Great Lakes Loons - May 2021

Great Lakes Loons

BASEBALL IS BACK! 2021 New presiden t Chris M u n dhenk takes c ha rge as Loons baseball returns to Dow Diam ond

ourmidland.com

April 1, 2021

2 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

Chastain: Welcome back to baseball, Loons fans!

Sportswriter excited for return of Loons baseball to Dow Diamond Austin Chastain austin.chastain@hearstnp.com Welcome back, baseball fans!

By the time the first pitch is throw, it will have been 604 days since Great Lakes Loons baseball at Dow Diamond.

That’s a long time to have to wait for the excitement of baseball in the community. It is finally back, and fans should be excited.

I, too, am excited to have Minor League Baseball back after the entire season was canceled last season.

Yes, I’m new to the Midland area and have not yet experienced baseball at Dow Diamond. That said, I’m excited to have the opportunity to be part of the community and enjoy the sport many of us love.

To exemplify what baseball means to me, my bio with the Daily News website mentions I won a second-place sports column award from the Michigan Community College Press Association. That column was about how the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series -- I know, I know, the Loons are within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization -- and how the championship meant the world to me.

When the Detroit Tigers made the 2012 World Series, my family and I watched intently as my grandfather had died in February earlier that year. I was pretty crushed when the Tigers were swept by the San Francisco Giants. I thought our “Angel in the Outfield” would lead the Tigers to a win and help take away part of the pain of my grandfather’s death.

From that point, I did not watch baseball much at all after the Tigers lost that meaningful World Series.

That was, until 2015 when the Cubs made the National League Championship Series -- being swept by the New York Mets.

Cover photo by Katy Kildee, design by John Eddy

I had a lot of excitement going into the 2016 season. Especially in the postseason when the Cubs beat the Giants in the NLDS, the Dodgers (sorry, not sorry) in the NLCS and the Cleveland Indians in the remarkable seven-game World Series with the game-changing rain delay in Game Seven.

To say I cried that night would be true. Also to say my love of baseball was reignited -- that’s an understatement.

The one story that makes me tear up, even still, is fans placing green apples at former Cub broadcaster Harry Caray’s grave the night Chicago won its first World Series in 108 years. Caray famously said following the 1991 season finale, “The Cubs will be in the World Series, sure as God makes green apples.”

While Minor League Baseball is different than Major League Baseball in many ways, there is something

special about local baseball teams and the Loons bring that special something to Midland.

Baseball means a lot to the community, it means a lot to any community. But with what the Loons do in Midland, giving to charities and helping build the city means so much to local businesses and Midlanders alike.

Having the season, after last season was shut down, means so much to the players, too. These guys trot out on the diamond and play hard to work their way through the Dodgers organization. Last season’s cancellation of Minor League Baseball was beyond hurtful for the players -- as they had to find other means to pay their bills while putting their baseball careers on hold.

With the restructuring of Minor League Baseball -- the Loons moving

into the High-A Central League.

This season means so much to so many. The players, they have the chance to resume their baseball careers; the fans, they have the chance to see Loons baseball -- live baseball -- for the first time since September 2019.

It will look different, there is no doubt about that. But we will have baseball, and that is the most exciting part.

Over the next few pages in our annual section on the team, you will find stories of the people that will make up the Loons’ team this year.

President and General Manager Chris Mundhenk has been around since the team’s inception; manager Austin Chubb will be the first former Loons player to manage the team.

We also highlight how the players will handle living this season in a “bubble” and we take a peek at what the fan experience will look like this season.

Bottom line, we are ready for baseball. I hope you’re as excited for the season as I am. If you get a chance, say hello!

See you at Dow Diamond on May 4.

Play Ball!

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons

ourmidland.com

Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 3

Climbing the ladder: Mundhenk bringing enthusiasm, experience to Loons as new president and general manager Loons new president and GM has spent 15 years with team Austin Chastain austin.chastain@hearstnp.com Chris Mundhenk fell in love with Midland right away. So much so, he hasn’t left since he joined the Great Lakes Loons in August 2006.

