Special to Iredell Free News

Two 501(c)3 charities have teamed up to donate to the Town of Mooresville’s Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park, which is designed to honor Officer Jordan Sheldon, who died in the line of duty on May 4, 2019.

Since the loss of Officer Sheldon, the Town has wanted to honor his sacrifice in a lasting and meaningful way. With the Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park, the Town is carrying his legacy forward by instituting a permanent place where Officer Sheldon’s passion for dogs can be shared with the community, while his fellow K9 officers can use the park to train with their partners.

The Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park, which is expected to open in May 2021, will be a premier facility with three distinct areas, and will also include a K9 Agility Course, public seating, and the appropriate signage and artwork to honor Officer Sheldon.

The mission of Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation is to “honor and assist those who have sacrificed greatly for our country,” while Sheldon’s K9s is a nonprofit whose goal is to “honor Jordan and continue his legacy of hard work, service, and commitment to the community.” The two charities have collaborated to donate $20,000 toward the K9 Agility Course that the Mooresville Police Department can use during their continual training sessions.

Checkered Flag Foundation Founder and President Brad Keselowski, said he was “excited to join forces with Sheldon’s K9s Foundation to build a K9 Agility Course within the new Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park.”

“We are happy to provide our local first responders the opportunity to train their future K9s in a state-of-the-art outdoor facility,” he said. “Officer Sheldon had a passion for serving his community through the K9 unit and it is incredible to honor his memory in a way that reflects his passion. Our hope is that the Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park will bring joy to humans and canines alike for many years to come. We are truly thankful for the opportunity to serve those that serve us.”

Carson Ledford, Jordan’s brother, who also serves on the Sheldon’s K9s Board of Directors, said Sheldon’s K9s is “proud to be a partner in building the K9 Agility Course at the Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park.”

“Legacy projects such as this one is an important part of our values to continue championing causes Jordan was passionate about,” he said. “It is in this way he can continue to make an impact for decades to come. Sheldon’s K9s seeks to improve the lives of working and retired dogs who serve and protect day in and day out. We are excited to contribute to the Agility Course with Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation, with whom we share a common goal of honoring heroes and helping public servants.”

To commemorate the groundbreaking of the “Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park,” a virtual ceremony will be held in November.