Special to Iredell Free News

The grand opening for the Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park will be held on June 5 and will be a day to not only commemorate the life of the Mooresville police officer, but also celebrate his deep connection to man’s best friend.

Officer Sheldon was killed in the line of duty on May 4, 2019, and his loss has been felt profoundly by the Mooresville community. To create a lasting legacy for Sheldon, the Town of Mooresville constructed the Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park at Cornelius Road Park. The dog park will not only offer amenities to patrons such as water stations, public seating, and signage and artwork to honor Sheldon, but will also include a K9 agility course for officers to train with their dogs and interact with the community.

The grand opening event, hosted by the Mooresville Youth Council, will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 5, at Cornelius Road Park. Attendees will hear from Mayor Miles Atkins and MPD Chief Campurciani, and can watch demonstrations from the Mooresville Police Department’s K9 Unit. They might even find their new best friend as Lake Norman Humane will offer dog adoption onsite.

Complimentary water will be provided, and vendors will be selling food and drink to the public. The Mooresville Youth Council will also be recruiting donors for their community blood drive on June 6. (More information will be available at the event or at https://rcblood.org/3h7VjU8.)

In honor of the Officer Jordan H. Sheldon Memorial Dog Park grand opening, the Mooresville Youth Council will be selling T-shirts, hats and bandannas through MI Screen Printing, with a portion of the proceeds donated to Sheldon’s K9s and Lake Norman Humane. More details are available on their Instagram at @themooresvilleyouthcouncil.