Years later -- 15 to be exact -Mundhenk has worked his way to become the president and general manager of the Loons. “(My wife and I) really enjoyed the community,” Mundhenk said. “ ...

Both of us grew up in the Midwest -I was born in southern Ohio, my wife in central Ohio, so we’re Midwestern folks at heart. We enjoyed the quality of amenities of the community.”

A large part of what he fell in love with -- from the baseball perspective, was how the unique operation was being built from the ground up, starting with a privately-owned ballpark.

“I was just so impressed with the approach,” Mundhenk said. “They were, in essence, building a major league ballpark for a minor league club. You don’t typically see the See Mundhenk, PG4

Great Lakes Loons President and General Manager Chris Mundhenk poses for a portrait Thursday, April 22, 2021 at Dow Diamond. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

4 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

Great Lakes Loons President and General Manager Chris Mundhenk poses for a portrait Thursday, April 22, 2021 at Dow Diamond. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

Mundhenk Continued from PG3 attention to detail, top-down, the facilities and the materials at this level of play.”

Mundhenk joined the organization as the assistant general manager of marketing and promotions and has worked in several leadership roles

throughout his time with the Loons.

Before joining the Loons, Mundhenk has worked 21 years in professional sports, all but two in Minor League Baseball.

“It’s personally fulfilling for me,” Mundhenk said. “When we initially came on board, the initial support we had throughout the region from the fanbase, I had never seen that level of support that I saw here initially.

... Baseball has a rich tradition (in central Michigan), but never had a professionally-affiliated club.”

“What’s most rewarding, is we put forth a lot of effort to put on a baseball season,” Mundhenk said.

“Working in this industry, it’s less like a job more like a lifestyle. You have to commit to an organization to acheive results, and you have to make personal sacrifices. Whether

that’s family time, personal time.

But what is so rewarding, is when we have a sold-out crowd and standing outside the gates, thanking people for coming to tonight’s game; when people seek you out and thank you for the experience they had. It’s that full circle.

BACKGROUND: Paul Barbeau -- worked together at Brett Sports & Entertainment

ourmidland.com

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 5

‘Right time, right place’: Austin Chubb returns to Loons as manager Former player first Loons alum to manage team in history Austin Chastain austin.chastain@hearstnp.com New Great Lakes Loons manager Austin Chubb has plenty of experience with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

After being drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2012, he spent two seasons within the organization before being picked up by the Dodgers in January 2015.

In February of the same year, Chubb was assigned to play for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes -- the Dodgers’ High-A affiliate at the time.

Early in the 2015 season, Chubb was assigned to the Great Lakes Loons, where he played one game at Dow Diamond.

Chubb made his way up to AAA Oklahoma City before rejoining the Quakes in June 2015, bouncing his way on and off the disabled list before retiring as a player at the end of the season.

Six years after playing for the Loons, Chubb, 31, has made his way back to Midland and will serve as the first former Loons player to manage the team when the season kicks off Tuesday at home against the Dayton Dragons.

“I’m extremely excited and feel blessed to have the opportunity to manage the Loons,” Chubb said.

“That game in 2015 (at Dow Diamond) was the first I played with the Dodgers. It’s a cool opportunity. I was only at the ballpark for parts of two days, but I remember Dow Diamond being absolutely stunning and everything being run first-class, so I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to manage the Loons.”

While Chubb was bouncing around in the latter stages of the 2015 season, he remained part of the Quakes team as a bullpen catcher but also began working as a player-coach.

Chubb was splitting responsibilities between his catching duties and working as a bullpen coach.

“My locker was on the coaches’ side (of the locker room),” Chubb

Austin Chubb as the third base coach for the Ogden Raptors (photo provided by Ogden Raptors) said. “But, technically, I still could have played in the game.”

From there, Chubb was offered a full-time coaching position with the Dodgers organization.

