Friday 8 December 2023

Weekly Dispatch 8th December 2023

 Hello Friday!!!

Another week of Amazing Quilts and Laundry Bags being sent off to our ADF pers!!

I think we can all agree, a great display of quilts and laundry bags, yet again from our amazing volunteers....

Please enjoy!!!

🌟 🌟 🌟

This week we dispatched 9 Quilts which takes our yearly total to 776 and our grand total to 15,955!!

We dispatched 22 Laundry Bags which takes our yearly total to 1,605 and our grand total is 34,341!!

Cassandra and Monika

Colleen S

Gayle W

Gayle W

Hilary P, embroidery by Joan B

Marilyn S

Pennie T

Sue N

Sue N

Bridget R

Bridget R

Mae McP

Pennie T

Pennie T

Shirley D

Cheryl F

Philomena

Philomena

Sally R

Sally R

πŸ§΅πŸ¦˜πŸ‡¦πŸ‡ΊπŸͺ‘

Tuesday 5 December 2023

Grati-Tuesday - 5th December 2023

 

Happy Tuesday Friends!

The year has just flown by! First Grati blog for December and as usual, it is a good one filled with so much emotion!! (Kleenex may be needed!!!)

Grab a cuppa, sit back and enjoy some well deserved gratitude!

... 

Good morning Jan-Maree,

 

I would like to say a very sincere thank you for my beautiful Quilt which was made by the Illawarra Quilters. The embroidery created by Joan and your local volunteers, the Garage Girls made it so special.

 

I will cherish this quilt always.

 

Thanks for everything you and your helpers do.

 

Kind regards, 


... 

Good afternoon Ellen N,

 

Recently I was fortunate to be provided a laundry bag, which I understand was made by you.

 

I wanted to reach-out and say a big thank you for your time and effort in making the laundry bag. I felt very grateful to be given the opportunity to receive a laundry bag through Aussie Hero Quilts (I’ve always wanted one). 

 

Thank you again for your time and effort in making the laundry bag.

Kind Regards

... 

Hello Wendy B,

Thankyou so much for the laundry bag, it’s a huge moral boost. A bit about myself. I am from QLD but am currently posted to Darwin.  Thanks again I hope you have a great Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Kind Regards

... 

Hello Cath H,

A truly heartfelt thankyou for the surprise presentation of my Laundry Bag at the Aussie Heroes Fundraiser recently.  It was an honour to support the event and a privilege to attend and be a part of it. To receive this memento as recognition for my small contribution left me speechless.

You have captured two of my biggest passions perfectly, bagpiping and my reserve service. The attention to detail incorporating the colours of the ADF Tartan is a very special gesture. I wore this tartan with the Pipes and Drums of the ADF performing at the 2018 Invictus Games opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House, and also at the 2019 Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Sydney.  This is something I will always treasure.

Thankyou also for the letter - a very nice way to learn more about the person that has dedicated their own personal time to making a difference to others. You and all the volunteers are totally deserving of all the recognition you receive.  
Thanks again!

... 

Good Evening Wendy V, 

I have received one of the laundry bags your group have made.

I would like to thank you all for the hard work you have put in to them and the support you give to us all.
Thanks again for all that you have done

Kind Regards 


... 

Hi Pat G,


           Firstly I would like to thank you for magnificent gift, absolutely outstanding. 
Please keep up the great work, you made an old soldier very happy today.
I also wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Ps.... it's going straight to the pool room πŸ˜€πŸ‘

Best wishes and Regards

... 

This is a thank you for one of the Fallen Warrior Quilts we sent to the US after the three US marines were killed in the Osprey crash during Talisman Sabre.


Dear Jan-Maree and all the people who worked on Corporal Spencer’s quilt, Dorothy, Lynn, Keryn and Philomena.

Your quilt arrived in Hawaii at our son’s squadron which was then mailed to our CACO officer in Washington DC. Our CACO officer hand delivered to our home in Arlington, VA a few weeks ago.

