Grati-Tuesday 30 October

Hi all,

so it is a really busy week here this week, in the lead up to the biggest social function of the year... the Aussie Hero Quilts Annual Thank You Dinner is in this weekend and I am flat out getting ready for it.  If you missed out on your ticket... well what can I say.. you are going to miss a good night. Just as well there are so many lovely messages you can read to night to take your mind off it.

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Love getting messages like this one

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Hi! I'm in hospital post-ACL recon (Army Army sporting competition). Your bag was naturally a must pack for me and already the staff have heard about the fantastic work AHQ do. Once again, thank you for brightening some dark and dull days.

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And then there is this one from a recipient on HMAS Ballarat who set off on deployment just last Sunday... 

Rack is all set to deploy for 9 months....

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Hi Jeanette,

Today I received a laundry bag that you had generously made for a member of the Australian Defence Force. Your laundry bag caught my eye with its catching pattern and also for the story printed upon the material. It reminded me of reading to my children and that definitely brought a smile to my face and made my heart swell with the memory. Thank you very much for that gift, and thank you too for your continued support after you yourself had provided service to our country.

The time and effort that you and others in the Aussie Hero Quilts community commit to each laundry bag and quilt to show your support to our service personnel is appreciated .

Best wishes

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Jan-Maree

I just received my laundry bag today.

This is actually the second item I have received from your organisation. Having previously deployed to the MEAO, I was given a quilt. That quilt was the only quilt I used for the remainder of that deployment and is currently used as a knee rug by my wife to ward off the cold in Canberra and to remind her of me when I’m away.

I really appreciate the gift of a laundry bag and am confident it will get as much use as the quilt, very likely not in the same way.

Thank you for your continuing support of the Australian Defence Forces whilst we are away.

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Hello Ruth,

The biggest thank you for the laundry bag. It is better then I could have hoped for and it has absolutely brightened my day.   It will get used after I have shown everyone, but only when I do my own laundry (that is not that often really). 

I love the yachts that you put on the bag. I have never owned a yacht but I have been around them most of my life. It is my retirement plan to sail around Australia and I am just beginning the process of setting myself up. I'm looking at lots of different types of boat but have my heart set on a 36' Hans Christian.

I also have grandchildren. Three little boys between my two daughters and one cooking. I also have two boys and two girls to my partner's son and daughter. Total of seven grand kids (number eight expected in Jan 19).

I am one of the older serving members over here at the moment and this is not my first trip but there are a lot of the younger soldiers that are away for the first time. It is very interesting to watch them as they experience a totally different way of life. If nothing else they will return home with a renewed appreciation for what they have in Australia.

It has started to cool down but we have been living with temperatures over here that ranged between 45 to 55 plus on most days.  

There has been no sign of rain until two days ago. Now we are dealing with mud like you have never seen before.  They say a change is as good as a holiday (I need to have a talk to 'They').

The boys and girls over here are doing a great job and receiving laundry bags and letters from home make it all the more fulfilling. 

I wish you the best for you and yours.

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Dear Thelma,

I want to thank you for the lovely laundry bag that you sent over. I am astounded at the amount of talent that it takes to accurately represent the feeling of a relaxed afternoon in country Victoria in textile. While I do indeed use it for slogging my washing down to the laundry, I sometimes just take it out to remember my home.

While my father being a soldier meant that we moved around a fair amount in my childhood, I always seemed to wind up back in country Victoria. This is why I requested something to remind me of that and you have delivered well beyond what I could have expected from anyone. I am looking forward now to finding a place to mount my bag on one of my walls when I get home, to keep reminding me of Victoria as I live in Queensland.

Hopefully your grandsons have settled back in after their trips and I wish them all the best going forward. I also hope that they are able to re-enforce just how much the work that you do means to those of us over here. Everyone is hugely proud of their quilts and bags and I think the most impressive thing is how well they are tailored to what each soldier wanted to represent. They are truly art.

I also want to apologise for my delay in responding. My days have been quite long over here and I have wanted to have a chance to sit down with a  clear head and give you the response that you deserve for your sterling work. Please rest assured that there hasn’t been a day that your work has not given me a small measure of joy out here. I am truly thankful.

I have attached a photo of myself with the laundry bag to try and show how much joy it has brought me.

Thank you again,

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Robyn

I am a Senior Sailor on HMAS Adelaide..

I received a laundry bag today that you handcrafted.

I think initially you may have thought this bag was destined for HMAS Canberra, however be assured it has found a very appreciative home with me.

Thank you for all the time and effort you have invested in this gift. And more importantly thank you for thinking of us Defence members as we go about our duties.

We cannot do what we do without the support of the Australian public. We spend long periods away from home, friends and family and such gifts help assure us that we are supported.

