On Monday, May 28 (Memorial Day) beginning at 8 a.m., soldiers, veterans,
and the community will gather at the VFW Post 5074, 705 Oak Street in
Roanoke, to march in honor of fallen American soldiers. The half mile during
the Hero Walk will take participants down Byron Nelson Boulevard to Hawaiian
Falls waterpark, where they will be met by a cheering crowd at the front
gate. The public is invited to walk with the soldiers and can even offer to
carry their packs.

“We are excited to honor all our American Heroes, past and present, to the
City of Roanoke,” said Roanoke Mayor Scooter Gierisch.  ”We salute Hawaiian
Falls and Soldiers Serve with Heart for hosting this event.”

The public is encouraged to gather at Hawaiian Falls Roanoke’s front gate at
9 a.m., where soldiers and veterans will be given a hero’s welcome.  The
soldiers and veterans will be guests of honor for a day of fun in the sun at
the waterpark.

The crowd applauds as soldiers and veterans and their families enter Hawaiian Falls last year.

“We want to honor the men and women who are serving now as well as those
who’ve recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Jim Patterson,
director of sales at Hawaiian Falls Roanoke. “This is the second year we’ve
partnered with Soldiers Serve with Heart to provide a care-free environment
where our brave young men and women can relax with their families and have
fun.”

Former UFC Champion Guy Mezger will be available for autographs from 11 a.m.
- 1 p.m. inside the waterpark, while military families enjoy a special lunch
provided by Texas Roadhouse-Flower Mound and live entertainment by
“Troubadour, TX” artist Rohn Bailey. Military vehicles will also be on
display.

“I am honored to host this event that recognizes our military and gives them
an opportunity to connect with other military families,” said Ryan Lynn,
founder of Soldiers Serve With Heart.

Military families can sign up for the free event at Hawaiian Falls Roanoke
by contacting ryan@soldiersservewithheart.org. Sponsors include Hawaiian
Falls, the City of Roanoke, Texas Roadhouse-Flower Mound, Troubadour Texas,
Monster Energy Drinks, Imprint Entertainment and Guy Metger’s Combat Sports
Club. Companies or individuals interested in sponsoring the event should
contact Jim Patterson, Hawaiian Falls, at JimP@hfalls.com or 817-380-3562.

Headquartered in Flower Mound, Soldiers Serve With Heart is a 501(c)3
organization established to give hope, help, healing and purpose to vets,
from all wars, who gave to us first.  More info at
www.soldiersservewithheart.org

Soldiers Serve with Heart staff welcomes participants to Hawaiian Falls last year.

Guy Mezger is an American martial artist (6th degree black belt) who
competed in professional combat sports ranging from full contact karate and
kickboxing to boxing, but is most recognized as a mixed martial arts
fighter. Mr. Mezger fought in the UFC, Pride and Pancrase. Today, he
operates an elite martial arts training facility in Dallas. More info at
http://www.guymezger.com/

Rohn Bailey is an accomplished singer, songwriter and recording artist who
has performed with several contemporary christian bands, pop/rock bands
Backstreet and Boyfriend, and competed on Ed McMahon’s national television
show “Star Search.” Bailey has traveled internationally as a praise and
worship leader in large crusades and revivals. Bailey currently appears on
“Troubadour, TX,” a television series that follows various singers and
songwriters as they chase their dreams across the Lone Star State, shown
locally at 11 a.m. Sundays on TXA-21. More info at http://troubadourtx.com

All five Hawaiian Falls waterparks in Roanoke, Garland, Mansfield, The
Colony, and the new park in Waco, will admit active duty military members
free 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Memorial Day, May 28, with an active duty
military ID. Hawaiian Falls is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

14-Acre Hawaiian Falls Waterpark To Open Memorial Day Weekend

After months of anticipation and construction, Waco’s hottest new summer attraction is set to open Memorial Day weekend.

The Hawaiian Falls Waterpark was unveiled in October. The 14-acre park will boast 10 slides, a football field-sized wave pool, lazy river and an area for the little ones.

“Everything’s coming along quick and getting busier by the day,” said project manager Adam Jordan.

They’ve already hired more than 200 people for the summer, and counting.

“Oh everything, we have retail, we have cooks, we’ve got lifeguards, we’ve got maintenance people,” Jordan listed.