Thank you for the beautiful quilt - it is exquisite! It is hanging in my foyer where I see it everyday from my office as well.

I so enjoyed reading your letter and the quilt does indeed offer a visual reminder of our strong connection and alliance with Australia and of Spencer’s service. I am originally from England and the poppy is used there as well as remembrance for our service members. What a special gift this was to receive. It is so meaningful and I will cherish it forever.

I can’t thank you enough.
Lest we forget.
Semper Fidelis,


... 

Hi Anne H,

 

It was lovely to see your name again on some more laundry bags – thank you so much. (Random LB's for Malaysia)

As always, I’m very grateful for your ongoing support for our troops.

 

Blessings,

... 

Hello Wendy V! 


Firstly I would like to thank you for your effort on creating this amazing laundry bag! The design I have picked out is flamingos! πŸ¦©. There’s no meaning behind it, other than it stood out from the rest of them so I know which bag will be mine when I’m washing my cloths. 


I'm currently serving in Rifle company Butterworth. The Padre who is posted in country during his introduction had brought up you and your friends brilliant laundry bags that are for offer and me and my friends jumped onto it as fast as we could. 


The laundry bags we had were cheap material bags we had brought from Big W and after a few washes we had realised they have deteriorated. After using yours and washing it we are in love with the quality and durability and is definitely something we will be using for the rest of our careers / lives.  


Due to the nature of my job roll I primarily spend up to 100-150 days away every year supporting soldiers logistically to ensure they have the needs they require to train. 


It’s definitely tough being away from family and friends a lot, there are a lot of key birthdays and special events I have missed out on throughout my career, this year will mark 5 years in defence and have spent ever birthday away so far! 


Keep up your great work with the designs you and your friends produce, the effort you guys go to definitely does not go unnoticed. 


Thank you again! 


Kind regards, 


... 

Good Afternoon Marilyn S,

I was the lucky recipient of the laundry bag you made for me (you may remember it, it was the one with the Disney princesses on it).

I’ve been in the Royal Australian Navy for eight years and have had the privilege of serving my country on HMA Ships Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to many countries throughout my time, USA, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, The Philippines; to name a few. My favourite will always be the small amount of time I was able to spend in Canada though!

I grew up in Western Sydney. I am lucky enough to be posted ashore in Sydney at the moment so I’m able to visit family most weekends. I think my mother is very relieved at the moment as she always tells me I spend too much time away from home.

I am so appreciative of the work that you and your organisation do. Things like the laundry bag you made are some of my most prized and treasured possessions and I am incredibly appreciative for you and the work you do.

I hope you’re well, safe and healthy.

Kind Regards,

... 

Until next week keep your letters, emails and photos coming in.  

Tuesday's would be so totally boring without them!
πŸ’ŸπŸ’ŸπŸ’ŸπŸ’ŸπŸ’ŸπŸ’ŸπŸ’Ÿ


Monday 4 December 2023

Request List 4 December 2023

G’day all,

As I write this I am back in Canberra for a long weekend. I came down on Thursday and go home on Monday. Last night I had the pleasure of attending a special dinner for the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Corps of Transport which was held at the Australian War Memorial. It was lovely but the best part is always the people I have the chance to meet and chat to.  



Two of the VIPs from our Dinner made a point of thanking me for inviting them and expressed what a lovely time they had had on the night. Additionally I met a few of our recipients who I had not met before and they were delighted to tell me all about their quilts and where they are now, or how many deployments they have been on since etc.


This gentleman had been surprised with his quilt at his farewell last year and he was thrilled with it. I am sure he said it now hangs in pride of place in his office.

I had the pleasure of presenting another quilt this morning, another very happy recipient who is also planning to hang his quilt on the wall in his office. Tomorrow I am catching up with one of our recipients from South Sudan ten years ago and on Monday I am having a meeting to get the ball rolling on organising our Annual Thank You Weekend for next year.  It is never too early to start as there is so much to do, and this year I am hoping to recruit some new assistance.