Since you are a retired school teacher please go easy on marking my email, and just remember that the only reason I can write coherent correspondence is because of the efforts of school teachers, in country Victoria.

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To Jan-Maree at AHQ and to Doris, Barbara, Sylvia, Judy, Marilyn, Rhonnie and Lola from the Normanhurst Mixed Probus Club I would like to say a big heart felt thank you. Thank you firstly for the laundry bag you have given me but more importantly thanks for the time and effort that you have put into this worthy cause. Sometimes it is easy to forget that people other than family are thinking about us while we are deployed. I just wanted to say please keep making these wonderful quilts and laundry bags, it is evident on HMAS Adelaide that they are very much appreciated.

I personally, am proud and humbled by what you do sacrificing your time, money and material for members of the ADF.

Kind Regards

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Sue N,

I am a member of HMAS Adelaide’s ships company and I was today presented with a laundry bag from Aussie Hero Quilts. I am very grateful for the gift and the thoughts for those of us deployed at this time. On finding your note inside the bag I felt it only right to contact you directly to pass on my appreciation. Your efforts and those of the rest of your team have been warmly received by the members of Adelaide and we are truly grateful to those out there who take the time and effort to recognise the service we are providing.

Thanks once again.

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Hi Pennie!

I am a Leading Seaman in the Navy.

I am currently on HMAS Adelaide deploying overseas. I volunteered for this spot as I am usually posted to HMAS Newcastle. Thought I would help out and see what this ship is like. (It's huge!) When I finish a meal.. I have to climb up 4 decks to the compartment where I work. I work in communications and talk to other ships when we are sailing together.

Just wanted to say thank you so much for the beautiful laundry bag and all the time you put into making it! My last bag actually lost its draw string so I needed a new one.

Working in an emergency department must be extremely busy. I would find that so interesting to hear your stories.

Thank you again. I'll keep this bag for a long time! My mate is currently writing my name on it. He is very talented with a permanent marker.

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Dear Clarissa,

I have just received my Aussie Heroes laundry bag and would like to express my sincere thanks for this kind gesture and your letter.

I am an Able Seaman Communications Information Systems (ABCIS) sailor on HMAS Adelaide and away on deployment right now.

I have been posted on Adelaide since February 2017 to present and have had an amazing posting on here, being fortunate to visit some countries and places I never thought I would go (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Hawaii, Tonga – to name a few).

I live in Sydney, with my partner and we are both in the Navy. Luckily for me, we are currently deployed together, which makes being away from home a lot easier!

Like you and your family, I am very active and play a lot of sport and have had the privilege of representing the navy and defence force in netball, rugby union and rugby league!

I’ve always seen people with fun laundry bags from Aussie Heroes and was tempted to get my sister to make me one for this deployment, then lucky me, Jesus answered my prayers and blessed me with one of yours!

So again, thank you so much for this, I can’t wait to use it and will make sure to look after it so it can last me for a long time J

Take care and warm regards,

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Good Evening

I am a CPL in the AACC. I am sending this short email to thank you for the lovely laundry bag that you sent the ship, that I received.

I love the toy story pattern on it which reminds me of home and my family. I hope this email finds you well and that everything is doing well with your family.

Once again thank you.

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Good Evening Helen,

I was grateful to receive your kind gift whilst we are out at sea and to hear of your involvement with Aussie Heroes over the last 3 years.

It is always nice to hear that our efforts and sacrifices are appreciated by the people back home, whom we do it all for and that lovely people like yourself are able to show that appreciation as we don’t always receive the best recognition for our efforts (not that that is why we do it at all).

It sounds like you keep yourself fairly busy with all your sewing groups and through your efforts you have been able to be a part of some exciting moments with some amazing people. To be honest I’m a little jealous that you were able to go to the Invictus Games training camp. With all those commitments and experiences, you still managed to take the time to write a letter to go with your bag. I don’t know if that’s common practice for Aussie Heroes but it’s definitely a personal touch that is welcome.

Keep up the great work Helen and all of us will do the same. If we do that I think we’ll be ok 

Kind regards,

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To everyone at Aussie Hero Quilts (and Laundry Bags),

I am a Chef on board HMAS Adelaide. I would like to extend my most sincere thank you to your organisation and everyone who is a part of it for the wonderful Laundry bags my Chefs and I have received from you. Most of us have received letters from the people who made the laundry bags and we have read your letters about AHQ and what it stands for.

Words cannot express how much we appreciate your kind gesture. Thankyou.

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Dear Cath

Firstly I would like to say thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into my quilt. It is absolutely gorgeous, it truly shows how much time and love you poured into it, it brightens my day every time I go into my room. I'd also like to thank you for the goodies you put into the parcel, it is lovely to get something from home.

