Grati-Tuesday 6 March 18

Hey all, 

greetings from a grey old day in Sydney... a great day for sewing and quilting... but then isn't every day?  Take a few minutes, grab a cuppa and enjoy the following messages.  

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Dear Bridget

A few days ago I received the quilt that you made for me. What a lovely surprise! The attention to detail is great, and the colours match my bedding and current ‘bedroom' decor. Hopefully this is my last deployment to the Middle East for a while so the quilt will be a long lasting memento of the time I’ve spent over here.

As my Mum is also one of Jan-Maree’s 'sewing ladies’, I really appreciate how much time, effort and personal expense goes into making such high quality products. The work you do is famous throughout the Australian Defence Force, and the receipt of quilts and laundry bags lifts morale, reminding us we are not forgotten by people back home.

Today I spent about seven and a half hours, flying an air-to-air refuelling mission over Iraq and took the quilt flying with me. I hope you like the attached photos that my crew took. In the top photo you can see a French Rafale fighter/reconnaissance aircraft through the window, receiving fuel from us. In the bottom right, you can see my Air Refuelling Operator (ARO) keeping warm while taking a nap during the transit back to home base.

Thank you once again for such a thoughtful, quality gift.

Kind regards

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Good Day Jenny N, 

I just received the laundry bag that you made for Aussie Heros and I like it. Thankyou very much. It is too nice to use as a dirty laundry bag, I will figure out another use for it.

I love the outdoors and I go kayaking often in Summer. I live in WA and the water is very clear due to there being a lot of sand. I see the odd sting ray and blue swimmer crab. Some small fish as well.

Currently I am out at sea and I look forward to coming home. 

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Hi Kaye,

I'm sorry it took so long for me to get back to you, but I wanted to make sure I eventually did manage to let you know my appreciation for the laundry bag and accompanying goodies. It means a lot to know the support we have back home is strong.

Thank you again.

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Good afternoon Noelene,

I hope this finds you and your husband well. This is just a quick note to thank you very much for the laundry bag I was sent through Aussie Heroes. The Squadron Chaplain invited me to pick out a laundry bag and I picked yours as the super hero pattern is the same as my son’s pram liner. This has arrived at an opportune time as I will utilise it when I return to Australia next week to attend courses.

My wife and I have been in Malaysia since December 2016 and we will be returning in January 2019. Malaysia will always have a very special place in our hearts as our son was born here on the 19^th of March 2017. Upon return to Australia we hope to be posted to South East Queensland.

I would like to thank you and all of the other generous people who took the time to think of us and send laundry bags.

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Dear Su,

Warmest greetings from across the Ocean. I am currently on deployment in Malaysia and recently got presented with your exceptionally well made laundry bag!

I want to personally thank you for this gift, it really means a lot to us soldiers that the Australian population is willing to do such kind hearted acts towards us. It makes all the blood, sweat and tears well worth it!

I have attached a photo of myself holding your handiwork.

I hope all is well, and thank you again for this amazing gift!

God Bless you

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Good morning Su,

My name is PTE XXXXX from the first battalion, and I received one of your lovely laundry bags. 

Thank you so much for the support back home in Australia, it means a lot to all the diggers and supporting staff deployed here.

Your daughter sounds amazing, 30 years is an incredible amount of time to do in the defence force.

The bag has a bunch of little dogs on it. It definitely made me laugh because I have a little white Labrador back home waiting for me, his name is ‘johnny’.

Thank you so much again for your support.

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Afternoon Jan-Maree,

I would just like to say a massive thank you to you and all the women involved with the making of my Quilt. Most notably Kerrie B, Bridget, Alison and of course yourself

Just simply receiveing a care package can make our day, and even week, but to receive something made specifically for us that has taken time and effort is heart warming.  It has given me something that I can always treasure and one day pass down through my family.

I received my Aussie Hero Quilt yesterday and could not be happier with what you ladies have done for me.

