Helensburgh-Stanwell Park SLSC christened its 13th IRB on 24 February 2019 named the Mark "Thommo" Thompson.
Mark was joined at the club with his wife Katrina, 3 sons Daniel, Nathan and Adam, and their familes, along with about 50 club members and special guests.
Mark joined the club as a nipper in 1967, gaining his Bronze Medallion in December 1975 with fellow club members Kevin Barry, Phillip Doran, Peter Mills, Paul Potter and Sean Sullivan.
He continued to patrol on Stanwell Park Beach for the next 30 years, 24 of which he was Patrol Captain. He spent 11 season as Club Captain, and in the process set the bar so high that many subsequent Club Captains struggled to come close to his effectiveness as a Club Captain.
Mark held many other positions in the club including Junior Activities Chairperson, Club President for 5 seasons and running a very tight Club Patrol Competition for a number of years.
He has been well awarded by the Club and Branch, with the following awards,
- 1985 Patrol Member of the Year
- 1989 Club Member of the Year
- 1991 Patrol Member of the Year
- 1995 Life Member of Helensburgh-Stanwell Park SLSC
- 2001 Illawarra Life Saver of the Year
- 2008 Illawarra Carnival Official of the Year
- 2016 Club Carnival Official of the Year
Mark was a competitor on the beach, and was rarely seen in the water unless he was in an IRB. He picked up a number of Club and Branch Beach Sprint and Flags Championship in the veteran competition. It was fitting that an IRB be be names after him as he was a keen IRB Driver and Competitor, even winning a number of branch medals.
While no longer an active patrolling member, Mark is active as a carnival official and can be seen pacing up and down the sprint track at Branch, State and Australian Championships. Considering no longer has any children or grandchildren participating at carnivals he still turns up to officiate at carnivals....a true legend.
Mark features in an iconic club photo that empitomizes the generational connections in life saving, the image show Mark in Patrol Uniform holding the hand of his young son Nathan also wearing Patrol Shirt and holding a Patrol Cap. The image has been used by the club many times, including being the last image in the club 100 year history book.
Congratulations the Mark on his service to life saving over the past 50 years, an honor well deserved.
The new IRB a Thundercat Gen III was driven by Matthew Webber (Vice Powercraft Captain) and crewed by Anthony Ashley (Powercraft Captain). The launch was successful in an extremely testing large and hazardous surf.
The IRB was funded by,
- Australian Government Beach Safety Equipment Fund
- Guardians of the Surf the SLSNSW Fund Raising Arm – SLS Lotteries - Represented by Steven Pearce, CEO Surf Life Saving NSW
- Tradies - Represented by Dennis McHugh, President
- The Tops - Represented by Carol Creagan, Outdoor Programs Trainer
Tradies is recognised as one of the club major sponsors with their logo being displayed on the Spray Dodger, and The Tops as a relatively new sponsor to the club with their logo on the bow and a number of small logos around the craft.
Thank you to all of the supporters of the club who made the purchase of this new craft possible for the club.
