Tingira President Brad Murphy OAM has announced that former Royal Australian Navy Junior Recruit, Mark Lee (pictured), is the winner of the 2024 Tingira Stonehaven Medal.
“We had several outstanding nominations again this year, all high quality with glowing achievements that meet the requirements to be named the Tingira Stonehaven Medal winner”, said Brad Murphy.
Looking for a member who goes ‘above and beyond’ his expected call of duty in the navy or community duties is the qualification for nomination. For Tingira Secretary Mark Lee, it was just finding the time and place to award him for his outstanding contribution to the community through volunteering over the past four decades.
“Mark has a track record that reads like a racehorse form guide, long and eventful, a bit of a ‘who’s who’ signature when you look at his career path in business and community activities over the years. Many people have ‘travelled the road’ with Mark within his volunteer roles in the Australian community. Business, sport, veteran administration, public relations, photography, advertising, and publishing, all speak highly of his dedication and professional delivery. Always above expectations, whatever the task, is the common thread”.
There are clearly many strings to Mark’s bow showing his life’s commitment to community service. “It is important to note that Mark’s tireless commitment to all things TINGIRA is at the core of our Associations success, but this award recognises there is so much more to Mark than his amazing efforts just within our organisation!”, a proud TINGIRA President Brad Murphy highlights.
This year’s Tingira Stonehaven presentation was slightly different to the previous award presentations which were usually done by the Secretary.
Mark was invited to Canberra to a Department of Veterans Affairs conference, where he was ‘ambushed’ by some senior Navy people who knew that Mark was not there just for some official Tingira business project. Mark was then told the real reason for the summons and he was immediately presented with the Tingira Stonehaven Medal in total surprise.
“Finding the time and place for the association Secretary was always going to be difficult. This guy is difficult to pin down. A surprise presentation was always going to be quite a task for our committee but they insisted that’s how he would like it” said Tingira President Brad Murphy.
Mark was a little stunned, surprised and very honoured to be named the 2024 Stonehaven recipient.
“To be on the receiving end is not where I usually find myself,” said Mark.
“I wish my wife was here for this but a surprise event has its hurdles to jump on a workday lunch break. This is huge a highlight for me in the many roads of public life that I have travelled.”
“Enjoying a new retirement phase in my daily Cootamundra farm life style, I find this is the icing on the cake. With next year’s 2025 Tingira Junior Recruit Reunion in the planning process, I feel my time has nearly come to an end in my many volunteer roles. I will cherish this trophy more than most in my cabinet, thank you Tingira Boys.
The Stonehaven’s origins go back in history to 1926. The Governor-General of Australia, Lord Stonehaven, presented the ‘Stonehaven Shield’ to the best divisional intake as an annual award to the 15-year-old navy ‘Tingira Boys’ on board the training ship HMAS Tingira in Rose Bay, Sydney.
This is the eighth year the medal has been presented by the Tingira Australia Association. The Stonehaven Medal is donated and sponsored by the RSL NSW Cumberland sub-Branch, Sydney, for which the Association is most grateful for its continued support.
Interview with Tingira Chairman, Lance Ker, and Mark Lee in VOICEpipe magazine summer edition www.tingira.com