Grati-Tuesday 9 October 18

Some really lovely messages to enjoy tonight. 

Grab a cuppa and enjoy!

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Dear Ellen, 

I write to say thank you so very much for the perfect quilt that I received in the mail on Saturday. It was a lovely surprise as I had forgotten I had asked for one. After all these years hearing about Aussie Hero Quilts, to now have one is just great. I am very proud to have the quilt that you made. As my mother does quite a bit of sewing, making quilts etc, I know the effort it takes. Thank you again. On that note I have already told my mum and sister that I will get them onto AHQ in the future to give something back.

I love the different materials, especially the perimeter with the animal print. I will have to find a special place for it when we finally live in a normal house and settle down! The barbed wire is great. I actually went through Cunnamulla a few years ago but didn’t stay the night, then stayed last year heading back to Sydney. It is so flat out there.

Thank you for your best wishes. Once again I thank you so very much for the quilt. It really has given me a great feeling.

Sincerely,

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Good Evening Cath,

I just received your package with the quilt and treats. I am so moved by the thoughtfulness of yourself for creating my beautiful quilt and for my friend who contacted you about it.

I am definitely blessed! Thank you so much for you hard work. I absolutely love it, its perfect. I think the colours are stunning and I love the touch of the home you’ve incorporated is beautiful. I especially love that you had ‘blessed’ embroidered into for me.  I am so thankful and I feel so lucky that I received something made with such love. It has really blown me away. Thank you Cath.

The coffee and the treats you sent could not have come at a better time! I am currently studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science and I have my exam for my unit in two weeks. There is a lot of cramming going on. I am so grateful for the coffee and sweets! Thank you!

I hope you’re well and know how incredibly appreciative I am. Thank you so much.

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Hi Nicole,
                 Just wanted to say a massive thank you for my lovely sea turtle laundry bag. No one in my family sews or is very crafty so for me this is really cool and I can appreciate all the time and work that has gone into it. The mess (ships living quarters) is pretty dull so having this hanging on my locker certainly brightens the place up a bit which is awesome. 

I'm currently on HMAS Success as the ships tanky. Marine technician by trade I look after all the fuel transfers to other ships and the ships stability. Some interesting facts, we carry around 4.6 million litres of diesel and can pump at a rate of 680,000L/hr. That’s a fuel truck you see at a servo station unloading every 3 minutes.

The deployments have been really good. Recently got back from a 6 month trip to Philippians, Vietnam, Singapore, Samoa, Vanuatu, Hawaii and PNG. We are back again for Christmas then go away again late January I think.

 Thanks again and please give my regards to the 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 chooks, 2 teenagers and the rest of the family. They're lucky to have such a talented, lovely mother such as yourself. :)

Thankyou 

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Dear Jan-Maree,

I would like to pass on my thanks to yourself for such an amazing initiative and to Beverly U for making me such an amazing keepsake.

My blanket and laundry bag are absolutely amazing and a true reflection of my time here in South Sudan so far!

Mail day is always an exciting day but even more so when you see that box arrive that is addressed from AHQ! The smile continued to grow as I opened my box and revealed my blanket and laundry bag!

I absolutely admire you and your team of volunteers and one day would love to be able to attend an event that recognizes their dedication.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart

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Dear Ann,

I wanted to write to thank you from the very bottom of my heart for the absolutely amazing quilt you made for me.  Although I really had no idea of what I wanted in a design, you couldn’t have got it anymore perfect.  Your mother must’ve been an amazing woman.  I love the brightness and contrast between the dark purple and pink, the floral and the butterflies, and I am in awe with the intricacy of the embroidery of the flowers and stitch work in the whole quilt.  I was most surprised and thrilled with the personalisation you added to the top.  This was the first thing I noticed, which brought a tear (or two) to my eyes, and had me bursting with pride that someone would go to so much time and effort to make something so special just for me.  It’s already brightened up my little room just by being on my bed.

This is my third deployment to the Middle East over the past 12 years, but my first as a Mum.  I am definitely finding this one the hardest.  I have a beautiful five year old little girl who has had to move interstate and change schools so I was able to deploy.  She is doing great at her new school and is happy staying with my friends.  I get to talk with her every few days and usually skype with her once a week.

Thank you also for volunteering your amazing talent to Aussie Hero Quilts.  I was quite humbled to read that I am the recipient of your first Aussie Hero Quilt, and please know that I will treasure it always.  Everyone here who receives a quilt are all amazed with the amount of work that goes into them, and we all appreciate the amazing work of all the volunteers.

