Anthony DiNicola may have to spend the summer trying to figure out what to do for an encore.

DiNicola has just concluded his freshman year at UConn as a business management major. In the waning hours of the semester, he learned that he is the recipient of a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project, an initiative of PepsiCo that provides funding for innovative local community improvement projects.

In this case, the grant money will be used to pay for a waterfront renovation project at Camp Tadma, a Cub Scout camp in Bozrah, Conn., where DiNicola, now an Eagle Scout, spent time as a child. The camp was in danger of closing due to deteriorating conditions, but thanks to the efforts of those who voted online to fund the project, needed renovations such as a lifeguard lookout tower, a boat house, and a cement bulkhead to prevent beach erosion, as well as new safety equipment, will become reality.

DiNicola’s story is more than that of a young adult remembering good times at summer camp. On a website devoted to the Camp Tadma Waterfront Renovation Project he wrote, “Having cerebral palsy, it was difficult to learn how to stay afloat in water, let alone swim. But the staff [at Camp Tadma] made me comfortable enough to learn with confidence. Each year I would return and would improve more, as the instructors challenged me while retaining my trust and focus.

“With their help I accomplished something I thought I was never going to be able to do. They showed me that if I have determination and dedication, I can succeed in any situation at hand. My appreciation of their efforts is unexplainable. Pushing me to take that first step to adapt to my disability formed a path for continuing perseverance in anything I do.”

A graduate of Burlington’s Lewis S. Mills High School, DiNicola took part in the Future Business Leaders of America while he was in high school, and that influenced his decision to major in business at UConn. His desire to be actively engaged in helping others led him to the University’s Community Service Learning Community.

This summer, utilizing both his rapidly developing business acumen and volunteer assistance from some of his learning community classmates, he will serve as ‘general contractor’ for the Camp Tadma renovation project. His duties will include coordinating volunteers, contacting area businesses for supplies, and working with engineers who will oversee some of the more technical aspects of the renovation.

DiNicola’s childhood experiences have left him with a quiet confidence that spills over when he talks about the task ahead. “If I’m going to do something, I do it all the way,” he says. “There were a number of people who told me I’d never raise enough money to complete this project, so I just went ahead and made it my mission to prove them wrong.”

Thanks to this ‘can-do’ attitude, the real winners in this story will be future generations of Cub Scouts, happily enjoying a summertime swim at Camp Tadma.