An annual fund-raiser will pit participating teams in a tug of war against an unusual adversary — a Boeing 757.

United Way of Mesa County and the Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission have scheduled the third annual airplane pull for Sept. 29. The event is set to start at noon at the Grand Junction Regional Airport.

“Events like the airplane pull not only help us raise funds, but also showcase the remarkable strength of our community when we come together to achieve a common goal,” said Zebulon Miracle, executive director of United Way of Mesa County. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our friends at FedEx, the Grand Junction Regional Airport, Shaw Construction and the Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission for their invaluable support in making this unique experience possible — a day teams will treasure.”

Teams of 18 members each will attempt to pull a 100-ton Federal Express Boeing 757 jet aircraft 20 feet. Teams will go head to head in a double-elimination showdown, with scores determined by the time it takes to complete each attempt.

The event serves as a fund-raiser for United Way of Mesa County and the Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission in collaboration with Federal Express. Interested teams can learn more and sign up at www.grandjunctionsports.org.

Participating teams pay a $750 entry fee. Proceeds help fund the work of the 43 nonprofit agency programs United Way of Mesa County supports as well as the efforts of the Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission. Local businesses and organizations are encouraged to sponsor hometown heroes and nonprofit teams by covering their registration fees.