On Monday afternoon I am heading back to Sydney and then on from Tuesday afternoon to sometime Wednesday I will be offline as I am heading to hospital for a quick procedure. Catherine will be watching the emails but otherwise I should be back on deck on Thursday all being well.

Priority Requests

We only have one real priority request on the list this week and that is number 1.  No 1 is for Operation Kudu and he is the last one of his group waiting for someone to take on his quilt.

Here is the request list for this week. Happy hunting. I hope you can find something that tickles your fancy.

POST BY DATE

The post by date for all Requests on this list is 8 January  2023 please, or earlier if you can manage this.  If you cannot make that date, please let me know. Do reach out if you have any timing issues and we’ll resolve one way or the other. In fact, if you are going to be late posting it please let me know BEFORE you post it.  Also, if this time frame is too tight for you, there are options, just email me to discuss, thank you.    

Request Information

When selecting a request, remember, you do not have to include everything they have asked for. Footy quilts do not need to have the logo or even the team’s name. Using the team colours is all that is required. Simple is perfectly acceptable.  A number of these requests have given you favourite colours as well as footy teams or other hobbies and interests. It is fine to make a quilt using their favourite colours but please include at least one of their interests.  It is fine to keep it simple. 

If there is more than one request on this list that you would be happy to do I suggest that you send me a list of requests and tell me how many you want to be allocated….i.e. one of the following please….  There are always a few requests that everyone wants to do (and I can never pick them) so if the first one you ask for is taken then I can allocate another from your list if I have a list. 

Any queries you might have, please don’t hesitate to contact via the AHQ email as per usual with any queries and we will assist you from there.  We may not know the answer, but it will be our pleasure to research and get back to you.   

A reminder, when you are ready to post the quilt or laundry bag you’ve created, please use the PMKEYS number given you in any correspondence with the admin team.  This helps the volunteer admin team keep a track of what’s been sent etc.  The PMKEYS number is included in the address details we supply for your recipient e.g.  the 7-digit number in bold below. 

CPL Wanda Quilt 8765432 

TG 3456 

AFPO XX 

ADF 

Sydney NSW 2890

Also, please use the Aussie Heroes PO Box address on your parcel in the event the parcel is Returned to Sender -  the PO Box is a safe place in the event of  any mishaps with postage. 

Aussie Hero Quilts (and Laundry Bags) 

PO Box 248,

Cherrybrook, NSW 2126 

Don’t forget to take a photo of your completed quilt or laundry bag to email to AHQ with the name and PMKEYS of the recipient and we can include in the Weekly Dispatches blog and add to the tally of quilts and laundry bags sent off to the troops.  I personally love viewing the photos of those projects dispatched – so inspiring. 

If you are using an AHQ supplied prepaid satchel please kindly use the AHQ address for the return address– also for your own packaging – if a parcel is Returned to Sender it is likely we can expedite its journey to the recipient from Sydney.

Please also please hold on to the Tracking number (the pink sticker that you should remove before posting – we’ve experienced mail delays lately (haven’t we all?) and having the Tracking number is very reassuring to keep an eye on the parcel’s progress in arriving at its destination. 

Don’t forget, if you look at today’s Request List and need help choosing, please feel free to get in touch to discuss, we will be ready to reply and offer guidance by email. Our goal is to help you find a request that you will be comfortable with doing. If you need a crest etc we may be able to post embroideries / printed fabric images or email some of these to you. 

Helpful info may be gleaned here  http://aussieheroquilts.blogspot.com/2019/07/information-post-for-those-that-sew-for.html    I look forward to seeing the photos of completed quilts and LBs when they are ready to post off. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE copy the ENTIRE line if you wish to nominate for a quilt or laundry bag.  

For example…. 

Marvel Theme. Ironman     M       LB      1 

This is really important to make sure that neither you nor I copy the wrong number which could lead to me giving you the wrong details for specific request.  If you find it hard to copy and paste, please copy the line out as above.  

