Grati-Tuesay 18 November

Hi all.  G'day from lovely Canberra.  The first thank you message tonight is a little bit special for me as thirty odd years ago this fellow and I worked together in the Air Traffic Control Tower at RAAF Base Richmond.   This is the first recipient I have come across who I actually served with so it was an absolute pleasure for me to make his laundry bag.  

Jan-Maree, 

Thank you so much for the laundry bag, biscuits and the kind words. It was an unexpected surprise! I'd just like to say that you and your girls are doing a fantastic job for the guys and girls over here. You would be amazed at how many of your bags and quilts are used here every day. Everyone appreciates them so much, it is such a wonderful piece of home, and all of us know your thoughts are with us.

Thank you all for your support to the ADF men and women serving away from home. You can take great pride in what your presents mean.

cheers,

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Hi Kerri,

I just want to say a massive thank you for my laundry bag, I absolutely love it and everyone keeps asking where I got it from.   I have a husband who is in the RAAF and a son who will be 2 on the 23rd of this month. So far I've been away from them for 2 months and it's quite hard knowing I'm missing out on seeing my son grow so quick. I am however enjoying my time away and it's quite rewarding knowing we are doing something here to make a difference. I'm glad your son made it home safe and sound. The weather here has just changed so the beanie is out and being used. I didn't even think to pack one so it's perfect.   Thanks again Kerri, I know all of us who have received something from Aussie Hero Quilts really appreciate the work you do and the support given to us while we are away from our families.

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Hi Tamsin,

I received my Beatles quilt this week and I absolutely love it, thank you so much.

I'm half way through my deployment, o it has arrived at a great time when I need a little morale booster :-)

And thanks for the photo's of Indiana and Phoenix, very cute! (the cats)

Thanks again for the time and effort put into making the quilt, I really appreciate.

It's on my bed at the moment, and once I get home next year I want to mount it on a wall in my apartment as it's so lovely.

Kind regards,

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Hi Jan 

Thankyou for the email and sorry for my late reply I did receive my Aussie Hero Quilt which I was really happy with.  Was a really great job and was surprised with a dobey bag as well which I didn't expect so thank you very much. 

cheers aye

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Hi Laura,

Thank you so much for my awesome super hero quilt and laundry bag, I loved it , my mates were jealous :) Also thanks for the goodies too I shared them with my mates. We all really appreciate your support for us :)    

Thank you and kind regards

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Good Morning (or evening your time) Linda H & Stan,

Thank you so much for the lovely blanket. The weather is starting to cool down here. So it is going to come in handy (AND the green you used happens to be my favourite colour).

It sounds like half your family is in the ADF. It really is the place to be these days. Great job satisfaction and security.

It will be hard over the next couple of months being away from the family over the Christmas/posting period  but I suppose we all knew what we were getting into when we signed on the dotted line. On the other hand, it will be nice to be in the company of friends that I've made while I've been here.

Better be getting some work done for now. So thank you again for your gift. It really does boost the moral when we get parcel such as yours :-) 

Regards,

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Hi Debbie,

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply, but I just wanted to write and thank you for my lovely quilt and dhobey bag. You couldn't have gotten more purple if you tried.

I love it and you hit the mark 100%. It has come in handy of late as it's been too warm to get under my doona so I have just been using the quilt.

Thanks again for the quilt and your letter it was lovely to receive and I will treasure it forever. After all these years at sea I have never had so many care packages, all my friends

and family must know this will be my last time, but then again you never know I may continue to serve it all depends of how interested the job keeps me

Take care and thank all the ladies you sew with for me, it is a great thing you all do thinking of us out here

Regards

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Hi Robin

I am writing to let you know that I received the Laundry bag you sewed for me!

Thank you so much, it is absolutely awesome and makes me smile every day. 

