Minnesota Hospice joins Lakeville parade to mark 10 years of care

Minnesota Hospice will return to Lakeville’s Pan-O-Prog Grand Parade on Saturday, July 11, marking its fifth straight year in the event and celebrating 10 years serving southern Twin Cities families. The appearance comes after the Lakeville-based hospice earned a Gold win in the Star Tribune’s 2026 Minnesota’s Best Awards and a second straight Top Workplace honor.

Why it matters: - Minnesota Hospice is using one of Lakeville’s biggest summer events to celebrate a decade of local care and reinforce its community ties. - The parade appearance also highlights the organization’s recent recognition as a Gold winner for Hospice Care in the Star Tribune’s 2026 Minnesota’s Best Awards. - The event puts the hospice in front of an estimated 20,000 spectators, giving the organization broad visibility in the community it serves.

What happened: - Minnesota Hospice will walk in the Pan-O-Prog Grand Parade on Saturday, July 11. - The parade marks the organization’s fifth consecutive year in Lakeville’s signature summer event. - Minnesota Hospice is celebrating 10 years of caring for families across the southern Twin Cities metro. - The organization is headquartered in Lakeville.

The details: - The Minnesota Hospice team is known for handing out candy along the route, and this year the group plans to distribute 100,000 pieces. - Nurses, social workers, CNAs, chaplains and family members will walk together in matching shirts. - The team will spend the mile-long route waving and visiting with neighbors. - Pan-O-Prog stands for Panorama of Progress and has been a Lakeville summer tradition for decades. - Many Minnesota Hospice staff live along or near the streets the parade travels. - Minnesota Hospice was also named a Star Tribune Top Workplace for the second consecutive year. - The workplace recognition placed Minnesota Hospice among the top ten small business employers in Minnesota. - For more information about Minnesota Hospice and its services, visit the company’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The parade gives Minnesota Hospice a public way to thank the same community members the organization supports during difficult moments. - Founder and CEO Ken Haglind framed the appearance as both a celebration and a service-minded outreach moment. - The company’s repeated parade presence suggests the event has become part of its local identity, not just a one-time promotion.

What's next: - Minnesota Hospice will continue serving families in the Twin Cities southern metro while building on its recent awards and workplace recognition. - The organization is likely to keep using community events like Pan-O-Prog to strengthen local relationships and visibility.

The bottom line: - For Minnesota Hospice, the parade is both a thank-you to Lakeville and a public marker of 10 years of care.