“I kind of always knew in the back of my mind that I was going to coach,” Chubb said. “ ... I knew it would happen at some point, I didn’t expect it to be at the professional level. “(It was the) right place, right time,” Chubb continued. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to coach in a

family-oriented, very well-run organization. I felt very lucky.”

As a player-coach, Chubb wanted to be there for his teammates and help out the guys -- especially the pitchers and catchers -- to excel and help every guy perform his best.

Chubb said he carried that mindset over to his role as a manager of a professional ballclub. He added that he learned many valuable lessons from his manager at Rancho -- and former Loons manager -- Bill Haselman.

“I spent time in Haselman’s office, I’d ask questions, he sort of mentored me,” Chubb said. “That was, honestly, a very valuable time looking back.”

Toward the end of the 2015 season, Haselman wanted to have Chubb manage a game to get the experience he would need as the young catcher was making his way down the coaching trail. “(Haselman) was obviously right See Chubb, PG6

6 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

Austin Chubb (standing on pitching mound) gives instruction to players at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring training complex in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo provided by Los Angeles Dodgers)

CHUBB Continued from PG5 there, and the decisions were his,” Chubb said. “But (having the opportunity to manage a game was) absolutely unbelievable. Everything happened so fast ... I feel blessed to be in that position, the timing and everything happened the right way.

“While I felt like I could still play in the big leagues, I felt like it was the right time to transition into coaching and the opportunity presented itself.”

Chubb said he has enjoyed his time in the Dodgers organization, and he takes an immense amount of

pride in one moment he had in his first game at spring training-- putting on the famous Dodgers jersey for the first time.

“I got the chills, it was a surreal moment,” Chubb said. “Jackie Robinson, the history, what the organization stands for and believes in, it was a cool moment.”

Chubb earned his first managerial gig with the Dodgers’ Dominican Summer League team, where he worked for two seasons in 2017 and 2018.

He said he learned a lot from his experience in the Dominican, although he admittedly did not speak any Spanish at the time. He said he learned a lot about body language

and how to keep guys focused -especially if things did not go their way.

“Those two years helped me gain confidence,” Chubb said. “ ...

Speaking a little Spanish, relating to players and trying to put them into the position to get the best version of themselves and play with confidence.”

Working at a ballpark like Dow Diamond, which has been modeled to resemble a big-league yard, Chubb said he is excited to lead a team he once played for into the new season of baseball.

“Coming to work at Dow Diamond is something I’m really looking forward to,” said Chubb, an Orlando,

Fla., native. “I have not spent much time in the Midwest in my life. I’m pumped to be in the Midwest and see a different part of the country.”

Moving up to serve as the Loons manager after having the game day experience at Dow Diamond, Chubb said he is excited to have Minor League Baseball back in Midland for the first time in 604 days when the first pitch is thrown Tuesday.

“We’re just happy to be back on the field,” Chubb said. “We’re excited to play in front of fans at Dow Diamond. Overall, you can expect the Loons to come out, play hard and play to win.”

ourmidland.com

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 7

Experience a different type of flight

Explore Michigan's best breweries at:

MiBrewTrail.com Follow us:

8 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

Host families not an option for Loons this year due to pandemic Dodgers finding alternate housing arrangements for players Dan Chalk chalk@mdn.net Great Lakes Loons President and General Manager Chris Mundhenk understands and appreciates what local host families have meant to Loons players throughout the team’s 14-year history. He wishes they could continue to play that role this season.

But as the Loons and the Central League return to action on May 4 after a 2020 season that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lodging for players, like many other aspects of professional baseball, will look different for at least this year.

“Primarily due to COVID safety considerations and the fact that Major League Baseball has instituted a ‘player bubble,’ there will be no host family opportunities in 2021,” Mundhenk said.

The player bubble entails keeping players physically distanced from fans and from anyone not affiliated with the Loons.

