EVERETT, Mass. — Three best friends Matt, Noah and Mendel set up shop on a hot summer day with a bucket of ice, cases of water and a goal to save enough money to buy a lawn mower and start their own business.
Now, it’s turned into a community-wide movement.
“Thank you, sir, have a blessed day.”
Those are the words that echoed throughout the day on Monday as Boston 25 crews caught the young entrepreneurs in action, selling bottle after bottle to passing drivers.
“One day I just called Mendel and then I bought water and a bag of ice and me, Matt and Mendel, we came here just to sell,” Noah said.
Their mission goes beyond making money. “We’re just trying to help the community and we’re trying to invest in our future basically. We got to start somewhere,” Mendel tells Boston 25 News.
Their determination caught the attention of local comedian Phil Thompson, who spotted the boys working in nearly 95-degree heat.
After learning they had sold out of water, he stepped in with more ice and additional cases to keep them going. A social media post about the boys went viral, drawing support from across the community.
One of those people was Mahlon Williams, who was so moved by their dedication, that he offered to buy them a lawn mower to help jumpstart their business.
“It’s important to recognize that the humanity of everyone in the community is not lost and they see stories like this and it resonates with them,” Williams said.
The support kept coming, while Boston 25 crews were on scene with the boys on Monday, another community member recognized the boys, pulled over and offered to buy them a brand-new lawn mower, that’s now two for their business!
“That’s what we did back in the day, and it just touched my heart,” Peter said.
All three boys received a personal invitation to attend the launch of a new business from Tom Brady Sr., which gives them a chance to network with local leaders and entrepreneurs.
Follow their movement! Instagram: @thedollardrop_
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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