Bits and Pieces.

First up if you are planning to sew some of our 9 patch BOMs you need to get a wriggle on to get them done and into the mail as the mailing date is this Wednesday!  My sister-in-law, Julie, posted me 10  great blocks which arrived today - these will go nicely with the brown ones I have.

 

Naomi has put 18 blocks in the mail!  Today I heard of a lovely lady called Claire who has made 24 and is not sending them to me as she is going to turn them into a quilt top herself!  thanks so much Claire - that is awesome!


Also, today I received the stickers that I ordered to go on the boxes we send.  If you are planning to post direct please send me your address and the number of boxes you think you might send so that I can send you some stickers.

I will write a whole post on the boxes and the addresses and all that is required but in the mean time here is a little info.  I first started sending boxes to a particular lovely Warrant Officer and his team and I used his personal address.  Every soldier has a mailing address.  That was not going to work long term though so he and a Major who made contact with me worked together to find the right person to become the point of contact for the long term.


I now have the address for the Operation Slipper Chaplain and all our boxes will go to him twice a year to be distributed along with all the other welfare mail that gets sent every year at ANZAC Day and Christmas.  Last year they received 22 tonne of care packages over the Christmas period and that they are expecting 25 tonne next year.  that is a lot and that is why a mass posting of quilts has to go over at the right time,  along with all the rest of the welfare mail, when there are special arrangements made to accommodate and cope with it all.


The Chaplains are in the best position to decide where the greatest need is and they can get stuff out to the outposts where the guys are doing it the toughest!  That is exactly what we want.  The boxes we post in March/April will be the first that have gone under the Aussie Heroes name and I would like them to be easily identifiable so that the chaplains know what they are and also to raise the profile of our group over there.  


The importance of a bigger profile is so that 1. we continue to be taken seriously by Defence and continue to be welcome to send with the welfare mail but also 2. so that the guys and gals over there learn about what we are doing and are encouraged by the fact that we are supporting them in this way.


Hence the stickers.  A sticker on the front of the box - top left corner I think - should help the name to stand out.


These are the boxes you need - Bx2 is written on the back just under the return address space.

You need to put one of these labels on the front - I suggest on the bottom left corner - that way when the postie sticks his ID recorded sticker on it shouldn't cover up the Aussie Hero Sticker.

I have updated the "How to Help" page at the top of the blog.  Basically if you are time poor but still want to help you could donate any of the following: batting (which you already knew about), calico or other suitable colourfast fabric for lining laundry bags and inkjet  printable fabric for labels.  The only requirement for the printable fabric is that it must be washable after printed.


It is more trouble than it is worth to open up a bank account in the Aussie Heroes name so we do not take cash donations as a general rule.  However if you wish you could contact our local Quilt Store, Country Pickin's and buy a git voucher in our name from them.  Their number is 
(02) 9651 7201.


And lastly - how about this for a bit of encouragement!  I will let you read for yourself!

Hi!


My name is Carol xxxxxx and I am the President of a non-profit quilt group in Maryland (US). The name or my group is "Quilts for Heroes" and we would like to send you a quilt to support your efforts. Can you send me information on what you need and where we could send the quilt?


Thanks! Keep up the good work!


Happy Quilting....
Carol


What a compliment!  


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