MIDLAND, MICHIGAN, April 6, 2021 – As Minor League Baseball prepares to resume play in 2021, Dow Chemical Employees’ Credit Union (dcecu.org) and the MiLB’s Midland-based Great Lakes Loons (loons.com) also are resuming their partnership to benefit the local community.

For the Loons’ 2021 season, which begins May 4, DCECU once again will be the presenting sponsor of Loons wins, donating $100 to Arnold Center, Inc. – a nonprofit organization that empowers individuals with disabilities and other barriers to independence through enhanced vocational, social and life skill training and services that lead to greater self-sufficiency – for every regular-season Loons victory. According to Arnold Center Executive Director Jennifer Grace, the organization will use the funds to expand the Midland Fresh mobile food pantry program, which delivers fresh produce and other food items each week to 11 locations throughout Midland County during the summer months, providing both a service to the community and meaningful volunteer opportunities for individuals in the Arnold Center’s programs.

DCECU also returns as the sponsor of the Loons’ “Rookie Signing Bonus” promotion in 2021. Children ages 3 to 12 may have their parent or guardian register them at loons.com/dcecu for a chance to be the DCECU Rookie of the Game at a 2021 Loons home game. Each Rookie of the Game will receive four tickets to their appointed game, a T-shirt and $50 to put toward their savings courtesy of DCECU. The child also will earn an additional $10 for each run the Loons score during their appointed game.

In addition, DCECU remains the exclusive credit union partner of the Great Lakes Loons and naming rights partner of the Northern Lights Pavilion, the 500-person hospitality venue located down the left field line at Dow Diamond, the Loons’ home stadium.

“As we all eagerly await the return of professional baseball to Midland this spring and summer, it truly is an honor and a privilege to continue serving as the official credit union of the Great Lakes Loons,” said DCECU Chief Executive Officer Michael Goad. “We are grateful to once again have the opportunity to make an impact on the Great Lakes Bay Region via our partnership with our friends and neighbors at Dow Diamond.”

Loons Interim President & General Manager Mike Hayes also expressed enthusiasm about the partnership.

“The Loons and DCECU share many values focused on the betterment of our communities, and our partnership is a strong reflection of those values,” Hayes said. “We look forward to working closely with DCECU to create meaningful opportunities for local youth and nonprofit organizations in 2021 and beyond.”

Despite the cancellation of the Loons’ 2020 season, DCECU made an $8,500 contribution to Personal Assistance Options (PAO), which had been slated to be the 2020 beneficiary of the credit union’s sponsorship of Loons’ victories. PAO is a Midland-based nonprofit organization that serves area residents with disabilities.

“It just didn’t feel right to let the cancellation of the Loons’ season mean the cancellation of our contribution to PAO,” said DCECU Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer Susan Phillips, who leads many of DCECU’s philanthropic endeavors. “So, we decided to make a donation to PAO anyway – matching our 2019 ‘Loons wins’ sponsorship contribution to The Diaper Alliance and adding another $100, for a total of $8,500.”

About Arnold Center, Inc.

With locations in both Midland and Gladwin and a tagline of “Exceptional People Delivering Quality Service,” the Arnold Center (arnoldcenter.org and facebook.com/arnoldcenter.org) is focused on empowering individuals with disabilities and other barriers to independence through enhanced vocational, social and life skill training and services that lead to greater self-sufficiency. The center provides a connection for job creation and coordination of resources to maximize independence and community inclusion for individuals with differing needs. The Arnold Center’s employment and vocational training programs for the populations it serves include recycling, agriculture, culinary arts, janitorial services and light manufacturing. And the center’s Kaleidoscope Creative Arts program allows individuals to develop artistic skills; expand motor ability; and learn about color, shape and texture while exploring their own unique ability to produce art.

About the Great Lakes Loons

The Great Lakes Loons (loons.com) Minor League Baseball team has been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team’s inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the Loons’ home; the ballpark also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity – as well as ESPN 100.9 FM radio.

About Dow Chemical Employees’ Credit Union

Dow Chemical Employees’ Credit Union is a cooperative, not-for-profit financial institution that is owned by its members and dedicated to providing them with smart, affordable banking solutions. Located in Midland, Michigan, DCECU has $2 billion in assets and more than 71,600 and has been recognized multiple times by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) for top performance in saving members money. Membership is open to employees and retirees of nearly 100 Select Employer Group companies and their family members, as well as donors to the Midland Area Community Foundation’s DCECU Members Endowed Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit dcecu.org or call 989.835.7794 or 800.835.7794.

Follow DCECU on Facebook at facebook.com/dcecu and on Instagram at instagram.com/dcecu_mi.