Lots of thank yous and some business

I have some great thank you messages to share tonight.

This one for Nancy for a request from Sue and Aileen

A big thank you to everyone at Aussie Hero Quilts for the quilt and laundry bag I received in the mail today. Afghanistan is getting colder and this will certainly keep me a lot warmer. Your generosity is and kind thoughts are so greatly appreciated by all of us serving overseas. I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.. once again thankyou so much,

One for Nancy from a very happy wife..

Hi Jan-Maree, 

Just woke up to a MSG from XXXX saying he just received his quilt, and loves it, and to thank you and your sewers very much, for the wonderful job your all doing, I've asked for a pic of him with his quilt, so as soon as he sends me one I'll forward on to you, 

Once again, thank you for being such kind and generous people,

Thanks you

Dear Melissa,

Thank you taking time to make me a personalised laundry bag - the stitching is perfect!

How you make the time with Holly being at such a young age, I have no idea as I have two boys who are seven and eight who, when I'm at home, run me ragged and are so demanding - so you do very well in making time to make laundry bags etc. for us out at sea and it is very much appreciated?

Once again, thank you and have a pleasant Christmas and New Year.

Dear Jan-Maree, 

I have received in the mail today a beautiful quilt based on "Australiana" from Kaye in Werribee. The colours and scenes remind me of home and the detail on the quilt is lovely. The quilt has added some unique colour to my room and brings a tear to my eye when I think of home. The extra warmth from the quilt is needed as we are actually having cooler nights here at the moment and it rained quite heavily today which was unexpected. 

I would like to thank you and your quilters (I am sure there are some men out there quilting away as well) for all the time and effort that is being put into providing these quilts for us so far away from home, we really do appreciate all that is being done. 

Many thanks,

Heya Jan-Maree,

I have received my quilt and have already curled up with it for an arvo nana nap, 

I have sent Fran T an email thanking her.

Thank you for getting Aussie Hero Quilts up and running, it has brought so many smiles onboard!!!!!!! plus it's a colourful sight in the laundry now with all the new laundry bags, so much better then the white mesh ones we were all issued :-)

Thank you again :-)

Hi Julie Ann, I would like to thank you for the laundry you made for me, it's lovely. I will be missing my family this Christmas but we keep very busy so the time will pass. Thank you for thinking of us here it means a great deal to us all. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

For Fran T

I was one of the lucky ones to receive of your wonderful quilts made especially for me, as well as my very own laundry bag. Thank you sooooo much, I was so excited when I saw the package sitting on my bed with the Aussie Heros sticker in the corner, I opened your parcel before I opened my mum's :-) 

Hello Jill,

I am just emailing to say thank you very much for the quilt that you made for me. 

I really appreciate it and its good to know at this time of the year there are still people back home in Australia think of us.  Attached is a photo of me and some others from ships company with our quilts.

Thank you again

This one for Maddy

Just wanted to let you know that XXXXXX's quilt & laundry bag arrived.

Thank you so much for organising it, it is sincerely appreciated.

He was thrilled with it, and was blown away that so many people are doing such caring things for those that are deployed.

Once again, thank you so much x

This is for your quilt and laundry bag Melissa T

Hey,

Just wanted to pass on a BIG thank you for the awesome quilt and laundry bag I received this week. I love the cow print laundry bag and the killer whales on the quilt.

Thank you again and have a very merry Christmas.

Regards,

Dear Rae and Ken, 

I received my quilt a few days ago and  I think it is fantastic. It reminds me of the poodles I have at home. I have taken some pictures of it on my bed and I will upload them and send you the shots. You will see that it definitely brightens up the room (which is small).

You would not believe it but it has been pouring with rain today. Not a shower, a massive band of thunderstorms. How would have thought that much rain in the desert? The crunchies were a big hit as I shared them around the day I received the quilt, you are legends as far as my block mates go.

