The annual Travis Mills Walk-A-Thon was held May 25 at St. Michael School in Augusta. From left are Principal Kevin Cullen, Staff Sgt. Travis Mills and St. Michael Parish pastor, Father John Skehan. Submitted photo

AUGUSTA — It’s an annual tradition for U.S. Army Staff Sgt. (Ret.) Travis Mills to visit the students at St. Michael Catholic School in Augusta. The students in grades K-8 have raised money every year since 2018 for the Travis Mills Foundation, located nearby in Rome.

This year the walk-a-thon raised nearly $13,700, with half going to the foundation, and half to the school.

Mills established the foundation in 2017 for recalibrated veterans and their families; a recalibrated veteran is someone who experienced life changing injuries while in service to this country, healed, and learned how to live a new normal — they recalibrated, according to a news release from the foundation.

Students raised $6,848 for the foundation, which recently started its summer programming. Veterans and their families get to participate in adaptive sports, yoga, exercise, crafts and more, all while strengthening their family bonds and finding much needed rest and relaxation.

“Whether they realize it or not, these little human beings are making a huge different in the lives of our veterans,” said Mills. “It always puts me in a great mood to see the students at St. Mike’s.”

The annual Travis Mills Walk-A-Thon was held May 25 at St. Michael School in Augusta. From left are Col. Jeffrey A. Morton (retired, Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Campbell, Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, Lt. Col. Dr. Melanie Morin, and Tech. Sgt. Kyle Glass. Submitted photo