I have been in the Middle East for several months now and I will be heading home in a few weeks. I currently live in XXXX and have been there for 2 years, so I cannot wait to get back and be near the gorgeous ocean again. I have been in the RAAF for almost 6 years, prior to that I lived on the Central Coast, NSW, not to far from the Blue Mountains, beautiful area.

It is slowly cooling down here which is amazing, maybe I wont find home to cold from the really high temps we were having here.

Thank you again for your amazing work. I will hold onto this quilt for the rest of my life and look back on and remember your wonderful letter.

All the best,

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Good Morning Pennie,

Thank you very much for the laundry bag you have sent myself and my ship mates, I feel much pride in our job, although I do feel that it is just a job.

Being away from home a lot does take its toll, I’m from the Central Coast in NSW so I’m lucky working on an East based ship being able to work close to home.

It has definitely added a bit of colour to my living space and makes finding my washing easier!

Thank you for your support and for a touch of home, it is greatly appreciated.

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Good Afternoon

I would like to send this email to say thanks very much for the laundry bag I received as part of the crew of HMAS ADELAIDE. Unfortunately there was no individual contact in mine so I thought I would send a thanks to all involved in your wonderful organisation.

My bag has a peculiar individual meaning to me. One side is a souvenir tea towel. My wife and I have a funny little tradition started by me years ago that whenever I go overseas or somewhere on deployment I buy her a tea towel from there. She has some from Europe, Southeast Asia and around Australia that she one day wants to make into a quilt, so this bag holds a special little meaning for me!

I know you don’t always get messages from those who receive your bags or quilts but please rest assured they are well appreciated by all and some touch people’s lives in special ways – like mine! You are a fantastic organisation and it’s great to know we are thought of by others besides our families when we are away.

Keep up the great work!!   

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Hi Helen

I am a midshipman in the Royal Australian Navy. I recently received your gift of a laundry bag whilst I was onboard HMAS Canberra. I have found it to be very useful and it makes it very easy to identify my laundry amongst many others in the ship's laundry. 

I have only been in the Navy since January this year and completed officer's course at Jervis Bay in June. I am 20 years old and am enlisted as an ADFA Entry pilot. Becoming a pilot has been my dream since I was very little and I am now following in my father's footsteps with a military flying career. 

I really appreciate the gesture of your gift and personally wanted to thank you, as well as your hardworking group of friends. It was nice to read a little bit about yourself and Aussie Heroes and your letter made it so much more personal. It sounds like you have a very busy social life, much busier than mine!

Thank you once again.

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Hello!

I am a LEUT Nursing Officer in the Royal Australian Navy and have been for 10 years. I am currently embarked forces on HMAS Adelaide with the Medical Operational Health Unit. It was the nicest surprise when the Padre dropped off a bag of quilted laundry bags to us this morning. Being a Nurse and always being embarked forces, rarely being posted to a ship or an overseas unit as we are always an attachment, it was just wonderful to be thought of.  I remember being in Kandahar with the US Navy a few years ago and all the American troops would regularly get care packages from the public and they would look at me funny when I was surprised that people who didn’t know them would send them. It feels just amazing to thought of :) 

Thank you to all the wonderful people out there who put in the time and effort to make these. They are absolutely beautiful. I am truly so grateful to now own my first ever quilted item. I know that it will follow me on every exercise and deployment, and I will finally be able to recognise my laundry bag amongst the dozens that are always stacked!

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

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Good morning,

I am a Nursing Officer with the Royal Australian Navy. This morning we received a box of laundry bags to our unit via the ship’s Chaplain here on HMAS Adelaide. I just wanted to say a big thanks to you for organising this for us. It means a lot. Laundry aboard ship can be something of an ordeal, so this will help to make things a bit brighter and more cheerful.

Everyone is glad that you’re thinking of us.

Thanks again,

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Good Morning Helen,

As the recipient of your laundry bag I just wanted to say thank you very much. As I saw the post card image of Sydney Harbour it stood out to me as the image we get to see when coming home. As you can probably imagine getting to see that view is a great feeling for those of us who spend time away from our families so I couldn’t resist your laundry bag. I’m happy to hear that you are getting so much out of being part of the Aussie Hero community and believe me, it means a lot to know that our work out here is appreciated. Thank you once again for your thoughts and your efforts.

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Dear SU James

I am Warfare Officer in HMAS Adelaide.  I was lucky enough to receive one of your laundry bags. It was covered in Footballs and was a massive improvement over the one I had already.

I really appreciate you taking the time to make and send in these items to myself and to the crew of my Ship. It has been a massive boost for everyone.

Further, it is great to see you are from SA too, I grew up in Morphett Vale so I have a strong connection with the state.

I appreciate the work you have done and thank you for thinking about us.

Yours Aye

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Loads of lovely thank you messages there.
Till next time... keep spreading the word and happy stitcing!

Jan-Maree xx