The Town of Cornelius Police Department and Cornelius-Lemley Fire & Rescue “Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game” brought out a big crowd at Bailey Road Park.

Cornelius First Responders played to benefit the Cornelius 9/11 Monument which will be erected in front of Cornelius Fire Station No. 1 on South Main Street. The goal is to dedicate the monument, which includes a steel beam from the World Trade Center, on Sept. 11 this year. The artist is Norman Lee, a public art specialist. His work can be viewed at http://www.resite-studio.com

Next up for fundraising is the Rotary Club of North Mecklenburg’s Zero-K Event on Friday, Sept. 9. The event kicks off at 5:30 pm at Oak Street Mill during the Second Friday Street Festival, organized by the PARC Department and Bella Love.

The event is for runners and non-runners alike. Participants register, receive a race bib and t-shirt, and corral at the start line. When the start gun goes off, participants cheer, make their way through the starting line and then enjoy the festivities. With a variety of food trucks, breweries and live music, the event is family friendly and kids activites will be available. Like many races, prizes will be awarded for best team costumes, team name and team theme.

Registration is $30. Participants receive a race bib, T-shirt, drink tickets, swag bag and eligibility for raffle prizes. To register, visit www.northmeckrotaryclub.com/zero-k/registration. For more information, contact Denis Bilodeau at 704-719-7961 or dbilodeau54@gmail.com.

The total project budget is $100,000. So far, $64,000 has been raised so far. The 9/11 Committee is pursuing a variety of fundraising campaigns to cover the costs associated with this project.

Anyone can help by holding a fundraiser, making a personal donation, participating in one of the community fundraisers listed to the right or becoming a corporate or individual sponsor.