It’s three times the size of the old Waco waterpark, and cost the city and Hawaiian Falls $10 million to build.

Season passes are on sale now for $75 and they expect the park to fill a major void in the city.

“One of the things you hear a lot about Waco is there’s nothing to do, well this is gonna really be a fairly affordable avenue for something for our young folks and teenagers to do,” said Mayor Jim Bush at the unveiling.

“It’s a family-friendly park. You know you don’t have to wait 6 hours in line” Jordan said.

Right now the parking lot is filled with all the slides. They plan to have them up by the end of the week.

“We are proud to proclaim that our company is faith-based,” said David Busch, Hawaiian Falls CEO. “Our mission is to bring families closer together. We strive to create a positive, fun environment where families can relax and make memories together. We encourage our ambassadors to treat our guests the way they would like to be treated. It’s simply observing the Golden Rule. And if we truly attempt to follow it, then everyone will have a better day.”

Hawaiian Falls Waco will employ more than 200 seasonal workers and is expected to draw more than 70,000 tourists to the area each year.  The park is projected to have a total annual attendance of 150,000 guests. Hawaiian Falls Waco will be three times larger than the previous city aquatic facility.

Read more about Hawaiian Falls Prayers Walks at North Texas e-News

Hawaiian Falls CEO David Busch, "Off Limits" host Don Wildman.

Hawaiian Falls recently gave Don Wildman, host of  The Travel Channel’s “Off Limits” program, unprecedented access to the Mega WaterWorld, the world’s largest aqua play structure, at Hawaiian Falls waterpark in Roanoke, Texas. Wildman used a rappelling line to hang from the Hawaiian Halfpipe to wax and buff the slide in preparation for the upcoming season. He also rode an 80-foot boom to the top of the six-story structure to climb inside a 1,000 gallon pineapple-themed bucket with Hawaiian Falls Vice President of Construction Mike Prince to replace a plug.

“We’re very excited about the national exposure we’ll receive from “Off Limits,” said Hawaiian Falls CEO David Busch. “It’s a great opportunity to tell the country about the unique public-private partnership we pioneered. Our model is appealing to cities struggling with diminished budgets. The city provides the land for our park and we lease it from them on a long-term lease. Their citizens enjoy a first-class attraction without all the overhead. In fact, the city benefits even more through a profit-sharing arrangement.”

Don Wildman looks into the forbidden, hidden and unseen spaces across America on “Off Limits.”  Wildman gets insider access to off-limits mega structures, crumbling mines and abandoned factories in pursuit of mystery and revelation. The one-hour, weekly show returns to the Travel Channel April 17 at 9 p.m. CST. The Hawaiian Falls segment is expected to air in June, 2012. More on “Off Limits” athttp://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/off-limits

Prayer Walk at Hawaiian Falls, The Colony

Hawaiian Falls held a Prayer Walk and Wavepool signing simultaneously at its waterparks in The Colony and Mansfield on April 10. People of all faiths were invited to write a prayer, scripture or memorial on the wavepool walls and floor before they are sealed for the 2012 season. There were stations set up throughout the parks suggesting how people could pray over the waterparks’ guests and workers.

“We are proud to proclaim that our company is faith-based,” said David Busch, Hawaiian Falls CEO. “Our mission is to bring families closer together. We strive to create a positive, fun environment where families can relax and create memories together. We encourage our ambassadors to treat our guests the way they would like to be treated. It’s simply observing the Golden Rule. And if we truly attempt to follow it, then everyone will have a better day.”

A Prayer Walk is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 8 at the new Hawaiian Falls Waco, located about four miles west of I-35 at 900 Lake Shore Drive.

More at North Texas e-News

Christmas 2011 Hawaiian Falls 25 Blessings for Christmas Winner List

North Garland:

• Anguiano Family of Dallas
• Backus-Morris Family of Royse City
• Brooks Family of Garland
• Cohen Family of Richardson
• Culver Family of Murphy
• Denny Family of Rockwall
• Dorothy Family of Garland
• Flores Family of Mesquite
• Giles Family of Richardson
• Gonzales Family of Mesquite
• Harrison Family of Allen
• Hill Family of Garland
• Hoover Family of Murphy
• Hoy Family of Garland
• King Family of Garland
• Martinez Family of Plano
• Miller Family of Caddo Mills
• Oregon Family of Longview
• Payervand Family of Rowlett
• Price Family of Garland
• Smith Family of Fairview
• Stark Family of Lindale
• Stuyvesant Family of Garland
• Thomas Family of Midlothian
• Villarreal Family of Garland
• Wegley Family of Bonham