Decoding The Columns 

The first column is the theme or preferences requested. 

The second column indicates the gender of the recipient. 

The third column is as follows. 

B=both quilt and laundry bag (feel free to nominate to JUST do the laundry bag if you wish) 

Q= just a quilt 

LB = just a laundry bag 

F= female 

M= male 

Please let the Admin crew know if you have any other questions....Just email friendsofahq@gmail.com  

Looking forward to seeing what you want to make this week. Happy stitching! 

Cheers, 

Jan-Maree

P.P.S.  Don't forget to check out AHQ on the Blog, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter


PokΓ©mon themed with "BS" on it 

M

Q

1

Star Wars the clone wars (Cartoon TV Show)

M

Q

2

Green/Black,
North QLD Cowboys (rugby league team),
Lord of the Rings

M

Q

3

Green, Skiing, Shetland Sheepdogs, Cheese, Lord of the Rings

M

Q

4

Bright Fluro Colors, Outdoors, Camping, Nautical, 4WDing

M

Q

5

Blue, Rugby Union, Exeter Chiefs (UK Rugby Union Team), NSW Waratahs.

M

Q

6

Blue/white- Canterbury Bulldogs, cricket, outdoors

M

Q

7

Star Wars , NFL (USA National Football League)

M

Q

8

Navy crest
Port Adelaide AFL supporter
(we can provide the crest)

M

Q

9

RAN Crest with details. Boatswains Mate badge. Aboriginal Flag and indigenous patterns. Likes Blue, Red, Green & Yellow. Other likes include Ocean/Nautical tall ships, octupus & jellyfish. Mountain biking & cycling/hiking trees or forest, Soccer (Matilda's), Harry Potter, Bluey, Scottish kilt pattern as plays the bagpipes & QLD State of Origin. 
(we can supply the Crest as an embroidery with details and BM badge as an image)

F

Q

10

Rising Sun, RAAF crest
Operation Okra Sep 2014 - Jan 2015
Army/RAAF theme
Loves all US sports and the USA
(We can provide the Rising Sun and RAAF crest and can have the text embroidered)

M

Q

11

RAN crest with personal details
HMAS Melbourne
HMAS Sydney
HMAS Canberra
HMAS Warramunga
Weapons Electrical Engineer badge
Nautical Theme
(We can provide the Ships' crests, the RAN crest and the Weapons Electrical Badge)

M

Q

12

"Magic the Gathering" - Lord of the Rings themed

M

Q

13

Melbourne Storm

M

Q

14

Dragonball super, Lord of the rings, Jedi from starwars

M

Q

15

Blue/Purple/Red, Comics, Travelling, Camping and Beers

F

Q

16

South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL

M

Q

17

Pirates Of The Caribbean Themed

M

Q

18

Adelaide Crows themed (AFL)

M

Q

19

Sydney Roosters NRL Team

M

Q

20

Crossing the line, Neptune, Golden Shellback Turtles, Black Bears,

M

Q

21

RAAF crest and Tri-service crest 
Enlistment date
Red, green, blue, turquoise
I like Motorcycle Racing, Kayaking, Road Cycling, Gym, Flying Aircraft and Surfing
My NRL Team is the Cronulla Sharks.
(We can provide the crests and can have the date embroidered)

M

Q

22

Horse Racing Theme

M

Q

23

Navy Themed, Ensign, Seahawks, Warships, Ocean,
(We can supply RAN crest)

M

Q

24

Naval Aircraft, Helicopters. Favourite colour is blue

M

Q

25

Red and Blue, Capybara (large rodent), Melbourne Demons

M

Q

26

Red, Fast and the Furious (movies) cars

M

Q

27

Purple, Western Bulldogs

M

Q

28

Red and Black, Liverpool Football Club (soccer), LA Lakers (US National Basketball Association)

M

Q

29

Purple, Melbourne Storm, Lightning Bolts

M

Q

30

Blue, Sydney Roosters

M

Q

31

Black and Silver, Spartans and Samurai

M

Q

32

Blue
Marvel, 4 wheel driving, Dirt bikes

M

Q

33

Fav colours Purple and dark green/blue.
Interested in Star Wars (Jedi), Batman, Moon Knight (Marvel)/Science Fiction

F

Q

34

Favourite colours are White & Blue
Interests - Star Wars

M

Q

35

Penrith Panthers (NRL)

M

Q

36

Rainbow, Monsters Inc.