Your card really resonated with me, as a junior officer leading a team of 39 specialist it is a priority for me to ensure the guys and girls are keeping well. It's quite humbling to have members so devoted to the task at hand that they completely disregard their own well-being unless ordered otherwise in some cases. An example of this is members driven to push themselves through consecutive 16h-20h days to exceed expectations and beat deadlines - raw audacity. It's often mine and the seniors job to send them off to rest despite their protests.

The team really appreciate the effort you and the others went to to create our laundry bags, it is a definite highlight of the day when a team member opens their parcel and everyone gets to admire the Laundry bag within.

Thank you! 

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Dear Cath,

Thank you very much for your care package. It was greatly appreciated by everyone at fire section :D  Sorry for the delay in my reply.  We have arrived home safely and your packages helped with this as they were a part of the good morale while we were away.

Cheers and all the best. Keep doing the good work that you do :)

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Hi Debbie 

I have just received the quilt you have made for me I just want to start by saying thank-you so much. Black is my favourite!! Not to mention Adventure Time!! I will cherish it for ever!! Thank you for writing me a letter and telling me about your family. It sounds like you have to work quite hard all year round. Your family sound wonderful and maybe our paths will meet in the future.

Thankyou again for the quilt the Laundry bag and the treats they are most appreciated because at the moment it is 4 degrees and by December it will be -20 degrees so the coldest I have ever been.

Kind regards

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I received my quilt and it's unreal.  Thank you so much for making the quilt for my little princess, she will absolutely love it.

I also got all the goodies and the letters which was lovely.

I have sent the quilt home to my daughter and will send you a photo when she receives it.

My laundry bag is awesome so I haven't used it for laundry cause it's too cool.

Once again thank you so much for the gifts and wish you all the best with your family.

Regards

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Hi Stephanie T,

I recently received a quilt and pillow case from you. I would like to thank you for the quilt and I was very happy with the design. I do enjoy poker and the VB picture on the quilt was very impressive, you were spot on to combine these.....it did put a smile on my face so thank you very much.

I appreciate what you do for the military personnel on deployment, as all the soldiers who receive these gifts do appreciate what Aussie Hero Quilts do,

Thank You,

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Good Morning Jan-Maree,

Looks like I spoke too soon!  I received my package in the mail today and may I say it has truly made my day and made a perfect start to the week.  

The dedication to the detail was astonishing, I am blown away with how lovely it is! The accompanying letter about all the wonderful ladies who contributed was beautiful also.

What you are doing here is a pure and generous act. I cannot thank you enough.

Have a lovely day, 

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Hi Alicia,

I can't tell you how thrilled I was when I opened the parcel to not only find the beautiful quilt but also the chocolates and the beanie. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, the quilt is really beautiful and very professionally done, I can only imagine how long it must have taken you to complete.  The chocolates, needless to say were very well received and have been polished off by all and sundry that have walked through my office. Please convey my thanks to Sally as well for the beanie. I will treasure the quilt and the beanie which will be put to good use in the winter months, you wouldn't think that it would get cold here but it does. It has started to cool down already and has provided us some respite from the heat, though the days are still warm.

I appreciate the heartfelt sentiments conveyed in your letter about Australian servicemen and women.  

Once again heartfelt thanks for the lovely quilt, beanie and chocolates.

Kind Regards,

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Hello Debbie

I was fortunate enough to recently receive an ‘aussie hero’ quilt and laundry bag that you so kindly sewed. I have been somewhat remiss in sending off this thank-you email.

I received the quilt and laundry bag in the Ship on Fathers Day which was great as you had put my youngest children’s names on it. It arrived along with the care packages I had received from them and they were quite excited to hear about it. 

The Ship has been deployed to the Middle east region since Aug and we will be home for Christmas (just). We are engaged in anti piracy operations and maritime security operations in what is a vast area of ocean covering the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Horn of Africa and The Indian Ocean stretching from East Africa to the east of the Seychelles Island Group. We are mostly employed in disrupting material support to terrorist organisations in the form of apprehending narcotic smuggling and other illicit cargo, the profits of which support terrorism. Recently we were able to interdict a very large quantity of Hashish (5.6tonnes) with an estimated street value of $280M.