The Colony:

• Adams Family of Colony
• Carlton Family of Richardson
• Chavez Family of Dallas
• Christopher Family of Crossroads
• Cook Family of Greenville
• Cuchens Family of Colony
• Fonseca-Porter Family of Colony
• Ford Family of Bonham
• Gonzales Family of Carrollton
• Higar Family of Anna
• LaSalle Family of Gainesville
• Norman Family of Allen
• Lewis Family of Celina
• Martin Family of Bonham
• Masters Family of Lewisville
• Mayfield Family of Plano
• Mullen Family of Colony
• Nance-Mannon Family of Plano
• Parks Family of Carrollton
• Robinson Family of McKinney
• Sellers Family of McKinney
• Soloman Family of Little Elm
• Taylor Family of McKinney
• Thanarse Family of Little Elm
• Wallace Family of Mead, OK
• Wood Family of Lewisville

Mansfield:

• Allen Family of Midlothian
• Bennett Family of Grand Prairie
• Bratton Family of Mansfield
• Burgess-Batchelor Family of Mansfield
• Cardoso Family of Dallas
• Carnrike Family of Red Oak
• Click Family of Mansfield
• Crutchfield Family of Red Oak
• Davidson Family of Fort Worth
• Davila Family of Grand Prairie
• Davila-Buantello Family of Gr. Prairie
• Drummon Family of Midlothian
• Eckenrode Family of Columbus, OH
• Garcia Family of Grand Prairie
• Hall Family of Fort Worth
• Hoffman Family of Mansfield
• Irons Family of Bedford
• McDaniel Family of Arlington
• O’Neal Family of Grand Prairie
• Richardson Family of Corsicana
• Robles Family of Cleburne
• Schieberl Family of Midlothian
• Sotelo Family of Midlothian
• Underwood Family of Alvarado
• Winkfield Family of Fort Worth

Roanoke:

• Alambar Family of Krum
• Bowman Family of Fort Worth
• Brown Family of Justin
• Cox Family of Roanoke
• Davenport Family of Roanoke
• Galindo Family of Fort Worth
• Giomi Family of Keller
• Gordon Family of Fort Worth
• Hanna Family of Rhome
• Harrison Family of Fort Worth
• Isbell Family of North Richland Hills
• Johnson Family of Roanoke
• Lary Family of Fort Worth
• Long Family of North Richland Hills
• McCauley Family of Watauga
• Pappas Family of Justin
• Quinton Family of Argyle
• Stockard Family of Saginaw
• Suarez Family of Keller
• Trevino Family of Denton
• Valle Family of Watauga
• Veech Family of Houston
• Wilson Family of Fort Worth
• Zulch Family of Lake Dallas

Waco:

• Diaz Family of Las Vegas, NV
• Godwin Family of Waco
• Harper Family of Waco
• Herrera Family of Waco
• Holder Family of Waco
• Knox-Ramirez Family of McGregor
• McDaniel-Sciortino Family of Robinson
• Montgomery Family of Waco
• Pecina Family of Waco
• Ray Family of China Spring
• Riojas Family of Waco
• Salas Family of Austin
• Scott Family of Waco
• Sweitzer-Garza Family of Donna
• Toten Family of Robinson
• Vargas Family of Waco
• Warren Family of Waco

McKinney residents Evan & Brandi Barnett with daughter Bailey. Photo by David Alvey.

Hawaiian Falls Regional Manager Evan Barnett was recently promoted to Vice President of Harvest Family Entertainment, Hawaiian Falls’ parent company.

Barnett started with the company as a 16-year-old lifeguard in California. He moved to Dallas/Fort Worth in 2003 to head up the first Hawaiian Falls waterpark in Garland.

He has since opened each of the parks in The Colony, Mansfield and Roanoke and will oversee the development of the new park in Waco, scheduled to open next summer.

Information and photo provided by David Alvey.

Hawaiian Falls CEO David Busch and Mayor Scooter Gierisch unwrap a $2 million expansion this morning for the Roanoke park, including the new 6-story Cyclone Fury 4-slide complex, coming Summer 2012.