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Earlier this year, UniLodge ran an accommodation-wide promotion that randomly awarded a lucky resident with a $5000 travel grant. However, instead of planning a Contiki tour, winner and former Australian serviceman Michael Kreminski decided to donate half of his winnings to the “Soldier On” support organisation, inspiring the community with this selfless act.

“[He] is an inspiration to us all,” said Unilodge in a media release.

Soldier On is an Australian charity that attempts to help soldiers returning home from service deal with the physical and psychological injuries often sustained on the battlefield. Michael, who is in his final year of a Bachelor of Psychology degree, knows all too well of the sacrifice that military service can have on Australian lives, as he spent over five years as part of the Army’s airbourne forces. Having completed tours of both East Timor and Afghanistan prior to his time at the ANU, the charity has a personal resonance.

Michael expects to use his skills and psychology background in the future to further assist and heal those with such unseen injuries; however, it is quite clear that Michael is already helping out those in need when he can.

Michael’s donation went towards sponsoring a team for the ‘Trois Etapes Giro’ event, a charity bike ride in Europe that raised over $50,000. The event saw 4 ex-servicemen and women chosen by Soldier On to participate in an intense three day ride through the Italian Dolomites, a mountain range in the northeast of Italy, amongst renowned professionals such as Cadel Evans.

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Woroni, Woroni Radio and Woroni TV are created, edited, published, printed and distributed. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and emerging. We acknowledge that the name Woroni was taken from the Wadi Wadi Nation without permission, and we are striving to do better for future reconciliation.