Once again many thanks for the quilt, I know it will be eagerly received and get many hours of use on the couch on my return to Australia.

Kindest Regards

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Dear Debbie

Thank you so much for the laundry bag. It put a real smile on my face and on the faces of quite a few other people as well.

I asked for the Smurf theme because while on force prep for this deployment I gained the rather unfortunate nickname of ‘Gargamel’ – the guy from the smurfs with the cat – as I’m sure you know. Well as they say, when you get given lemons its best to make lemonade.

On another note, my wife is pregnant at the moment and will be delivering a baby boy just before Christmas. So you can rest assured the laundry bag and quilt will be going to him.

I get the feeling the smurfs will become a cherished part of his childhood. Just as they were for me.

In case you were wondering I’m a medic – and am here working with the Australian, US, British and Belgian forces. It has been quite an eye opening experience but I cant wait to get home.

Well thanks again and all the best.

Warm Regards

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Hi Debra, Paul, Thomas & Edward,

Hello from somewhere in Neptune's great ocean.  Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to you and your family for extending your benevolence and token of appreciation by way of the Aussie Hero Quilt and laundry bag.  Collectively, the many varied quilts and bags have painted many smiles and colours throughout our ship at a much needed time when home appears to be so far away despite the strong comraderie.

I have been serving our country for 8 years now and have travelled extensively, and this trip has provided the greatest insight into understanding how people like your father managed to stay focused with the task ahead while counting down the days to be reunited with family and friends.

The Aussie Hero Quilt you created is also wonderful piece of art which I proudly display every day so thank you for your time, effort and creativity.  And, I'm sure it is something you and your family are proud of too.

I also sent a postcard from the United Arab Emirates echoing most of what I've mentioned here so it's time to go to bed and wish you all a safe and exciting times ahead.

regards

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Hi Nicki,

I have received my quilt and laundry bag, thank you very much. It was perfect. I had no idea what to expect and I really liked the design of both. I also received a letter from Hilary M with the quilt, I plan to write her a response and thank her personally, but I'm afraid I haven't got round to it yet. I will do so in the near future.

Thank you again. It really brightened my day when I received the quilt and I've had it on top of my bunk ever since.

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Hello Nicki,

Thank you for emailing me as I had lost the previous email.

I have received quilt and laundry bag (made by Maree). They are fantastic and getting regular use.

It is greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

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Good Afternoon Nicki, 

Just responding to let you know I have received my quilt and Laundry bag and very happy with them both. They are very much appreciated and have been quite handy throughout the deployment.   For your records I have them both here with me safe and sound. 

Thankyou again! 

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Hi Nicki,

Sorry for the delay, yes I have recieved my quilt and laundry bag.

Thank you very much and all the lovely ladies involved on making it, the hand written letter, although a little hard to read was very touching.

Thank you again.

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Leanne,

I am not sure I can adequately describe how happy I was to receive your package today. We have been very, very busy here for the last few weeks, and I must admit, my stress levels have been pretty high.

Your package, complete with resplendent quilt (bravo on the 1CCS No Comms No Bombs, my work mates are particularly jealous) and laundry bag, but more importantly, your letter, really lifted me today.

Your farm on the beach sounds beautiful, and while I have plenty of sand over here, there isn't much water. The base we are on does have a small pool, and I am yet to find anything as relaxing as lying in the pool (which I have managed to do twice in the last 3 weeks). So we have a little in common there.

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Good Morning Leanne,

I'm writing this email on behalf of myself and XXXXXXX to thankyou for the quilt's and laundry bag's that you sent us. The laundry bags are hanging in pride of place on the end of our beds and  the quilts are a very much appreciated replacement to our scratchy old issue blankets. On behalf of both of us I would sincerely like to thank you for all your effort and generosity. I have attached a photo of both of us holding our new quilts, i'm the one with a shaved head and XXXXX is the younger lad on the right.