Since the Loons’ inception in 2007, host families have always been an option for players to choose. And the organization has developed a reliable network of host families, who open their homes to a player for a week, a month, or an entire summer, depending on how long that player remains on the Loons roster.

Some of those families have continued to host players year after year and have developed close bonds with them. In some cases, families have traveled to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring training complex in Arizona to reunite with the players that they have hosted in the past.

“We’ve stayed in close contact with our host families,” Mundhenk said.

“Our host families have been such an important part of the player experience. For many of our players, this is their first true experience away from home, and the families have provided a lot of support to our players.

“We do fully expect moving for-

Former Loons player Juan Apodaca (center) is pictured with his host family brothers Dustin Robinson, left, and Dan Robinson.

Loons players will not live with host families this year due to precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo provided) ward into 2022 that host families will (again) play a big part in supporting our players and the Loons.

But for 2021, it won’t be a reality,” Mundhenk continued.

In terms of this year, he said that the Dodgers -- the Loons’ major league affiliate team -- are finalizing details on where they will house the Loons players.

“The Dodgers have a team of health experts and epidemiologists that they have been working with to develop a comprehensive plan for the players,” Mundhenk said. “First and foremost, the safety and health of the players sand the host families is their top priority. The Dosgers are in the process of finalizing what the hous-

ing will look like for the players.”

Because the length of each player’s stay with the Loons varies, Mundhenk said the Dodgers will have different options available for housing.

“As best I can tell, I think that they will have some commitments from area hotels for some longer-term housing of players,” he said. “They’re also working with a number of complexes in the area that will be flexible with short-term housing due to the fact that players’ time here is undetermined.”

The Dodgers will limit the number of players that can stay together under one roof, Mundhenk noted.

For the players, not lliving with host families will likely mean eating

more meals with the rest of the team at Dow Diamond when the Loons are playing at home.

Mundhenk noted that the Dodgers provide the Loons with two executive chefs and a mobile kitchen to feed the players both at home games and away games.

“They produce organic meals specifically designed for nutrition for professional athletes,” he said.

Mundhenk added that in light of the pandemic, the players will eat in open-air environments.

“We’ll essentially eliminate the meals being served in confined areas,” he said.

ourmidland.com

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons

! s u h t i w y a d e h t d Spen

Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 9

HOTTE S PARTIET BIRTHDAY GREAT S IN THE LAK REGIONES BAY !

PACKAGES START AT $$225

mon – fri sat & sun

245 (Minimum 10 Guests Plus Birthday Child)

INCLUDES: • 1 Hour in Private Party Room • 5 Hours in Waterpark

CALL 989.817.4825 TO CELEBRATE WITH US TODAY!

Free shuttle to & from

SOARING EAGLE CASINO & RESORT MICHIGAN’S ONLY INTERACTIVE WATERSLIDE FLOWRIDER SURF SIMULATOR ACTIVITY POOL

LAZY RIVER

LARGE GROUP BOOKINGS AVAILABLE We welcome scouting groups, teams, & educational day trips.

Call 989.817.4843 for details.

Call 989.817.4801 for Day Passes!

Advance reservations recommended.

Soaring Eagle Waterpark and Hotel will be following Social Distancing Protocols as determined by the State of Michigan and the CDC.

SOARINGEAGLEWATERPARK.COM 5665 E. Pickard Rd. Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858

10 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

H P O T N I O G R R E A D P A E H L Y A S’ PHOTOGRA W PHER KATY KI E N Y L I A D D N L DE E MIDLA P H S U O O T O R E GRAPHY AWAR M U N D E N R A E DS HAS THIS YEAR FROM THE MICHIGAN PRESS ASSOCIATION, INCLUDING:

• FIRST PLACE AND HONORABLE MENTION IN FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY • NO. 1 AND 2 IN NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY

• NO. 1 AND 2 IN PHOTO STORY • NO. 1 AND 2 IN SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

ourmidland.com

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 11

l l a b e s a b is Back

! t e e sw AT MICHIGAN SUGAR, WE NOT ONLY DIG BEETS, WE DIG THE LONG BALL! Michigan Sugar Company is a proud partner of the Great Lakes Loons and we are excited to once again sponsor the Michigan Sugar Home Runs promotion.

