American Legion Post 109 names Doug Frericks new commander in Silver Bay

Doug Frericks took over as commander of American Legion Post 109 in Silver Bay at the post’s annual membership meeting on May 22, setting up a new leadership team at a time when the Legion remains one of the community’s key veteran-service hubs. Frericks, a Silver Bay native and Army veteran, said the priorities ahead include growing membership, keeping events active, widening aid to local veterans and their families, and finding more ways to use the post hall and volunteer network.

The vote also named Vince Sando as first vice commander, Lee Tagg as second vice commander and Rey Lakso as post finance officer. Frericks succeeded Chris Belfield, ending a transition for a post that still carries a broad civic load in a small North Shore city where veterans’ organizations often anchor memorial ceremonies, fundraising and day-to-day help.

Frericks brings a background in public service that many residents know well. He served as Silver Bay’s chief of police from 2014 to 2019, has spent about six years active in Legion work and has served on the Honor Guard. He also serves on the board of directors for the Lake County Veterans Memorial Association. His family connection runs deep too: his father, Don Frericks, served in the Army during the Korean War and once commanded the Silver Bay VFW Post.

Post 109 describes its mission as sponsoring scholarships, aiding local veterans in need and their families, and supporting community programs and projects. Its committees cover membership, honor flights, scholarship, children and youth, and 27 Flags, giving the post a structure that reaches well beyond monthly meetings. The American Legion itself was chartered by Congress in 1919 and says it now has nearly 2 million members in nearly 13,000 posts worldwide.

Frericks’ remarks point to a local push for more participation from veterans in Silver Bay, Finland and Isabella. He wants more people involved through the Honor Guard, the executive board or smaller volunteer roles, and he describes the post as a place where veterans can gather, relax and stay connected rather than a narrow social club.

That local effort sits alongside the Lake County Veterans Memorial Association’s memorial project in Two Harbors, which county updates this spring said was moving toward groundbreaking later in 2026. The project is intended to honor veterans and families across the region, where more than 1,000 veterans live in Lake and Cook counties, most of them in Lake County. Frericks’ new role puts Post 109 closer to the center of that work as Memorial Day observances, scholarship support and veteran outreach continue to depend on steady volunteer help in Silver Bay.