Local Organizations
Howard Lake Orphans
The Howard Lake Orphans are an amateur baseball team that competes in the North Star League. They have had 26 straight years of winning baseball since the team was restarted in 1995, and have qualified for the Amateur State Tournament in 12 of the past 15 years. Home games are played at Memorial Park.
The game schedule begins the first weekend in May, and could last as long as the Amateur State Championship, which concludes on Labor Day. The Orphan’ s games also feature announcers, music, and scoreboard operators.
The Orphans manager is Mike Dockendorf. Assistant coaches are Shane Heber, Mike Kittock, and Chris Bickmann.
The Orphans rely on a group of volunteers to operate a concession stand to enhance a fun, family atmosphere for spectators to enjoy during afternoon or evening games.
The Orphans organization shares maintenance responsibilities with the City of Howard Lake for the Memorial Park Baseball Field.
The 2025 schedule and roster will be posted at howardlakeorphans. teams. mnbaseball. org.
American Legion Post 145
The American Legion was established in 1922, as a national organi zation of veterans of all wars to serve God, country, and their communi ties, to ensure the freedoms that were fought for do not get taken away.
The American Legion conducts Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances each year. It sponsors Boys and Girls State, Boys and Girls County, Legion baseball, Legion Softball, high school programs, and scholarships, and various other community and youth events.
The Legion in Howard Lake conducts charitable gambling to raise funds to assist veterans and the community in a variety of ways. The Legion also provides military funeral honors for deceased veterans. The Legion sells flags, and collects old flags for proper disposal.
The local post meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p. m.
Current officers are Legion Commander and Chairman of the Board Ed Johnson, Vice Commander Gary Schmidt, adjutant Josh Harincar, treasurer Rod Werner, membership coordinator Tim Bachmeyer, and gambling manager Russ Gausman. Board members are: David Neiman, David Thompson, Rod Werner, Josh Harincar, and Scott Barth.
There are about 90 members. Membership dues are $ 37 a year. You must be an honorably discharged member of the Armed Forces to be come a member.
Legion Auxiliary
The American Legion Auxiliary was organized in 1922, to promote patriotism. There are about 40 members who meet the third Weds of each month at 4 p. m. at the Howard Lake American Legion hall.
The auxiliary’ s annual events include Poppy Day, Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances, volunteering at the VA Hospital in St. Cloud by doing monthly tray favors and collecting paperback books, volunteering to help veterans at Good Samaritan in Howard Lake, sending care packages to local Armed Forces enlisted personnel, hosting a Halloween event, and sponsoring a college scholarship and GND.
Officers are Jean Schmidt, president 320- 543-2904; Bonnie Jones, treasurer 320-543- 3604; and Scheryl Moist, membership 612- 459-8070.
Membership dues are $ 40. To join, call Bonnie Jones or Jean Schmidt. Members may be a wife, mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, or great-granddaughter of a member of the American Legion, or someone in armed forces.
Sons of the American Legion
The Sons of the American Legion was created in 1932, as an organi zation within the American Legion. Members include boys and men of all ages whose parents or grandparents served in the US Armed Forces and are eligible to belong to the American Legion. The organization as sists the American Legion with their programs, promotes American tra ditions and values, improves the quality of life for the nation’ s children, and teaches the fundamentals of good citizenship.
The Howard Lake Sons of the American Legion Squadron 145 was chartered in 2000, and currently has 31 members. Meetings take place the second Thursday of each month after the Legion meeting, about 8 p. m., at the Howard Lake American Legion hall. Kirk Jensen is the com mander. Dues are $ 20 per year, or $ 10 for members under the age of 18 and those who belong to the American Legion. For more information, call 320-543-2554.
18 Official guide to Howard Lake 2024-25