All the best and once again thanks for brightening up a dreary room,

regards,

Good afternoon Rob and Liz (B), 
Your kind gifts have been received and distributed to the lads and ladies in our Force Protection team. When I walked in with the laundry bags and the bag of goodies, they were curious and (despite regular communications on AHQ) they wanted to know more about AHQ. The bags were gratefully received as the individuality of each bag saves a lot of looking at night when there are several hundred bags of the same size and colour. And to have something from home is always well received. Rob and Liz. Thank you very much for your generosity and support. It is well received and recognised among the troops. Thank you very much. To you and your family, please have a merry XMAS and happy new year. ps. don't tell the Force Protection boys, but, I saw them comparing laundry bags. Tough, yeah right. Stay well, stay safe.

To Gayle J

I have just received the quilt and just want to thank you and all your supporters for the gift. It is very much appreciated and is quite humbling to think that everyday Australians take time out of their day to produce such wonderful things. On behalf of all the soldiers here I wish to pass on our thanks 

To Stephanie

I just want to say a big thank you to Aussie Hero Quilts - my quilt and laundry bag arrived with some welcome goodies and certainly brightened my day!! The weather is getting colder and the snow is creeping down the mountains, but it is lovely to add some colour and warmth to my room with one of your amazing quilts - thankyou for your love, support and generosity - it means a lot to all of us!

Hi Jan-Maree,
Yes the quilt that your organisation sent to me had been received. Thank you so much for that. I really love the quilt and the laundry bag that arrive a few days back with my initials on it. I was the envy of my colleagues.
I enclosed some of the photos of the quilt. I don't have one for the laundry bag yet but I'll send one when I have the chance.
Thank you so much for supporting us. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

  this lovely quilt was made by Kitty and Karen B made his laundry bag

An update - do you remember me telling you about a gorgeous officer who received his quilt, said how much he loved it and admired it and then selflessly passed it on to a junior soldier who he felt needed it more?  

That really touched me.  What a gorgeous illustration of an "Aussie Hero".   

I headed out to the Post Office the very next day to send a quilt off to that lovely man and then kept my fingers crossed that the quilt arrived in time.  I knew he had left for home but I didn't know if the quilt had made it.  Luckily the email address I had was not a Defence one but a private one.  The Defence ones are no good once they have left.  I sent him an email the other night to see if the quilt had arrived and received this happy reply.

I received it the morning I departed. It was beautiful and I have given it to my little 7 year old daughter. I told her all about you and what your group does for the soldiers and was amazed. She put it on her bed and loves it. Thank you so much it really is appreciated. 

 Please keep safe and continue your fantastic work. You and your group should be very proud of yourselves, we soldiers are.

Yep, that just made my day!

Now, some admin.

First up Pigs and 7RAR

I have been reliably informed that those from 7RAR would think it was pretty cool if there was a pig on their quilt or laundry bag somewhere but just because someone's address includes the "7RAR TG" does not mean that person is normally a member of 7RAR.  Sometimes they are just attached for this deployment.  For example, an engineer attached to 7RAR would not have the same appreciation for pigs!  I will try and confirm from now on if the request comes from a 7RAR member or one attached and will try to remember to let you know.   It would be wise to check with me though in case I haven't remembered to ask or pass the info on.  If you would like to make some piggy themed laundry bags on their own I am able to give you an address to send them to so that they will go to 7RAR members who will receive them

Addresses

When I receive a request I always cut and paste the info to avoid typographical errors in the spelling of names, or the PM Keys numbers or any other details in the address.  That doesn't mean that the original address doesn't contain a mistake from time to time.  I think I pick most of them up but if I thought if I explained the features of a standard address you might be able to pick up errors too if I miss them

Each address must have the Name, Rank and 7 digit PM Keys Number for the member - 

8123456 LCDR J. Ball

(yep, that used to be me - though not the number of course but I can still remember my service number - just can't remember which is my RAAF one and which is my Navy one)

The rest of the address should also be fairly standard

AFPO and number 

There are a number of different options for the second last line but 

ADF or Australian Defence Force 

are pretty common though not exclusive

and finally the last line is just about always 

Sydney  NSW  2890

I don't think I have come across a different postcode that has not been an error.

