Monmouth County Lawyer Brings Sweet Treats To Local Community With Kona Ice Truck

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — Atlantic Highlands resident Michele Walter has always had a strong love for her local community.

As a longtime attorney in Monmouth County, Walter, 55, has been able to help plenty of people over the years through her legal practice, but it wasn’t until her brother and sister-in-law made a unique purchase that Walter saw a new way to give back to the community.

“They’ve [her brother and sister-in-law] had a Kona Ice business for about five years now,” Walter told Patch. “They have two [Kona] trucks and were recently purchasing a brand new one, and I decided to jump in and purchase their truck from them.”

As the owners of a Kona Ice Truck, Walter and her husband, Kevin, bring flavored, shaved ices to local Monmouth County communities, including Holmdel, Hazlet, Union Beach, Keansburg, Matawan, Aberdeen and Keyport.

Though Walter still works as an attorney and her husband works full-time as a plumber, Walter said she was inspired to purchase a truck after seeing her brother and sister-in-law successfully manage their own careers alongside a Kona Ice business.

“Both of them have been doing this with full-time jobs, so I realized ‘Oh, okay – it’s doable,’” Walter said. “The transition [from just working as an attorney to operating a Kona truck as well] has been fun. It’s just been a little work getting some things organized.”

Though Walter and her husband can bring the Kona truck around on their own to towns in their Monmouth County territory, Walter said they were far from alone when it came to learning how to operate the truck or learning about Kona products.

After purchasing the truck in March, Walter said she went to “Kona College” at the start of April, where she and other new franchisees were able to learn about Kona and operating a Kona Ice truck.

“I was so pleased by what a great franchise it [Kona Ice] is and how supportive they are to their franchisees,” Walter said. “Besides having my own personal help through family, they [Kona] really are a tremendous support and asset to their franchisees.”

Since purchasing a truck in the spring, Walter said it’s been “terrific” bringing the truck around to towns in Monmouth County and giving back to residents.

Whether she’s visiting a daycare, participating in a local event, or even donating part of her gross proceeds to a car show supporting first responders and the Wounded Warriors Project at Bell Works, Walter said it’s been a pleasure operating a Kona Ice truck and seeing the joy it brings to people’s faces.

“People are so kind and generous, and that’s the model that Kona has – to give back to the community and try to find charities to donate to and people to help,” Walter said.

For those who may encounter Walter’s truck in Monmouth County, there’s no shortage of different flavors you can try, either.

According to Walter, the truck is equipped with around 40 flavors, plus 10 of the most popular flavors on the side of the truck, where customers can serve themselves. There are also several sugar-free and dye-free options for those with dietary restrictions.

In an interview with Patch, Walter said the Blackberry Mojito flavor is currently her favorite, though there are plenty of other options people can try.

“It’s been terrific,” Walter said of the Kona experience so far. “You’re giving people ices, and it just makes everybody happy – adults and kids of all ages…I’m really enjoying it and my husband and I are having a lot of fun.”

To learn more about Kona Ice, you can visit their website