Just a couple of special ones.

Hi All,

I am flat out today getting ten quilt tops and backs ironed and sorted to go to Stephanie tomorrow for quilting so you will have to excuse me if this is just a little post and probably much the same for tomorrow's as well.  I guess you have a choice - long posts or lots of quilts.  I do have two very special thank you messages to share with you though.

Dear Jan-Maree,

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you very much for the quilts and laundry bags that you and your friends at Aussie Hero Quilts have sent the members of the Medium Lift Helicopter Troop n Rotary Wing Group Eight.

The fact that people back home are willing to put their time, energy and resources into quilts and laundry bags, to let us know that we are thought of, is  a great morale booster and very much appreciated.  We can't thank you enough for the time that you and the other members of Aussie Hero Quilts have sacrificed for those serving overseas.

As a token of appreciation for those members of your team who give up their time to let us know we are thought of I have included some things for you.  The two Australian Flags have accompanied me and the MLH Troop on multiple missions in support of Operation Slipper during tasking in Afghaninstan.  I hope these flag serve as a thank you for what you have done for us, and that you will pass that thanks on to those people who help with the great work you do.

Some months ago I received a request for a quilt with the NATO-OTAN logo on it.  Now I am not going to explain all about NATO in this post as I am too short on time but briefly the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an international alliance that consists of 28 member states from North America and Europe. It was established at the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949. 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord
(NATO / OTAN)

I wasn't sure that anyone would take on the challenge of this one but eventually my friend Louise agreed to give it a go and did a fabulous job.  One Louise had finished the quilt top, it went to Carol for quilting and then cam back to me.  I added the quote that Michele from Melbourne had embroidered for me.

This quote had been part of the original request but the request hd not included the accurate version.  When I wrote to the recipient and asked if he would prefer his version of the quote or the correct version attributed to Edmund Burke, he was not only delighted that we had agreed to use the NATO logo but was exceptionally pleased that we could include the accurate quote.  

Finally the quilt was bound, labelled and sent off and we waited!  Now it has arrived and I can share the thank you message with the blessing of the recipient and the wonderful photo he has arranged.

Mission success!  What a great thrill to receive such a profound gift.  

Attached is a photo of myself and some of the team (I am holding the quilt on the left as you look at the photo).  Note the 50 flags of the 50 nations flying proudly in the name of freedom in the background.  There is something quite powerful about having so many nations that have previously fought one another all now joined in the one Coalition fighting for the peace and freedom of the Afghan people.  Included in the photo are Germans, Americans, British, Lithuanians, Romanians, French, Polish, Spanish and Italian officers. Before the photo was taken I had explained to them the background to the quilt.  I read the quote to them and told them that they are all good men doing something to fight for the lives of a people who have known nothing but war and brutality for the last 30 years, and that they should be proud of their noble endeavours in the name of humanity. 

Would you please convey my deepest thanks to those magnificent quilters who were able to design and craft this great work.  That it was crafted by different quilters all supporting an Aussie soldier half way around the world makes it all the more special.  Tell them thank you for this outstanding quilt, thank you for what they are doing, thank you for setting a selfless example to others, thank you for steeling this soldier's belief in himself and his mission, and thank you for making our country the great nation that it is.

I wish you and the Aussie Heroes every success for the future Jan-Maree.  If there is anything that I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask.

And here is a close up so that you can see that every last fellow here is giving you a thumbs up.  

As well as the fact that there are 25 men from ten different nationalities standing together under the flags of 50 different nations, and apart from the fact that they are all giving us the thumbs up, what really touches me is the respect and gratitude we are being shown.  For this many busy men to leave their desks and their work to gather and pose for a photo with one of our quilts is a sign of how much what we do means to the people we are doing it for and I find that very humbling.

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