If I see something that does not fit in with the above pattern I always query I and if I pass you something that appears different please feel free to query it with me.

Fallen Warrior Quilt Updates.

It has taken a while for all the pieces to fall into place for these but there is no point rushing things and not getting them right.  The quilts for the Diddams family have been dispatched.  I will post pictures of the end result once I can confirm they have been given to the family.

I have also despatched quilts to the families of LCPL Mervyn McDonald, PTE Nathanael Galagher, CPL Scott Smith and PTE Robert Poate.  In each case the relevant chaplain has asked the family if they would like to receive a quilt from us.  I will not send quilts unannounced as I do not think that is fair to the families.  I am still waiting for a decision regarding two other Fallen Warriors and will let you know when and if the last two FWQs that I am holding have been despatched.  I will post photos either when I have received confirmation that the family has received the quilt or when I am confident enough time has elapsed for that to have happened.

Christmas Plans

As we all know Christmas is drawing near and with that comes all the normal extra events and activities that entails and it also heralds the start of the summer holidays for many.  I have made the decision that December is a good time to slow the blog down a little for a few weeks.  Everyone is a busier trying to fit everything in, me included, so hopefully you won't miss a couple of posts a week too much.  

Starting on Monday 10 December there will be three posts a week instead of six.  

(Jill, I hope you will cope!)

I will post every Monday with a Friend of the Week post - I can always use more volunteers if anyone wants to put their hand up.  Every Wednesday I will post the Happy Mail and every Friday I will post Quilts of the Week.  I will add on any thank you messages or other relevant information onto those posts so you won't miss out on anything.  There will not be a Friends of the Week post on the 24th of December.  I am planning something else, if I can get some help from past and present deployed members.  Sorry, Aussie Hero Friends, but I am hoping to keep it a surprise.  Hee Hee  

Normal posting schedule will resume on Monday the 7th of January and to give you something to look forward to I have an exciting announcement for something I have been working on which I will release on Tuesday the 8th.  

On the road again..

And one final bit of admin - I will be travelling Wed/Thu/Fri this week to collect my son from Boarding School.  Posts will continue as normal as I can schedule them in advance, however ALL photos for quilt to be posted this week must be to me no later than Thursday night so that I can upload them Thursday night while sitting in the hotel on the way home.  I will not be able to upload any on Friday as I will get home too late.  I also may not have time to add the list of those  whose names I have received who have sent quilts this week to Thursday's post so this is your reminder here. 

:-)

Social Announcements!

W.A Aussie Hero Quilt Friends are having a gathering   

Tuesday 11th December 

at The Dome Restaurant, Cale Street, Midland

 from 10 am -2pm  

All welcome 

Sydney Dinner 

Aussie Heroes Dinner in Sydney is scheduled for 

Saturday 8 December 

630 for 7pm.

at the Bistro

Hornsby RSL

4 High St

Hornsby

If you are a definite for the Sydney extravaganza and haven't already done so please email Caroline (aka Deputy Nut carolinejgunn@gmail.com) and she will add your name(s) to the list.

And remember - you don't have to be an Aussie Hero stitcher to come- everyone who supports AHQ is welcome and we would love to see you there.  It is probably also worth mentioning that husbands are also welcome to join us, in fact, we already have six on the list including my handsome husband, David.

Call me on 0422227019 if you can't find us but somehow I think it will be easy enough to spot our table.  Hee Hee

Finally, a must read article for all Aussies but especially for those of us who support these wonderful Aussie Heroes.  I have shared this link on Facebook but am repeating it here for the non-FB friends.

You can read it here.

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