F

Q

37

Red, Blue, Yellow (Adelaide crows)

M

Q

38

Blue, Dark Blue, beach/ocean/surfing

M

Q

39

Black and Gold, Video games (Halo)

M

Q

40

Purple, Car Engines, 4wding (79 Series), Spearfishing

M

Q

41

Sloth's, Unicorns, West Coast Eagles or colours to that effect

M

Q

42

Ginger and White Shortbread cats

M

Q

43

Marvel / DC, 4WD / Camping, Navy, Video games
(We can supply RAN crest)

M

Q

44

Food (Watermelon, Dumplings)

M

Q

45

Favourite colours are light and dark blue. Interests include anything to do with the ocean, beach, or marine animals.

F

Q

46

Disney Princesses and Disney Villains

M

Q

47

Red and Blue (Newcastle Knights)
Motorsports (F1)

M

Q

48

Red and Black - Lord of the rings

M

Q

49

Red and Black
Starwars (Siths and Darthvader)

M

Q

50

Red and White (St George Ilawara Dragons)

M

Q

51

McLarren F1 team with LN4 and OP81 in big bold letters on the front with the McLaren logo silhouette in the background

F

LB

52

Silver Subaru WRX race car themed, nickname

M

LB

53

White Ensign and Taiwanese flag one side (We can supply an ensign and the Taiwanese flag is easy to applique)

M

LB

54

Dallas Cowboys NFL theme

M

LB

55

GuildWars2 theme. with name on bag please.

M

LB

56

Saint George Illawarra Dragons NRL Jersey theme with name on it.

M

LB

57

Wallabies (Rugby Union) themed with nickname on it.

M

LB

58

4x4 Driving Theme

M

Q

59

RAAF Crest with operations (OP Catalyst, OP Slipper x 2, OP Okra) and their dates listed,
RAAF Flag, RAAF aircraft
(We can supply the Crest and a patch with the deployment details embroidered)

M

Q

60

RAAOC badge, Rising Sun badge, Rugby player for Defence, Canberra Raiders, loves mountain biking, diving and snorkleling and fishing. He just loves the ocean, also a Knifemaker/Cutler making and sharpens knives. Montague Island.
Ordinance Corps colours are Scarlet and Royal Blue
(We can supply the badges)

M

Q

61

Star Wars Black and White

M

Q

62

Toy Story/Buzz Lightyear

M

Q

63

Beach, Sunset, Turtles, Blue, Broome/Kimberley

F

Q

64

TV Show, Paw Patrol, Character Skye, Pink

M

Q

65

Red, Cattle Dogs

M

Q

66

Black and Red, Star Wars

M

Q

67

Cronulla Sharks theme with team colours

M

Q

68

Rising Sun, Engineering Corp
Thank you for your service
Over 50 years service
Avide Geelong Supporter
(We can supply the badges with the text added)

M

Q

69

Rising Sun, 
Psych Corp badge
Thank you for your service
avid scuba diver
(We can supply the badges with the text added )

F

Q

70

Blue, Toronto Blue Jays (US Major League Baseball)

M

Q

71

West Coast Eagles (AFL) and F-111 Aircraft

M

Q

72

Ryan Gosling themed with the RASIGs logo in the centre  with nickname. Thankyou so much :)
(We can supply the badge)

M

LB

73

RAN crest on Navy blue
Served  April 87 - Feb 1995
Thank you for your service.
1959 Holden Convertible called Suzzette
(We can provide the RAN crest with personal details)

M

Q

74