Panda lends helping hand to lifeguards

KAPA‘A — Diners enjoying the Panda Express cuisine on Tuesday will be helping the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association with its goal of equipping all lifeguard towers on the island with rescue vehicles.

Panda Express plans to donate 30 percent of its sales between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. to the First Wave campaign spearheaded by Andy Melamed of KONG Radio Group.

“Panda usually donates 20 percent to organizations for fundraisers,” said Tracy Truong, field marketing coordinator for the Panda Restaurant Group, in an email.

“However, we are glad to announce that due to Randall Francisco, president and CEO of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce, and Clifford Ogata, property manager for Evolution West Management Service, efforts in working with Andy Melamed of the KONG Radio Group to help us promote the event through print, radio and social media, in appreciation, our Regional Director, John Zhang has generously agreed to provide the organization 30 percent of the sales proceeds from the event with a guarantee of a minimum donation of $1,000 to the organization from Panda Express in the Kaua‘i Village Shopping Center.”

An announcement of this generous gesture by the Panda Express was made Thursday night by Francisco during the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at the Westin Princeville, and Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s upcoming events schedule has the mayor meeting with the campaign leaders and the manager of Panda Express at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Waipouli shopping facility.

As part of the ongoing First Wave campaign, tickets for a drawing featuring an Alaska cruise are available from the Rotary Clubs of Po‘ipu Beach, Hanalei Bay, West Kaua‘i and Kapa‘a, with proceeds helping to acquire Yamaha Wave Rider jetskis and all-terrain vehicles for the lifeguard stations.

• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.