A Kiwanis community leader died Thursday after he plunged through the ice of Evergreen Lake while preparing its surface for a charity event he founded.
Greg Henika, 67, of Idledale was in the water for roughly 35 minutes before he was pulled out, according to Doug Saba, a spokesman for Evergreen Fire and Rescue.
Henika was using an all-terrain vehicle equipped with a plow to groom the ice for Sunday’s fifth annual Evergreen Ice Tournament, which raises money for developmentally disabled adults.
The event is sponsored by Blue Spruce Kiwanis and Blue Spruce Aktion Club.
“We are just heartbroken,” Ellen O’Connor, executive director of Evergreen Park & Recreation District, said in a statement. “Here at EPRD, we truly considered Greg one of our own. he volunteered for countless community events; he was the go-to guy when you need something done.”
“He was doing the thing he loved,” she added. “It’s a sad, sad day for everyone.”
The ice golf event has been canceled and the Evergreen Lake Ice Rink was closed for the day,
Emergency responders were called to the lake at about 9:30 a.m, by fishermen who called 911 after witnessing the accident.
“It was a very prolonged time in the water,” Saba said.
Henika was flown by a Flight for Life helicopter to a Denver hospital, where he died.
The incident is under investigation.
