For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE

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Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt
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720-880-1020

Candlelight Vigil Sunday Evening for Greg Henika

RTV Retrieved from Evergreen Lake; No Fuel Leaking

Evergreen, CO (Jan. 22, 2015) --

A candlelight tribute to fallen Kiwanis member Greg Henika will be held at 6 PM Sunday on the football field at Evergreen High School, where Henika taught special education for 30 years.

The vigil is being organized by Blue Spruce Kiwanis and Evergreen Park & Recreation District (EPRD) to honor the beloved community volunteer who fell through the ice in Evergreen Lake and drowned this past Thursday while preparing for the Evergreen Ice Golf Tournament.

Henika, 67, founded the Ice Golf Tournament five years ago to benefit developmentally disabled adults through the Kiwanis's Aktion Club. At the Kiwanis meeting this morning, he was honored as a man with a huge heart who spent his retirement giving to others through a variety of activities, from the Big Chili Festival to the Rodeo Weekend Pancake Breakfast.

EHS is located at 29300 Buffalo Park Road in Evergreen.

People attending the candlelight vigil are urged to carpool because of limited parking and to arrive early, as traffic can be difficult on Buffalo Park Road. Parking will be available at Evergreen High School, Wulf Recreation Center and Wilmot Elementary School.

People need to bring their own candles or light-up electronic devices, and be aware that restroom facilities will be very limited.

Community members will have the opportunity, at the request of Henika's family, to make donations to Henika's favorite causes: The Eliminate Project, Kiwanis' global campaign that aims to eliminate neonatal tetanus, and the Aktion Club, Kiwanis's local program for adults with disabilities. People can also mail checks (made out to the Blue Spruce Kiwanis Foundation) to Kiwanis at P.O. Box 1153, Evergreen, CO 80437. Checks should have "Eliminate Project," "Aktion Club" or "Greg" written in the memo field.

Henika died Thursday after the all-terrain vehicle he was driving broke through the ice and tumbled into Evergreen Lake, said Ellen O'Connor, EPRD's executive director. The Ice Golf Tournament has been cancelled for this year. Ice skating on Evergreen Lake was closed Thursday and Friday, but the Ice Rink will reopen Saturday. The Evergreen Ice Bike Race scheduled for Feb. 28 has also been cancelled.

A joint team of EPRD Park Operations staff, Evergreen Fire Rescue, Metropolitan Water, divers from West Metro Fire and Jeffco Road and Bridge worked together all day today to get the RTV Henika was riding out of the water, finally succeeding at 2:45 PM. There was no fuel leak into the lake, O'Connor said.

The accident remains under investigation.