Regards,

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Good afternoon Tamsin,

I am just writing to thank you for the quilt that you and Sue made for me. It is greatly appreciated. I will be taking it home when I go on leave soon for my wife to put on the spare bed or on a wall. We got married 5 weeks before I came here so I am looking forward to getting home on leave. I have also received a laundry bag but have misplaced the note that came with it unfortunately. DXXXX, the other carpenter here with me has also received his quilt.

I am from Townsville in Queensland so if you are ever there let me know as I would like to thank you in person. This is my second deployment, the first being Timor.

My best regards to all of those people who make the quilts possible, it is nice to know that our efforts in Australia are noticed. I am the eldest grandson of a Malaya and Vietnam veteran and they were treated very differently to us. It is through there efforts though that we do not have to go through the same treatment.

All the best and take care,

Regards,

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Hello Anne, 

I would like to thank you for the lovely quilt that you made me. I really love it - awesome colour and the cat and dog patterns are so cute.

I already have it on my bed. I am from the XXXX area so I know the Brisbane area quite well.   

Thank you again. Best wishes to you and your family.

Regards, 

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Hi Cath H,

Thank you so much for the fantastic laundry bag you made! And all the goodies you placed in the box as well -  you very much spoilt me and I am very appreciative. I received the parcel when we pulled into port and I immediately showed it to everyone! Laundry has never been so much fun.

Thank you for your letter as well – it’s always so nice to know a bit about the person who has given their time so freely to brighten our days here. 

I have been in the Navy for 14 years and my current role is as a Principal Warfare Officer where I am responsible for the running of the Operations Room (employment of our weapons and sensors) and I am ‘on-watch’ (a shift) for 12hrs a day in the Operations Room. 

Thank you very much once again for my laundry bag and I can’t describe just how much I love it. I think it would be great and very much appreciated if your Textiles class could participate in this initiative and I feel it would be very rewarding for both sides.

Take care

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Hello, thanks soo much for making this laundry bag, I really appreciated it.  

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Hi there Helen W,
 thank you for the wonderful Laundry bag . I am from HMAS Sirius West Based ship. I received your Laundry bag a week a go and have put it to good use ever since .Just what I need, thank you for the hard work you put in to make a laundry bag for me.  I chose yours out of many others that were available when they were presented to the ship's company .
Fell free to email me any time keep up the good work. Many thanks
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Hi Su

I recently recieved the kind gesture of a laundry bag which you made and I'd like to extend my deepest thanks! I'm currently deployed in south east Asia for 3 months and its always good to get a little piece of home to hang on to, so once again my deepest thanks and please keep up the excellent work its extremely appreciated... Please pass on my regards and thanks to everyone at Aussie hero quilts.

Kind regards 

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Dear Jenny,

I am a Seaman Communications and Information Systems Sailor on HMAS Success.

Today I was selected to receive an Aussie Hero Laundry Bag at our clear lower deck in the presence of Jan-Maree Ball. It was totally unexpected as I only found out two days ago this was going to happen.

I really appreciate the gesture of good-will from you and your family and very much appreciate the fact that there are Australians out there who understand and support the work done by the sailors, soldiers and airmen and women of the Australian Defence Force. It makes the long hours all the more worth it – especially right before our deployment 😊

Once again, thank you for your support, it is much appreciated.

Kind regards,

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G’day Jan-Maree

This is PTE XXXXX from 1RAR

I’m writing to personally thank you for the laundry bag I was given. It’s great and I actually needed one. Perfect idea for troops over seas. I think what you are doing is a terrific cause and I applaud you for your efforts. Keep up the excellent work on the quilts and laundry bags and keep on supporting our nations soldiers.

Again, thank you so much! 

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Hi Jan-Maree, 

I'd like to thank you for the laundry bag you made for me. I just recently returned from RCB120 and was greatful for the effort you and your co workers put into making them for us. It was most appreciated. 

Regards, 

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Love that we are putting smiles on people's faces.  All too often we miss the opportunity to let people know that we appreciate their efforts on a day to day basis.  That is what we are all about.

Till next time... keep spreading the word and happy stitching!

Jan-Maree