Hi all. I trust every one had an enjoyable weekend and survived the heat and dust or the cold and rain as appropriate.
Before the main part of tonight's post I have a few bits and pieces to share with you.
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First up a request. If you send me quilt tops or even laundry bags please can you do me a favour. Particularly in the case of quilt tops it can take me a while to get them paired with a backing and sent off to a quilter. The length of time varies on the number of quilters available and what requests I have. I love it when people send me quilt tops and I love it when people include little bits and pieces for me to include when I send the quilts off but the problem is that i do not have the space to save specific bits and pieces to go with specific quilts when they are finished. Sometimes the quilts are not even sent off by me but by the quilter so that would mean posting the extras to the quilters as well as the quilt tops, backing and battings. I just can't do that as it is often a challenge to fit the quilts in the sathels let alone the extras AND can you imagine how hard it is for me to keep track of what came with which quilt top? So, I love you to send extras to go with the quilts but I hope you understand if i tuck them in the next box to go and don't try to match them with a particular quilt once it is finished.
I was going to remind everyone that we need to get our quilts for HMAS Newcastle in the mail by the end of the month but I think we pretty much have that under control.
I am heading away this weekend for a rare change. I am going to go and spend the weekend with Angela and Amy, Aussie Hero Friends I am yet to meet but have become firm friends with. While away I will also be meeting some other Aussie Hero Friends and the wife of one of one of our recipients which is always a wonderful treat. There may or may not be a trip to a local quilt shop included......well really......what do you expect!
On the same subject but totally unrelated to Aussie Heroes I figured you wouldn't mind giving me some advice. Part of the reason I am going this weekend is because Angela's family are having a party on Saturday night - an 80's party - and it is fancy dress! Apart from big shoulder pads, big hair and blue eye shadow what should I wear - and don't say leg warmers as that is not happening!
All suggestions gratefully received!
But what does this mean for you? Simple, I need the photos for the Weekly Despatches no later than Thursday night or they will not be included in the post as I do not want a last minute rush on Friday morning. Friday night's post will go up as usual and Sunday's as well though there is a chance that Sunday's might be a little bit late.
Now on to the business end of tonight's post. Recently a Home Economics teacher from a college in WA told me that she is going to get her Family and Community students (Year 11 girls) to make some laundry bags Aussie Heroes for a Community Project. She found out about us when her nephew received one of the quilts that Lynn and I collaborated on.
It is so special to receive your own laundry bag from one of the wonderful volunteers who make them because you know that a great deal of skill and thought has gone into making each one. Each recipient is so grateful that there is someone back in Australia thinking of them and it's nice to be reminded of home. Not only is it a very useful accessory that is almost used on a daily basis, it is also a perfect keepsake and reminder of the recipient's time on deployment.
I'm currently deployed to Multi National Base Tarin Kowt , a base in Southern Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.
Receiving mail from back home, and especially laundry bags & quilts from "Aussie Hero Quilts", is a surprise which all sailors, soldiers and airmen deployed here look forward to as a break from our long days.
In addition, the wonderful patterns often include images from Australia which, after being away from home for such a long time, remind us of how beautiful a country Australia is and that protecting it from International terrorism is the main reason why we are here.
Thank-you for volunteering your time to make laundry bags for deployed Australian personnel in Afghanistan. Its a privilege to receive one and I pass on my sincere thanks on behalf of all Australian military personnel deployed to this location.
Kind Regards,
"Dear Students of Children, Family and Community Class,
I am a Platoon Commander in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. We have recently heard of your kindness and generosity through Ms B and Aussie Hero Quilts. My team and I have been in Afghanistan for some time now and have a very large job to complete whilst we are here. We have been away from home for a significant period of time, but without fail, the gifts and messages of support from home are priceless. This is particularly evident when I hand out laundry bags to my soldiers. It brings a little bit of Australia to Afghanistan and assures all of my troops that we are being recognised back home. We have had some very interesting patterned laundry bags come in - which people take great pride in - in particular Bob the Builder and any Australia related patterns. Of course the girls are loving the bright patterns and the guys love the racing cars, Bob the Builder and the like. A quick run down of the soldiers I have on the ground, the majority are Army personnel, however; I have a small contingent of Navy personnel also.
So on behalf of all my soldiers in Tarin Kowt, we would like to thank you for taking the time out to express your interest in our work over here. Good luck for the remainder of your time at school, and we hope that the holidays were enjoyable.
Warm Regards,
I would like to share with you what it means to receive a laundry bag which has been made by a member of the Aussie public.