Each time the Loons go deep this season, we’ll donate 25 pounds of pure, all-natural Pioneer Sugar to Hidden Harvest, a food rescue and redistribution agency serving the Great Lakes Bay Region.

FACTORIES IN BAY CITY, CARO, CROSWELL & SEBEWAING FIND OUT MORE @ MICHIGANSUGAR.COM

12 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

Loons not easing up on game-day promotions ‘We’ll have specials on every single day of the week that the Loons play at home’ Fred Kelly fred.kelly@mdn.net Entertainment, promotions, and generally having a lot of fun at the ballpark are all a big part of the fan experience in minor league baseball.

And the Great Lakes Loons have no intention of cutting back on that formula -- pandemic or no pandemic.

According to Loons’ Director of Corporate Sponsorships Tyler Kring, the team’s traditional game-day fan interaction isn’t going anywhere, even during an era of social distancing.

As Kring noted, Major League Baseball has instituted a “bubble” of sorts at each minor league and major league stadium, i.e., a policy in which only umpires, managers and coaches, players, and other essential employees will be allowed on the field, in the dugouts, in the clubhouses, etc., which means, of course, no onfield entertainment during Loons’ games this season.

However, Kring added, the Loons will be doing their best to keep almost all of those in-game activities intact, albeit in places other than on the field itself.

“Very few of our onfield promotions will be affected. ... The promotions are not really going away.

They’ll just be (moved) to other parts of the ballpark. Some that were previously on the field will be moved to other parts of the ballpark,” he said, citing the popular T-shirt toss as one example. “The promotions aren’t going away. They’re just being adapted, like everything in the world right now. It will still be highly entertaining, still fun for the participants.

“We want to give fans as true a sense of a Loons’ game as possible,” he added.

Kring said that the team has also expanded some of its more popular “branded” day-of-the-week promotions in an effort to give fans something a little extra special regardless

Great Lakes Loons fans bring along their canine companions to a game against the Fort Wayne TinCaps during the Bark in the Park event on July 30, 2019 at Dow Diamond. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

The Great Lakes Loons will continue to do promotions during their home games at Dow Diamond this year, but they will take place away from the field, in other parts of the ballpark. (Daily News file photo) of what day they head to Dow Diamond.

“I would say we have the most robust lineup of those branded days of the week that we’ve ever had. We’ll have specials on every single day of the week that the Loons play at

home,” he said.

Tuesday home games will feature a pair of promotions: “Hometown Heroes” and “Small Business Tuesdays,” during which active duty military personnel, veterans, first responders, and front-line health

care workers will receive a free meal, and during which 10 local small businesses will be highlighted on the concourse.

Wednesdays will be “Bark in the Park” nights, during which fans are welcome to bring their pet dogs to the game. That promotion previously was held five or six times each season but will now be held every week.

“Thirsty Thursdays” will feature half-price beer and seltzers and will highlight a different Michigan craft brewery each week.

“Family Feast Fridays,” a rebranded version of the popular “Family Feast Night,” will include an expanded budget menu featuring various concessions for $1, $2, and $5.

The always popular fireworks nights will be held on 12 different Saturdays throughout the season, beginning May 22.

Sundays will feature the traditional “Kids Eat Free” and “Kids Run the Bases” promotions.

“No matter what day of the week you come to the ballpark, you’ll get a great value and great entertainment,” Kring noted. “As we brought the Loons back for 2021, we wanted to make sure we were also bringing great offerings to the fans.”

Kring said that keeping fans engaged and happy is critical to the success of minor league franchises.

