The legacy of Officer Jordan Sheldon lives on through an organization formed in the wake of his death in the line of duty in May 2019.
The annual Sheldon’s K9s Fall Fest will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Trackhouse Motorplex in Mooresville.
Sheldon’s K9s was formed after he was shot during a traffic stop. The organization seeks to honor Sheldon’s passions, law enforcement and canines.
The organization has sought to honor his commitment to the community and his love of dogs by providing care to retired canines and support the Mooresville Police Department’s and surrounding agencies’ canine program.
Sheldon was a canine handler for the MPD.
Sheldon’s brother, Carson Ledford, said the festival will share Jordan’s love for the working canines and give the public the opportunity to see the dogs in action.
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“Most people don’t get the chance to interact with working dogs, so they can see the incredible talent of these dogs and to see the great service they provide for the community,” he said.
The MPD canines and their handlers will be showing off their skills at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Ledford said the festival is a celebration of his brother and an opportunity for the public to learn about Sheldon’s K9s and the way it is fulfilling Sheldon’s legacy.
The canine retirement program, he said, is one example of meeting a need that was not on the radar. Most of the time when a canine retires, the handler is given the option of keeping the dog and most choose to do that. However, caring for a retired police dog brings expenses.
That’s something Jordan Sheldon discovered when his first canine partner retired. “Caring for an aging canine is expensive, and Jordan knew that,” Ledford said.
So it was only fitting that Sheldon’s K9s sought to help officers with expenses related to their retired partners. Since it started, Ledford said, the program has assist 20 retired canines, and the current active number is 16. “Sadly, four have passed on,’ he said. Sheldon’s K9s has spent about $16,000 helping provide care for the canines.
Those costs are expected to grow as more of the canine members of local law enforcement agencies retire, Ledford said.
“We are really really happy,” he said. “It’s a huge need that Jordan knew all to well. We are fulfilling a need.”
And the other main focus for Sheldon’s K9s is funding equipment, particularly safety equipment, for the MPD and surrounding agencies K-9 units. For example, Ledford said, Sheldon’s K9s provided two state-of-the-art kennels recently. “We are thrilled to be able to do this,” he said.
The festival, he said, is a way to bring awareness to the needs of the canine units as well as a way to remember his brother. There are about 50 vendors expected to be at the festival.
Sheldon’s K9s will be selling merchandise to support the organization at the festival, and bringing awareness about the programs of Sheldon’s K9s.
The festival will include music, food, local vendors and the live demonstrations from the MPD’s canine unit.
Some of the food and drink vendors include: Hoptown Brewing, TACO Love, Asian B on Wheels, LKN Mobile Eats, Clutch Coffee Bar and Woodmill Treats.
Entertainment includes DJ Festivus and Acrofitness (at noon).
Vendors and community partners expected to be at the festival include Liberty & Co. Apparel and Tactical LLC, Mama Bears Krafts, Lala’s Custom Creations, The Dappled Dog LLC, Wag Your Tail, Ecomaids of Lake Norman-Queen City. Empire Towing Corp., Maddie K’s Boutique, Sport Clips Haircuts of Mooresville, Hand Crafted by Dustan Sweely, International Fellowship of Chaplains Metrolina, Triple S Creations, The Rustic Barrel Company, Zammitti & Gidaly Orthodontics, Color Street, Operation Christmas Child, The Sweetest Thing Barkery, Rodeo Mom Freshies, McDaniel Dog Training, Cassie Creations, The Tyler Herndon Memorial Foundation, Annie Mae & Ivy Goats milk soap, Groomed Salon and Armor & Sash.
The motorplex is at 130 Motorplex Drive, Mooresville.