Thankyou again,

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Good morning Joan,

I received the most beautiful laundry bag from you this week. It is absolutely perfect and I love it. I did not know what to expect and in your note you wrote 'funky and fun' and that it is. It represents me in more ways than you would know.

Thank you for your time, effort and care taken in creating the most wonderful laundry bag for me. It truly has made my week :-)  I have another four and half months left on my tour and this will make my laundry duties much more enjoyable.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I wish you and your family a safe and happy Christmas.

Again thank you so much. 

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And from the grateful mother of the above recipient Joan received the following

Hi Joan,

I cannot thank you enough for the most beautiful laundry bag you sent my daughter.  I laughed & then started crying when I saw "The Land of the Bikini Babe - Singleton".   It is her all over, except her bikini is black & white polka dots haha!!!
She has been to many places over the world but she's still an Aussie country girl at heart.
Your kindness has made me, & I'm sure many other mothers cry.
Thank you.
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Hi Nikki

Yes I have received my Quilt in the last port. Thank you very much it has put a big smile on my face. The whole crew has really enjoyed the Quilts and laundry bags. I believe the Chaplain onboard has taken photo's of all of the Quilts and will forward it to Jan-Maree.

I'm currently writing my email to Michele. Thanking her for her efforts and support. We really appreciate everything Aussie Hero's does for the Defence Forces. I personally believe your support, helps out the troops more than you know or can be measured.

Thank you very much.

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Hi Nicki,

Thank you for touching base, and, yes I have received my Aussie Hero Quilt and laundry bag.  Thank you for your wonderful cause, and to the wonderful people back home who have dedicated their time to boost our morale.

regards

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Hi Nicki,

Yes I have received my quilt, no laundry bag as of yet. I emailed Robyn with pictures, however the email may not have passed through because the image size may have been to large.

Thank you so much for the quilt :D

Thank you,

Kind Regards,

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Hi Nicki,

        Yes I recieved the quilt and Laundry bag. Thanks very much they were great and brought a smile to the whole crew. Please thank a those involved in Aussie hero quilts.

Thank you

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Hey Nicki

        I did recieve the Quilt and Laundry Bag. It has been on my "list of things to do" to say thank you for them. They are beautifully made and I use them both. The quilt will become a throw rug in my Media room on return to Oz. If you could, please pass on my grattitude to Maddy.

Thanks again and to Aussie Heros. Its a wonderful service you provide

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Hi there,

I just received a quilt from the Dolphin Quilters of Old Bar NSW - and I just wanted to say thank you so much! It's just beautiful, and really makes my little room so much nicer to be in. Hero is a strong word that doesn't feel deserved, but thank you for doing what you do to make people serving in far away places feel like those at home are thinking of them.

Kind regards,

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Hi Pam,

I recently received a laundry bag from you. I would like to thank you for the laundry bag you made and I appreciate it very much.....it did put a smile on my face.

I appreciate what people like yourself do for the military personnel on deployment, as all soldiers over here on deployment do and once again thank you,

Regards,

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Hi Nicki,

Sorry about the late reply and yes I have received my quilt and laudry bag. Really pleased with both items and very greatful to the people who made them.

Kindest regards,

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Linda H & Stan

Many thanks for the laundry bag , pens and Tim tams.   

You've done such a great job on the laundry bag ,  I almost don't want to use it.

 The Tim tams are definitely one of those things you have to hide or they don't last long especially here.

 The temperature has cooled down here its almost like back home with a little bit more sand throw 

You must be proud of your family having so many of them serving it is definitely a special thing to be able to do.

Many many thanks again .

Sincerely

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That is all for tonight.  

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

Jan-Maree xx