Community donates Christmas gifts to Bay City women in recovery

BAY CITY, MI — Recovery Pathways LLC saved Katie Mrozinski’s life.

Mrozinski, 35, is in recovery. In September, she went to rehab to battle her drug addiction, a disease that has led to her losing her kids to foster care.

In September, things started to improve. She went to rehab and started services with Recovery Pathways and got a therapist.

“It pretty much saved my life,” Mrozinski said

Recovery Pathways LLC, located in Bay County’s Essexville, provides outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment to individuals in over 23 ZIP codes and multiple counties. It is the mission of Recovery Pathways to provide compassionate, individualized care in a therapeutic environment, according to its website.

On Friday, Dec. 20, participants of the recovery organization picked up Christmas gifts for their children. The tables of Knights of Columbus hall ,1021 Woodside Ave. in Essexville were filled with gifts for 19 families and 50 kids.

Mrozinski collected gifts for her kids who are in temporary foster care.

“My kids are temporary foster care right now and I’m trying to get them back,” Mrozinski said. “So I’m fighting really hard to make sure I’m OK so they’re OK.”

Mrozinski has two boys. The children asked for toys from the TV show “Paw Patrol,” character “Baby Shark” and clothing.

The toys are things to make them feel like “everything is going to be OK,” she said.

Bree Wiesenauer, program manager for Recovery Pathways, said the substance use treatment clinic serves anyone who has identified with or referred for substance use disorder.

Wiesenauer said the clinic works with several agencies, including jails and courts.

The Recovery program provides counseling services, medically assisted treatment, recovery coaching, case management, therapy groups and peer recovery groups.

“This is a great thing and I’m just really thankful and grateful for everything that the families have done and Recovery Pathways have done. It’s amazing,” Mrozinski said.

Marnie Westphal, case manager, said the plan to get donated gifts from the community was formed from a partnership with someone at the Bay County courthouse.

Westphal helped to organize Friday’s event. She got the lists for gifts from the families and she arranged for the pick-up.

Ashley Comegys, 42, is also in recovery.

“I went to drug court and voluntarily asked for that program,” Comegys said. “I had a criminal charge.”

Comegys said the structured program has helped her stay on track has given her good support system.

Since getting help, her daughter has been returned to her. Comegys’ case is slated to close on Jan. 27 and she’s in the last phase of drug court, she said.

“It’s a big deal. I plan on continuing to go after I graduate to just to be a support system to the girls that are struggling with it. It’s a hard program,” Comegys said. “ It is a lot of structure that as drug addict we’re not used to having. We kind of fly by the seat of the pants. When you’re in the program, they hold you accountable for your actions.”

Mrozinski encourages anyone struggling with drug addiction to keep going and not give up.

“Just keep trying. If you fall down, get right back up.” Mrozinski said.” It’s hard. It’s probably the hardest thing you’ll ever do in your life, but it’s so worth it in the end.”

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