The views expressed here are my own.
I am currently on deployment to Afghanistan, and I have the privilege of handing out the laundry bags to deployed members in my area. I have distributed 54 laundry bags in the last 6 weeks. When I am packing, the last thing I tend to think of is a laundry bag, or I think a laundry bag is one of those luxuries I think I can do without.... until I need one.
From what I have seen, heard and experienced, most people go through stages.
1. Shock. What do you mean I can just take one? Free!? Someone back home makes them and sends them over just for us?
2. Surprise. When they start looking through them and realise how well they are made, and how much more laundry they can fit in them.
Some of the members have been using plastic bags or their pillow case as a laundry bag.
3. Connected. This is where they find THE ONE. The one that they relate to. Like it was made with them in mind. Their search comes to a complete halt.
e.g. When a member found one related to the job he is doing whilst he is here, another member found one with anchors on it and he was Navy, yet another member found one with her home town on it, just to name a few.
4. Cherished. Some members indicate that they will keep it as a memento. Some members indicate that they will be presenting it to a loved one.
5. Gratitude. For the volunteers who make and send them to us.
So... When is a Laundry Bag not just a Laundry Bag?
Personally, I will be presenting my laundry bag to my five year old daughter to use as a laundry bag or library bag. She hasn't coped well with my absence, not as good as my other children anyway. That way she can say that she has the laundry bag that some stranger from back in Australia made and sent to her dad for while he was away with the Army. Also when I need to go away in the future, I can "borrow" her laundry bag, with the thought that I will need to come back, to return it to her.
It's the little things in life that make a big difference.
It almost seems a shame to use my laundry bag, but I don't want to use my pillow case and have it smell like my dirty socks!! LOL
To sum it up, the laundry bags are a practical memento, made by the kindness of Aussie strangers.
The smiles and gratitude I see every time someone takes a laundry bag, is for you, the volunteers that make it possible.
Thank you for your thoughts and support.
Keep smiling :-)
Kind Regards,
Before the main part of tonight's post I have a few bits and pieces to share with you.
.JPG)
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I was going to remind everyone that we need to get our quilts for HMAS Newcastle in the mail by the end of the month but I think we pretty much have that under control.
<<<<<<*>>>>>>
I am heading away this weekend for a rare change. I am going to go and spend the weekend with Angela and Amy, Aussie Hero Friends I am yet to meet but have become firm friends with. While away I will also be meeting some other Aussie Hero Friends and the wife of one of one of our recipients which is always a wonderful treat. There may or may not be a trip to a local quilt shop included......well really......what do you expect!
On the same subject but totally unrelated to Aussie Heroes I figured you wouldn't mind giving me some advice. Part of the reason I am going this weekend is because Angela's family are having a party on Saturday night - an 80's party - and it is fancy dress! Apart from big shoulder pads, big hair and blue eye shadow what should I wear - and don't say leg warmers as that is not happening!
All suggestions gratefully received!
But what does this mean for you? Simple, I need the photos for the Weekly Despatches no later than Thursday night or they will not be included in the post as I do not want a last minute rush on Friday morning. Friday night's post will go up as usual and Sunday's as well though there is a chance that Sunday's might be a little bit late.
<<<<<<*>>>>>>
Now on to the business end of tonight's post. Recently a Home Economics teacher from a college in WA told me that she is going to get her Family and Community students (Year 11 girls) to make some laundry bags Aussie Heroes for a Community Project. She found out about us when her nephew received one of the quilts that Lynn and I collaborated on.
I can't allocate names to the girls as they would not be ready to send their laundry bags off until September and I don't want troops going without bags till then but I thought it might be motivating for the girls if I asked some of my "distributors" to write a short note explaining what it is like to receive a laundry bag or what it is like for them to be handing them out.
After reading their messages I thought I should share them with you too.
<<<<<<*>>>>>>
It is so special to receive your own laundry bag from one of the wonderful volunteers who make them because you know that a great deal of skill and thought has gone into making each one. Each recipient is so grateful that there is someone back in Australia thinking of them and it's nice to be reminded of home. Not only is it a very useful accessory that is almost used on a daily basis, it is also a perfect keepsake and reminder of the recipient's time on deployment.
<<<<<<*>>>>>>
I'm currently deployed to Multi National Base Tarin Kowt , a base in Southern Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.
Receiving mail from back home, and especially laundry bags & quilts from "Aussie Hero Quilts", is a surprise which all sailors, soldiers and airmen deployed here look forward to as a break from our long days.
