CUDAHY — Walking 500 miles is no easy task but it’s what Greg Studzinski plans to accomplish, heading from Lake Superior to Cudahy.
"Yeah, it's going to be a challenge," said Greg.
But one step at a time is how Greg has dealt with addiction and recovery.
"I went through divorce and business closings and things along those lines that I didn’t handle very well, so for the last 10 years, I’ve been struggling with substance abuse," said Greg.
Now ten months free from addiction, this walk is part of his healing process but it's also to raise funds for the United Community Center, a place that Greg said has helped him get his life back.
"There are so many amazing people there that, you know, I wanted to do something for them just to say thank you, but also to help the clients who come after me," said Greg.
The United Community Center is the only bilingual/bicultural substance use disorder treatment programs in Wisconsin, offering a variety of substance use treatment options from residential treatment, to one-on-one consultations, to outpatient services.
"We have a whole team that provides excellent supportive services, " said Mara Lovo, the Director of Human Services for UCC.
Mara said she is proud of Greg and his resiliency. She also said when she heard he was walking 500 miles for UCC, she was shocked.
" I was like wow! You know, it’s a long journey, but it shows it’s been a long journey for him too," said Mara.
The money raised will help ensure others dealing with addiction will get continued care, even mothers who need a little extra support.
This is not the first time Greg has walked to raise money for a non-profit. Back in August of 2022, he walked from Green Bay to Cudahy, and along the way, he raised money for Milwaukee’s Street Angels.
"They helped me a lot when I was in my addiction," said Greg.
However, unlike last time, Greg says he has learned a few things. He has a plan in place and a support system for when the walk is over. He said this time the walk is not his whole recovery but a portion of it.
Watch: Man plans to walk 500 miles for the United Community Center
"It’s like the TV turned off. It was like, now what? What's next? And when I relapsed, I realized it was because I wasn’t involved. So I’m very, very involved in my recovery. I haven’t missed a meeting in the last seven months. Why go on this walk? I’m trying to go to a meeting every single night—19 meetings in 19 days," said
The days are planned out in a binder, with meetings and physical maps, just in case the cell phone GPS doesn’t work.
"I do have hard copies," said Greg.
He has also enlisted the help of others in the recovery community to help with the logo and flag design.
Although the walk will be difficult at times, Greg said he refuses to give up.
"Don’t give up. I’ve tried it for six years. I learned something every single time."
And he hopes others in their recovery journey keep going—one step at a time.
"You’ll figure it out at one point. Just keep trying," said Greg.
Greg said the walk will also help him mentally.
The walk will end at Sheridan Park, and he’s hoping to have others join him along the way
To learn more about Lake 2 Lake 500, click here.
To support Gregs walk for the United Community Center, click here.
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