern state history.

First elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004, Hortman served more than two decades in public office and rose to become House Speaker, helping guide major legislation involving transportation, education, energy policy, infrastructure investment, environmental protection, healthcare, and public safety.

Walz and legislative leaders from both parties have repeatedly cited her ability to navigate difficult political environments while maintaining a focus on governance and public problem-solving.

Yet the governor's proclamation deliberately extends beyond Melissa Hortman's public accomplishments to recognize the shared commitment to service that defined both her life and her marriage.

According to the proclamation, Melissa and Mark Hortman first met through a community service activity, a fitting beginning for a partnership that would remain deeply connected to volunteerism and civic engagement for decades.

Throughout their lives, the couple supported a range of community organizations and service initiatives.

Among them was Helping Paws, the Minnesota-based nonprofit that trains and places service dogs with individuals living with physical disabilities and veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. The Hortmans were longtime supporters of the organization and frequently participated in community-focused volunteer efforts.

They also remained active in youth leadership development through their involvement with scouting programs and other community organizations serving young people throughout the northern Twin Cities suburbs.

The proclamation notes that while the state continues to grieve, service offers a path toward collective healing.

"The weight of grief is lighter when shared," the proclamation states, "as is the responsibility we hold for the common good."

To that end, schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, local governments, faith communities, and civic groups are being encouraged to organize volunteer activities and service projects throughout June.

From Tragedy to Civic Action

The Public Service Month designation comes just days after Vance Luther Boelter pleaded guilty in federal court to six charges connected to the June 2025 attacks.

Under the plea agreement, Boelter admitted responsibility for the killings of Melissa and Mark Hortman and the shootings of John and Yvette Hoffman. Federal prosecutors are recommending two consecutive life sentences plus an additional 40 years in prison.

The timing has given additional resonance to Walz's call for civic engagement.

Earlier this week, the Hoffman family released a statement following Boelter's guilty plea, emphasizing that accountability and healing are not the same thing.

"There is no justice for Mark and Melissa Hortman, and there is no justice when our family and our state will never truly heal," the family said.

"While the legal process may provide accountability, true healing requires something more from all of us."

The family further called on Minnesotans to treat one another with respect, reject dehumanizing rhetoric, and recommit themselves to community and public service.

Those themes closely mirror the message at the center of the governor's proclamation.

Launching Minnesota's New Office of Public Service

Public Service Month also coincides with the launch of a new statewide initiative designed to strengthen volunteerism and civic participation long after the commemorations of June have passed.

Approved by the Legislature as part of the 2026 Jobs and Labor Omnibus Bill, the newly created Office of Public Service will operate within the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

State officials describe the office as a central coordinating hub for volunteer opportunities, national service programs, civic engagement initiatives, and pathways into public-sector careers.

Its responsibilities include developing a statewide strategy to expand public service opportunities, coordinating efforts among service organizations, supporting volunteer recruitment, and creating stronger connections between community service and workforce development.

The office will work closely with organizations such as ServeMinnesota, AmeriCorps programs, nonprofit partners, educational institutions, and local governments to increase participation in civic life and public service activities.

According to DEED, the initiative is intended to build upon Minnesota's longstanding reputation as one of the nation's most civilly engaged states.

Minnesota has consistently ranked among the national leaders in voter participation and regularly places near the top of national volunteerism rankings.

Supporters of the new office say the goal is to transform that civic culture into a more coordinated statewide network that helps residents find meaningful opportunities to serve while also creating pathways into careers dedicated to public service.

A Different Kind of Memorial

Public memorials often take the form of statues, plaques, buildings, or named institutions.

Public Service Month proposes something different.

Instead of asking Minnesotans merely to remember Melissa and Mark Hortman, the initiative asks them to emulate the values that defined their lives.

Volunteer at a food shelf.

Mentor a young person.

Join a community organization.

Assist a neighbor.

Serve on a local board or commission.

Support a nonprofit.

Participate in civic life.

As Minnesota approaches the first anniversary of one of the darkest moments in its political history, state leaders are attempting to shape the public response around a simple idea: that the most enduring tribute to a life of service may be more service.

For a state still grappling with grief, Public Service Month represents an effort to transform remembrance into action and loss into purpose.

The legal proceedings surrounding the attacks will continue.

The work of rebuilding civic trust, strengthening communities, and carrying forward the values the Hortmans embodied may take much longer.

But beginning this month, Minnesota is formally inviting its residents to begin that work together.

Sources: Office of Governor Tim Walz; Governor's June 2026 Public Service Month Proclamation; Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development; Senate File 17 (Jobs and Labor Omnibus Bill); ServeMinnesota; Minnesota House of Representatives records; federal court records; Hoffman family statement; Associated Press; Minnesota Public Radio News.

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