“The whole minor league baseball experience is based on fans coming to the games. Major league clubs have the advantage of TV revenue and TV advertising, but for minor league clubs it’s all about putting butts in the seats,” Kring said. “We wanted to make sure we’re providing absolutely the best product we can and the safest environment we can in 2021.

“We know some fans might be hesitant to come out to the ballpark, but I want to ensure folks that Dow Diamond will be as safe as it can possibly be,” he added. “We’re taking all of the precautions necessary, and you will get a bang for your buck and a lot of entertainment when you come to a Loons’ game this summer.

ourmidland.com

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 13

Welcome back: Loons excited to see limited fans return

‘It’s going to be nice to welcome people back to Dow Diamond’ Fred Kelly fred.kelly@mdn.net Dow Diamond may not be packed to the hilt when the Great Lakes Loons open their 2021 season on Tuesday, but that’s OK. As far as the Loons are concerned, some fans are a heck of a lot better than no fans at all.

“Being able to have people come and enjoy the games while staying socially distanced is definitely an advantage over trying to do televised games or viewing remotely,” said Loons’ Director of Ticket Sales Sam PeLong. “It’s going to be nice to welcome people back to Dow Diamond, with it being one of the most safe and clean facilities in all of Minor League Baseball.

“People will be able to sit back and enjoy the game and watch baseball and kind of lose themselves,” he added. “And for the players, it’s all about getting out and playing ball, enjoying themselves, playing in front of some fans, and getting on the road toward the big show (the majors).”

According to PeLong, attendance in Dow Diamond’s 3,200-seat stadium bowl will be limited to 20 percent of capacity, which means that 650 of those seats can be filled on any given game night. Currently, all of those 650 seats are reserved for ticket package holders, which means that no single-game box seats will be available for purchase.

However, the Loons will be selling lawn seats in pods of two to six people, which will be separated by a distance of six feet from other pods.

Although a single buyer must purchase all of the tickets for a given pod, the fans within those pods don’t necessarily have to be from the same household, PeLong said.

“If everyone within that group (in a pod) is vaccinated, then come and enjoy the game together,” he noted.

PeLong said that the protocols for seating have been based on state-mandated restrictions and input from the Midland County Health Department. He added that

it is difficult to estimate how many lawn seats will be available for any given game.

“It depends on a few factors. For example, if we had a large group in the Northern Lights Pavilion, that would subtract from the lawn seats. ... The maximum number (of lawn seats available) is dependent on how many people we have in the suites and the pavilion and so on,” he said.

“Right now, I would estimate that number (of available lawn seats) to be anywhere from 500 to 300.”

Unlike years past, no walk-up tickets will be available for purchase, and all ticket transactions will be cashless this season. Tickets can be purchased

only online at loons.com or by calling (989) 837-BALL (2255).

PeLong noted that concessions will be available at Dow Diamond, although those transactions will also be cashless.

“We’ll have a full lineup of concessions available, and we’ve rolled out a food app for 2021 which will make it easier to place an order and get food quicker, as opposed to having to stand in line waiting for your food,” he said.

Currently, tickets are being sold only one month at a time, because the Loons want to have the freedom to adjust the capacity at Dow Diamond in the event that state and

local restrictions change during the season. As of now, PeLong noted, the capacity which is in place for May likely will be the same in June.

“It looks like (those restrictions) will probably carry over into June.

Tickets for June go on sale on May 1, so I don’t see a clear path to open up more seating at this point,” he said.

Asked how ticket sales have been going thus far, PeLong said that they have been “pretty robust.”

“For the first homestand, it’s looking like pretty close to capacity right now,” he said. “And, as always, we expect that to ramp up this week as people get a chance to see the forecast.”

14 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

What fans need to know about COVID policy at Dow Diamond Austin Chastain austin.chastain@hearstnp.com Great Lakes Loons baseball is back on Tuesday, but it will be different amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before entering Dow Diamond, fans will need to familiarize themselves with the protocols and procedures the Loons have put in place.

The requirements and protocols are listed on the Loons’ team website.