Wishing you all the very best.

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Hi Ellen,

                  I have just recently returned home and received the quilt which is amazing- thanks for your great work! It is really appreciated and is something that will be cherished long term.

Sounds like even in retirement you like to keep busy- good on you!

Thanks again,

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Hi Beverly,

I just wanted to personally thank you for the amazing quilt and laundry bag I received. The design is amazing, I can see a lot of work has gone into making it. I absolutely love it.  

A little bit about me, I am 30 years old and have been married for 7 years in October. We are expecting our first child in mid December, a little girl. Luckily I will be home with plenty of time so wont miss out on the big day. I joined the RAAF in 2016 as an Airfield defence guard. I love my job and being able to serve our great country. This has been my first deployment and although it has been long and sometimes tiring, the knowledge people at home appreciate what we are doing (through receiving letters, care packages and the amazing items you have made) make it all worth it. The gifts that your organisation has provided has drastically raised the morale of everyone here and is very much appreciated. 

Thanks again and keep up the awesome work.  

Kind regards,

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Hi Susan,

Writing to thank you and your husband for the kind gift that you sent to my daughter whilst she is on deployment.  She sent me on messenger photos of her Laundry Bag and she is very proud of it.

Once again, thank you.

Cheers,

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Good Morning Bridget, 

I want to thank you sincerely for my new quilt, laundry bag and personalised letter. My quilt and laundry bag both look superb. I will post a picture if you don't mind on the Aussie Quilt Heroes FB page. Would you be happy with that? I must admit my tent mates and I had a good chuckle at my initials spelled out on the laundry bag.

 Thank you for your 40 years of nursing service. Thank you for taking the time to not only make my quilt and laundry bag, but for all the quilts and laundry bags made for other ADF personnel serving our great nation on operations overseas. 

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Good Morning Julie,

Would like to send you a quick email to thank you for your laundry bag and let you know that myself and the other members I am currently deployed with appreciate the work that volunteers such as yourself do for us. My best wishes to your son at HMAS Albatross and family and all the best keep up the good work!

Regards,

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Hello Bronwyn,

I trust this email finds you well.

Please accept my sincerest gratitude for the quilt you have made for me. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you have obviously put into making it and I will long treasure it as memento of my time here.

Thanks once again for your kind gesture; whilst we all have our own reasons for serving I'm sure I speak for all Australian servicemen and women when I say that expressions of gratitude from those that live in the great nation of which we serve is always fondly received.

Kind regards,

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Hi Jean,

I wanted to say a very big thank you for the laundry bag you made. It’s absolutely perfect and love it!

I had been away for two weeks when I returned today to the base to find the parcel in the mail. The design with aircraft and border collies is awesome, you have a very creative skill there. My team over here really appreciate what you and the Aussie Heroes are doing with these. Most of my team have deployed multiple times. I’m up to my 5^th deployment now, first was back in 2003. It’s a simple idea the quilts and laundry bags but means a lot that there’s people home who know we’re still out here.

Once again wanted to say thanks as it’s much appreciated.

Kind Regards

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Hi Susan

I thought I would drop you a note to express my sincere gratitude for my laundry bag that you made.

It was presented to me, along with those made by other wonderful people like yourself for all the other chaplains, at the Naval Memorial room at Garden Island while we were at our Initial Chaplains Course.

The entire moment was very moving and I simply wanted to let you know how incredibly appreciated I was to received it.

Thanks again.

Many blessings,

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Good Afternoon here from Iraq, 

My quilt just arrived and I absolutely love it thank you so much. I can't imagine how much time and effort must have gone into the work of that quilt so once again thank you so much. I appreciate it and will cherish it always.

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Hello Melissa,

I just wanted to say a big thank you for you amazing quilt that you made for me! I cannot believe how good it it, has in my wildest dreams I wouldn't have come up with the design you made, it is so cool and vibrant and I cannot believe it is mine and that someone whom I've never met could be so generous with their time and effort. I actually had a little bit of a tear as I saw it, this will stay with me while I'm here deployed and my children will cherish it when I come home.

I thought I would share a little about myself as you have given me a wondrous gift. I have been in the army for fifteen years and have deployed overseas six times I come from a small town in South Australia.  I have lived all over Australia and love being in the Army I have three beautiful children and am married to my best friend I'm lucky to have her and she's very supportive of my career. 

Thanks again for my amazing gift and I hope you all the best for the future, have a merry Christmas and New Year. xx

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

Jan-Maree xx