Air Force Veteran Walks To Raise Money For Ukraine

Ray Opalka is an Air Force veteran of Ukrainian descent, and with all the recent events he started walking.  

“I’m a single father with a three-year-old, and so I can’t go, so I had to do something,” said Ray Opalka.  

Ray considered many options on how he could help, and eventually decided he would walk fifty miles.  

“My initial intention was to walk twenty-seven miles, one way, stay out at Grand Lake Casino, and then walk back twenty-three miles the next day, and my doctor said no, you can’t do that,” said Opalka.  

That’s because he recently found out he needs hip replacement surgery.  

“About five months ago, just one of my hips flared up, and I went into the doctor, and he said yeah, your right hip is shot, and I was like WHAT? And they went and x-rayed my left and said yeah, your left is worse,” said Opalka.  

So, with all the ways to help, why would he choose to walk?  

“Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians walking through the whole country, elderly, parents carrying their children, and there are walking hundreds of miles trying to get to Poland or Moldova… I can walk fifty miles,” said Opalka.  

Opalka has already raised $1,700 with a goal of raising $10,000.  

“I want to give a shout out to the 507th Silver Squadron they were very generous, and they gave. Also, the VFW Post 7192. I went in there and talked with them and people were like here, have a little bit of cash,” said Opalka.  

He knows $10,000 is a lot, but it won’t fix all the problems.  

“We can get them water, and even if it just goes to get supplies to the refugees coming across the border, ten thousand dollars can get them a lot of supplies,” said Opalka.  

Opalka’s maternal and paternal family are from Ukraine, and he knows the extreme circumstances they endured for him to have a great life.  

“I served for thirty years to pay back this country for what it has done for my family, now I just need to give back a little to Ukraine,” said Opalka.  

He still has family in Ukraine and had previously planned to visit this year.  

He anticipates it will take him a couple of weeks to complete 50 miles, if you’d like to support, follow this link. All donations will be given to Direct Relief.