The protocols are broken down by requirements, recommendations and answers to frequently asked questions.

REQUIRED BEFORE ENTRY Gameday wellness survey Fans will be required to complete and pass a gameday wellness survey, no more than 24 hours prior to entering the stadium. The link for the survey can be found on Loons.com under the “Health and Safety” link on the website’s home page. If fans have minors in their party, the adults may fill out the survey on the minors’ behalf.

Confirmation of the survey’s completion will be sent promptly. Fans will need to show the confirmation when showing tickets. The Loons recommend fans take a screenshot of the survey confirmation for easier access.

Mobile ticketing policy Tickets will also be done on mobile phones as tickets will not be available for purchase at the box office and walkups will not be allowed. A link to the mobile ticket interface is available on Loons.com in the COVID-19 policies and regulations.

The Loons added fans should not take screenshots of their tickets as the screenshots will not work when attempting to enter Dow Diamond.

Mask policy While at Dow Diamond, fans two years old or higher must wear a well-fitting mask or face covering, snugly covering their nose and mouth. Masks must be worn at all times except when eating or drinking.

Guests may wear their own face covering, including homemade or cloth masks, as long as their nose and mouth are covered snugly.

Neck gaiters, bandanas and masks with valves or vents are not considered acceptable masks for entry.

Additionally, all face shields must be accompanied by a mask.

RECOMMENDED BEFORE ENTRY Cashless payment policy Dow Diamond has moved to become a cashless venue this season for all sales -- including parking, tickets, concessions and the Loon Loft gift shop.

Fans without debit, credit or mobile payment means may convert cash into a Loons gift card at the Guest Services window with no fees or extra charges. The gift cards are reloadable, but unused balances may not be redeemed for cash.

Mobile food and beverage ordering Fans may download the FanFood app for their mobile phones to order food and beverages from the concession stands. The app is available on the iPhone App Store and Google Play for Android users.

After the order is made, fans will receive a text message when their order is ready for contactless pickup.

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Ticket policies and guidelines •All tickets will be sold in pods and will be set six feet apart from one another.

• Fans are encouraged to provide an email address for the latest updates on Dow Diamond’s COVID19 guidelines.

Pregame and postgame policies and guidelines • Entry and exit will be controlled with specified entry times and staggered exit protocol to limit congestion at the gates.

In-game policies and guidelines • Fans are encouraged to stay in their assigned seating location unless moving to utilize Dow Diamond’s amenities.

• Hand sanitizer will be available to fans throughout the ballpark.

• Guidelines will be updated throughout the season as conditions/ recommendations warrant.

ourmidland.com

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 15

Midland Daily News | Great Lakes Loons ourmidland.com

16 | Saturday, May 1, 2021

Health Care – When and Where You Need It

MidMichigan Health offers a range of virtual care options that help you get the care you need, when and where you need it. Virtual care options allow you to get medical advice or treatment remotely, either from your own home or from your doctor’s office to see a specialist at another location.

MidMichigan Health currently offers these Virtual Care options: E-Visits for Specific Symptoms: Submit a questionnaire about your symptoms and receive a quick reply in your secure MyMidMichigan account.

Video Visits with Your Primary Care Provider: For simple medical appointments that don’t require a physical exam, video visits allow you to consult with your own trusted doctor – not a “teledoc” service – from the safety and comfort of home.

E-Consults: A secure electronic communication between your primary care provider and a MidMichigan Health specialist can save you time and travel.

Telemedicine: Consult with a specialist without traveling for an appointment.

The specialist can examine you, ask questions, consult with your local care team and provide expert advice in real time.

MyMidMichigan Patient Portal: Secure online access to your health information and electronic communication with your care team.

Check test results Schedule appointments Message your doctor or care team Renew prescriptions View your health record

View and pay bills To sign up, visit my.midmichigan.net and click “New User? Sign Up Now.”

To learn more, visit midmichigan.org/virtualcare