FHS student raises nearly $5,000 for sidewalk outside MIU rec center

FAIRFIELD – A Fairfield High School senior has raised nearly $5,000 toward a new sidewalk being built outside the Maharishi International University Rec Center.

Sriram 'Sai” Pullapantula raised the money in just a few short days between March 28 and April 2 through a GoFundMe account. He did it to earn his Eagle Scout Badge through the Boy Scouts. To earn an Eagle Scout Badge, a scout must complete a community service project before their 18th birthday, which for Pullapantula is coming up on April 28.

Pullapantula spoke to his scout masters earlier this year about his Eagle Scout project and what it should be. One of them mentioned that he could do something related to the MIU rec center since he goes there so much. Sai said he goes to the rec center almost every day to play sports, especially basketball, and just to hang out with his friends.

Sai asked the staff at the rec center what they needed most. They gave him a long list of ideas such as furnishing the walls, adding a front entrance, and a bunch of other things. However, most of them were too ambitious, and required more money and time than Pullapantula had to give. Eventually, he and the staff settled on the idea of paving a sidewalk on the incline just northeast of the building.

Pullapantula said he rides his bike along that path, which is gravel just like the surrounding parking lot. In the winter, traveling up that incline is no easy task since it's covered in ice. Sai said that, even in other seasons, he doesn't have good traction on his bike when traveling along that path.

Maharishi International University loved Pullapantula's idea so much that it became a matching donor to his GoFundMe account. Sai got quotes from local contractors and learned that the concrete would cost about $5,000, and the railings would cost nearly $3,000. That meant that if he could raise $4,000 on his own, the university would match that amount and it would be enough to cover the project. In the end, Sai exceeded his goal and raised just over $4,700.

'I emailed people and talked to them about what my project was about,” Pullapantula said. 'I networked with a lot of people, and talked to a couple of banks that donated. It was a stressful process, but at the same time, I had the support I needed. My GoFundMe helped me out a lot.”

Pullapantula said he owes a special debt of gratitude to his parents, Somesh and Chandra, without whose help he could not have finished the project, he said.

Construction on the sidewalk began April 10. A crew spent four days pouring the concrete. The only thing left to do now is install the railing, which a different contractor will do probably in May, because there is a shortage of stainless steel.

'I really want to thank the people who contributed to my project,” Sai said. 'It's gone to a good cause. I'm happy that people get to use the sidewalk and safely get to the rec center.”