Bodega, former employer of Reagan Tokes, to hold candle-light vigil, fundraiser

Bodega, the former employer of Reagan Tokes, is holding a candlelight vigil on Sunday night. Additionally, all sales and tips from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. — when the restaurant and bar closes — will go toward a scholarship fund in Tokes’ name.

“We’re hoping to fill the patio up with flowers, pictures, stuffed animals, candles whatever anyone wants to bring by, for a little memorial for her for the day.” Corey Thimmes, a manager at Bodega, told The Lantern.

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Join us Sunday, February 12th from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at Bodega for a candle light vigil in memory of our angel Reagan Tokes. Please feel free to bring a candle to light in her memory. Please share this to show your support. All proceeds from Sunday sales will be donated to the Reagan Tokes Scholarship Fund.

A post shared by Bodega (@columbusbodega) on Feb 11, 2017 at 4:44pm PST

Tokes was a fourth-year in psychology who went missing on Wednesday night after leaving her shift at the Short North bar. She was discovered dead and with gunshot wounds in Grove City on Thursday afternoon, although authorities did not confirm her identity until Friday.

Brian Lee Golsby has been arrested in connection with her death.

Thimmes said that although the past few days have been difficult, the decision to hold the memorial, which is open to the public, was one thing that made sense.

“Everything has been kind of all over the place … obviously this is something most people never deal with,” he said. “We just want to try and show our support and just bring the community together.”

The money will be donated to the college scholarship fund started on GoFundMe by Jake Hadley, a friend of Tokes.

“Our goal is to raise $50,000 to create a scholarship in her honor,” Hadley stated in the campaign description. “This will give other hard working high school students a chance to attend the college of their dreams just like Reagan did.”

Hadley told The Lantern on Saturday his goal is to have the entire sum — $50,000 — raised before Tokes’ funeral on Thursday.

As of Sunday, the GoFundMe page was up to $24,334.

Bodega’s fundraiser is one of many being held at bars around Columbus. Too’s Spirits Under High and Oldfield’s North Fourth Tavern are giving the proceeds from all sales on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, to the Tokes’ family.

“She was a great person, anyway to describe her still doesn’t do justice. When she was around, the mood was always a little bit better,” Thimmes said. “No matter what we do, it’s not enough.”