By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
The ice has melted.
And you won’t believe what treasure was found underneath.
Kona Ice, the Northern Kentucky-based mobile shaved ice brand, made its return to Covington earlier this month for its annual franchise Konvention.
Tony Lamb
Through a live auction-event and a franchisee-led giveback initiative, the company raised more than $50,000 in donations for two local Covington organizations – Fairhaven Rescue Mission and FACES of Hope.
In addition to the monetary donations, franchisees collected gently used clothing items from Kona Ice owners and community members to donate to Fairhaven Rescue Mission’s local thrift store in Covington.
Fairhaven Rescue Mission provides Christ-centered programs that respond to the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of homeless and hurting men, women and children in Northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati area. FACES of Hope provides support to Christ-centered families through financial assistance in order to move through the adoption process.
“We couldn’t be prouder of our franchisees who teamed up to give back to local organizations in Northern Kentucky,” said Kona Ice founder and CEO, Tony Lamb, in a prepared statement. “The giveback initiative really skyrocketed this year, and we were able to raise more than $50,000 – more than quadruple the amount of donations we raised last year. Our franchisees are truly some of the best people I know, and I’m honored that they’ve chosen to become part of Kona Ice.”
Lamb founded Kona Ice in 2007 when the company launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV) in Florence, Kentucky featuring a combination of cleanliness, friendliness, and a one-of-a-kind experience.
Kona Ice features the opportunity to create your very own shaved ice on the self-serve Flavorwave – while Kona Ice gives back to each and every community, with more than $100 million given back to neighborhood schools, organizations and teams.
Today, Kona Ice has grown to more than 1,400 mobile units that serve 49 states across the country.
The company has been named one of the top-eight franchises in the United States by TheStreet.com, ranked on Entrepreneur’s “Fastest-Growing” franchises list multiple years in-a-row, and has earned many other nationwide, industry, and local awards.
