Dow Chemical Employees CU Makes Community Impact

MIDLAND, MICHIGAN, September 22, 2021 – When Minor League Baseball’s Great Lakes Loons resumed play in 2021, the Great Lakes Bay Region was a big winner as Dow Chemical Employees’ Credit Union (dcecu.org) and the Loons teamed up to distribute thousands of dollars locally.

As presenting sponsor of the Loons’ wins, DCECU committed to 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 in 2021. While the Loons finished the season with 63 wins, DCECU increased the donation to $8,500. Through this same partnership, DCECU previously had donated $8,500 to Personal Assistance Options (PAO) in 2020 despite the cancellation of the MiLB season and $8,400 to The Diaper Alliance in 2019.

The Arnold Center is using DCECU’s donation to bolster its Midland Fresh mobile food pantry program, which distributes fresh produce and other food items to 10 Midland County sites weekly between June and September. All food distributed by Midland Fresh is free to community members.

“We are grateful for the generous donation from DCECU; their commitment to supporting local nonprofits and our community is outstanding,” said Arnold Center Executive Director Jennifer Grace after receiving the $8,500 check from DCECU Chief Executive Officer Michael Goad and Director of Marketing and Community Relations LaShanta Green at a Sept. 14 presentation.

DCECU also sponsored the Loons’ Rookie Signing Bonus program for children ages 3 to 12. Parents who wanted their kids to be the “Rookie of the Game” for a Loons home game in 2021 registered with the team, which randomly selected 30 children for the program over the course of the season. Courtesy of DCECU, each child drawn as a Rookie of the Game received four tickets to their appointed game, a T-shirt and $50 to put toward their savings, plus an additional $10 for each run the Loons scored during their appointed game. In all, the program distributed a total of $3,620 to participants.

For the 2021 season, DCECU remained 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.

“It was great to see Minor League Baseball resume in Midland this spring and summer – and even better to see the local impact of the Loons’ return,” Goad said. “DCECU considers it a privilege to partner with the Loons in ways that benefit the community beyond the ballpark.”

Loons President and General Manager Chris Mundhenk also was enthusiastic about the partnership between the team and DCECU – and its benefits to the community.

“The Loons are very fortunate to have a strong community-minded partner in DCECU,” Mundhenk said. “We are proud to align with an organization that is committed to creating positive opportunities and impact for nonprofits and youth throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region.”

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) are the High-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Founded in 2007, the club is a member of the 12-team Midwest League and won its first championship in 2016. 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 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 $2.1 billion in assets and nearly 73,500 members 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.