Organized by the MRC Pontiac Youth Council, the event served as an opportunity for residents to raise funds for flood victims while giving back to the community with an evening of good old barbecuing.

According to Zachary Dubé representing Fort Coulonge for the youth council, finding a way to support flood victims has been a very important cause for members of the council in the last couple of months.

“A lot of people don’t have food or a place to stay,” he said. “We’re just trying to help them any way we can and we thought nobody’s done this before and it’d be a good cause.”

All the food was donated by a number of local businesses, including Joanne’s Valu-Mart, Giant Tiger in Shawville and the Metro in Mansfield among others.

“They were all very happy to help,” he said. “Big thanks to those people.”

Throughout the event, youth council reps doled out hot dogs, hamburgers and refreshments while MRC Pontiac Warden Jane Toller cooked up the food in the kitchen.

For Dubé, the event is very beneficial for locals as it provides them with another fun activity in a town where leisurely events are few and far between.

“Not many people come here,” he said. “And people that stay here, we want them to stay here. We want to make activities to see that we care about people in the community. We want them to stay here and you have to do stuff if you want people to stay.”

According to Toller, the youth council’s inaugural event was a prime example of their continued dedication to the betterment of the community, which has left quite the impression on her over the last several months.

“They have learned how important it is to work together,” she said. “They’ve all become really good friends. They’re a cohesive group. They are learning to dream and imagine what the Pontiac can become and they have the tenacity to make sure that happens.”

Since starting in December, the group has accomplished quite a few things to be proud of despite working on a shortened term, Toller said.

From learning to conduct a proper meeting under parliamentary procedure to organizing communal events like a mental health forum to be held at three Pontiac high schools this coming September, the group has certainly come a long way in such a short period of time.

“I think that they are all leaders,” she said. “That’s why they volunteered. They each represent a significant number of kids and their goal next year is to really be the voice of the youth and their motto is “Better Together Pontiac.” That’s a good example for people in the Pontiac. We should all work together. That’s how we’re going to move forward.”

The event raised $389, which will be dedicated to helping out flood victims while $80 worth of leftovers will be donated to Bouffe Pontiac, Dubé said.

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