Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Commemoration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Orono and Penobscot Nation establish Chief Joseph Orono Wabanaki Veterans Award; first recipient named
Summary
The council approved an order to establish the Chief Joseph Orono Wabanaki Veterans Award developed in consultation with the Penobscot Nation’s cultural office and named Charles Norman Shay as the inaugural recipient in recognition of his service.
The Orono Town Council unanimously approved Order 26100 on June 8 to establish the Chief Joseph Orono Wabanaki Veterans Award and to present the inaugural award in 2026 to Charles Norman Shay, who died Dec. 3, 2025.
James Eric Francis (Senior), director of cultural and historic preservation for the Penobscot Nation, explained the award’s purpose and the nomination process. He said the award is intended to honor Wabanaki veterans from the broader Wabanaki community and not exclusively Penobscot recipients. "The first recipient ... makes loads of sense," Francis said of Charles Norman Shay, noted in the record as instrumental in establishing the recognition and as a community leader.
Councilors praised the proposal as a partnership with the Penobscot Nation and asked staff to link the new award’s record with previous proclamations and materials recognizing Charles Norman Shay. The council voted to authorize the town manager to continue consultation with the tribal cultural office and to approve the award and inaugural recipient.
