“This whole thing started because we were doing a financial education project,” Hamelin-Dorzek explained. “As part of our finance class you had to make a business. It didn’t have to be a real business, but we decided to take on the challenge and start a business.”

The two decided to make it a reality on April 15th, and by the 16th they had their website, pontiacdirect.ca, up and running. By April 21, they were ready to being taking orders.

“It’s to help people get their groceries and things, some people don’t feel comfortable with COVID,” Hamelin-Dorzek said. “Like elderly people might not feel comfortable going to grocery stores so this is a way of making sure everyone can get the essentials they need without feeling anxious.”

Pontiac Direct will be picking up from Shawville-based businesses and delivering to Shawville, Bristol, Clarendon, Portage-du-Fort and Bryson. To book a delivery, residents can visit their website, email them at pontiacdirect@gmail.com or call 819-208-0622. Their operating hours and gift cards for their service can also be found on their website.

The money earned from the business as well as any other donations will be going towards the young entrepreneurs’ post-secondary education. They both plan to take a year off following their graduation from PHS, and are excited to see where their business will go.

“As of right now, [we’ll do this] over the summer and we’ll see where it takes us after that,” Hamelin-Dorzek said.

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!