In addition, the wonderful patterns often include images from Australia which, after being away from home for such a long time, remind us of how beautiful a country Australia is and that protecting it from International terrorism is the main reason why we are here.
Thank-you for volunteering your time to make laundry bags for deployed Australian personnel in Afghanistan. Its a privilege to receive one and I pass on my sincere thanks on behalf of all Australian military personnel deployed to this location.
Kind Regards,
<<<<<<*>>>>>>
"Dear Students of Children, Family and Community Class,
I am a Platoon Commander in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. We have recently heard of your kindness and generosity through Ms B and Aussie Hero Quilts. My team and I have been in Afghanistan for some time now and have a very large job to complete whilst we are here. We have been away from home for a significant period of time, but without fail, the gifts and messages of support from home are priceless. This is particularly evident when I hand out laundry bags to my soldiers. It brings a little bit of Australia to Afghanistan and assures all of my troops that we are being recognised back home. We have had some very interesting patterned laundry bags come in - which people take great pride in - in particular Bob the Builder and any Australia related patterns. Of course the girls are loving the bright patterns and the guys love the racing cars, Bob the Builder and the like. A quick run down of the soldiers I have on the ground, the majority are Army personnel, however; I have a small contingent of Navy personnel also.
So on behalf of all my soldiers in Tarin Kowt, we would like to thank you for taking the time out to express your interest in our work over here. Good luck for the remainder of your time at school, and we hope that the holidays were enjoyable.
Warm Regards,
<<<<<<*>>>>>>
I would like to share with you what it means to receive a laundry bag which has been made by a member of the Aussie public.
The views expressed here are my own.
I am currently on deployment to Afghanistan, and I have the privilege of handing out the laundry bags to deployed members in my area. I have distributed 54 laundry bags in the last 6 weeks. When I am packing, the last thing I tend to think of is a laundry bag, or I think a laundry bag is one of those luxuries I think I can do without.... until I need one.
From what I have seen, heard and experienced, most people go through stages.
1. Shock. What do you mean I can just take one? Free!? Someone back home makes them and sends them over just for us?
2. Surprise. When they start looking through them and realise how well they are made, and how much more laundry they can fit in them.
Some of the members have been using plastic bags or their pillow case as a laundry bag.
3. Connected. This is where they find THE ONE. The one that they relate to. Like it was made with them in mind. Their search comes to a complete halt.
e.g. When a member found one related to the job he is doing whilst he is here, another member found one with anchors on it and he was Navy, yet another member found one with her home town on it, just to name a few.
4. Cherished. Some members indicate that they will keep it as a memento. Some members indicate that they will be presenting it to a loved one.
5. Gratitude. For the volunteers who make and send them to us.
So... When is a Laundry Bag not just a Laundry Bag?
Personally, I will be presenting my laundry bag to my five year old daughter to use as a laundry bag or library bag. She hasn't coped well with my absence, not as good as my other children anyway. That way she can say that she has the laundry bag that some stranger from back in Australia made and sent to her dad for while he was away with the Army. Also when I need to go away in the future, I can "borrow" her laundry bag, with the thought that I will need to come back, to return it to her.
It's the little things in life that make a big difference.
It almost seems a shame to use my laundry bag, but I don't want to use my pillow case and have it smell like my dirty socks!! LOL
To sum it up, the laundry bags are a practical memento, made by the kindness of Aussie strangers.
The smiles and gratitude I see every time someone takes a laundry bag, is for you, the volunteers that make it possible.
Thank you for your thoughts and support.
Keep smiling :-)
Kind Regards,
<<<<<<*>>>>>>
I know I have written lots of post on why the laundry bags are so important and why they are not just second class citizens to our quilts but another reminder never goes astray. I hope you agree.
Till next time.......................keep spreading the word and happy stitching. JMxx
As a person who makes laundry bags on a regular basis, with each one I make my thoughts are with the people who will be receiving them. I admire them wholeheartedly. To be in a job far away from home and their family and friends takes courage, strength,a sense of honesty and a duty beyond themselves. For myself it is but a little thing to do to show my respect to those who serve, It is very humbling to be able to do this for them when I am in the comfort of my home. To them all I salute.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the students in the community class will be inspired - when they get the sand out of their eyes, such lovely letters.
ReplyDeleteSue you are a champion. I agree it's good to focus on the recipient while you are sewing - it's like making something for our own family.
A laundry bag seems such a small thing but it obviously has great significance to the recipients....and, to them, it is not just a laundry bag.
ReplyDelete