Why are we sending quilts?

Obviously everyone (with any taste) loves a soft snuggly quilt - men and women alike.  That is a no-brainer but why is it so good to send specifically to our guys in Afghanistan?  The obvious reason is because it is cold there in winter...........

really cold - minus 25C in winter - that is seriously cold!  

And by the way it was apparently snowing on base yesterday!

But for me there are two more reasons, probably the most important reasons, why we send quilts.  

The first one is to brighten their rooms and make the place more homely.  

The third reason is really the key though.  Last night I received an email from a soldier I do not know who received one of the Gumnuts original quilts - the ones that we sent over to be given to soldiers not in our friendly warrant officer's teams.  We sent 24 quilts, 15 for the Warrant Officer's teams and nine to go to other soldiers.  This soldiers received one of the extra quilts so his quilt turned up completely unexpectedly for him - and here is his response.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this beautiful gift. It is people like you that make the time away from our loved ones a little less painful. This quilt will keep me warm over the next few months until I return home. I look forward to giving it to my son when I return home as I know he will love it just as much as I do. Thank you."


He also included a photo of himself with the quilt but I can't publish that without his permission nor will I name him but his words say it all.  The fact that we are prepared to make a gift of a quilt to a soldier who is far from home means that we are supporting them, it means that they are valued and not forgotten.

Every time I receive a word of thanks from these wonderful guys and gals I am humbled and motivated to keep going and sew more.  My old Air Commodore served in Korea and he told me about receiving a care package containing all sorts of things - he said it was the fact that someone he didn't know cared enough to send something made him feel valued.

So that is why we are sending quilts.  I hope this encourages you as much as it does me.

I hope you have enjoyed the photos - they were taken and sent to me by our friendly Warrant Officer.

Have a great day and until next time......happy stitching!