Item Description:
title
Recognizing the Impact of Helping Paws and the Hortman Family on Hennepin County - offered by Commissioner Edelson
body
WHEREAS, in September 2023, the Hennepin County Board adopted a Board Action Request authored by Commissioner Anderson recognizing September as National Service Dog Month in Hennepin County; and
WHEREAS, service dogs provide vital assistance to people with disabilities, including individuals with physical disabilities and veterans and first responders experiencing service-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and are individually trained to perform tasks directly related to a person’s disability; and
WHEREAS, Helping Paws, a nonprofit organization based in Eden Prairie, works to further people's independence and quality of life through the use of highly trained assistance dogs; and
WHEREAS, Helping Paws trains and places assistance dogs to serve individuals with physical disabilities, veterans and first responders experiencing service-related PTSD, and professionals who work with facility dogs in settings including healthcare, education, and the justice system; and
WHEREAS, training and matching an assistance dog requires approximately two and a half years, thousands of volunteer hours, and an investment of approximately $40,000, with volunteers and host homes providing essential training, socialization, care, and support throughout the process; and
WHEREAS, Melissa Hortman served communities in Anoka and Hennepin counties for more than two decades as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and, together with her husband, Mark, and their family, volunteered with Helping Paws to help raise and train assistance dogs; and
WHEREAS, the Hortman family helped raise and train Minnie, a Helping Paws dog who today works alongside a veteran, and later welcomed Gilbert, a golden retriever who had trained in the Helping Paws program, as a beloved member of their family; and
WHEREAS, following the deaths of Melissa and Mark Hortman and Gilbert, Helping Paws established The Hortman Heroes Fund - In Honor of Melissa, Mark, and Gilbert Hortman to celebrate their lives and legacy and support programs placing service dogs with veterans and first responders experiencing service-related PTSD; and
WHEREAS, the Hortman Heroes Fund carries forward the Hortman family's commitment to service, compassion, and community by helping provide highly trained assistance dogs to people who have served their communities and country.
Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners recognizes Helping Paws for its extraordinary service to individuals and families in Hennepin County and beyond; honors Melissa and Mark Hortman and Gilbert for their connection to and support of this work; and recognizes the Hortman Heroes Fund as a lasting tribute to their legacy of service, compassion, and care for others.
Recommendation from County Administrator: No Recommendation