Grati-Tuesday 26 May 15

Hope you enjoy tonight's messages and photos.  :-)
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Dear Sue N,

A million thanks for the quilt and I am sure my grandson will love it as he loves aeroplanes and soldiers.  I've put a photo of me and the quilt.

Thanks and Regards

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Hello Joan, 

        I have just received my Aussie Hero Laundry bag in today's mail. Yes it did make me 'giggle' in what has been a very busy few days. So thank you for putting a smile on my face and thank you so very much for the time and effort you have put into my laundry bag. It will take pride of place in my room as a daily reminder of home  :-)

I will get a photo of the bag and I (for the Aussie Hero Quilts blog) as soon as I can, and I will email it through.

And thank you for supporting your troops.

Yours in service, 

And here is the photo....

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For a quilt made by Barbara F

Hey Jan,

I'd just like to say thanks a lot for the quilt. It surpassed my expectations and definitely wasn't what I was expecting.

i don't think ill even use it, I cant wait to get back home and hang it on my wall haha.

Again thanks a lot and much love to you and your people.

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For Rita M 

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Good morning Jan-Maree,

I thought I would give you a heads up that I received my quilt and that it is absolutely amazing. It will have even more significance as I will be using it for a quilt for my soon to be born child. It has special meaning as it will remind my wife and I of my time in the Middle East whilst she was pregnant with our first child. I sent a thank you card to the quilter but am unsure if it has arrived yet.

I can't say thank you enough for what you do and that it means so much that people like yourself are thinking of us whilst we are deployed.

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Hello Brenda, 

Today I got your parcel with the quilt and the laundry bag, may I say thank you very much for  it.  It's beautiful and I love it! 

It has definitely made me smile, thank you very much. 

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Dear Lyn

Thank you very much for my Quilt. It’s absolutely beautiful. I love it. Its always good to have a few girly looking things around whilst being deployed. Its not a very colourful area over here, so the quilt has made my room very bright. (Everyone here loves it too)

I am deployed as a Postie and my deployment is for 6 months. I run the Mail Distribution Centre over here for everyone’s mail. I receive it in here where I am located and I then forward it further to all the deployed personnel around all of the Middle East Operations. I also send everyone’s mail back home for them. Its great to see so much mail coming in and to see everyone’s face light up when they receive a package or a letter from family and friends. That makes my day.

Thank you very much for the letter with the quilt. It really made my day. A few others here got their quilt too and the excited looks on their face were priceless.  The work you guys put in to these quilts is amazing I know we do a hard job over here but you ladies have your work cut out for you too and deserve a big HUG.

Thank you so much for taking the time to put smiles on peoples faces over here. Its well worth the effort you lovely ladies put in.

Look after yourself and your beautiful family and cherish every moment with them.

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Hi Kaylee,

Firstly can I say thank you so much for the lovely laundry bag, it sits proudly on my wall over here with the Aussie flag outermost.  What you guys do for the deployed Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen/women and those civilians deployed all over the world is amazing.  I recently forfeited my quilt for my hero, my wife.  She has done so much and lost so much in recent times I could not think of anyone else better to receive it...and she adores it.

Reading your little note we have so much in common, I am in my mid fifties (54), I have two grown up kids, I am a QUEENSLANDEEEER and live to see the Maroons squish those cockroaches. I too love my NRL I support any QLD team and have had a soft spot for the Rabbits for a few years.  Such a small world.

 I will finish off with what I told Jan-Maree " you and your team are the most selfless bunch of people hell bent on making people happy, what I witness when one of my soldiers receive a quilt or a laundry bag reminds me of my two kids at Xmas...surprise and warmth on their faces".  

My heartfelt thanks once again.

Kind regards,

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Good morning Betty,

First and foremost thank you ever so much for my quilt and laundry bag they are awesome. A lot of people ask what are u going to do with the quilt cause we're we are its upwards of 50 degrees  Again Betty thank you very much I know from the whole camp that the work you ladies do is greatly appreciated.

  

Your sincerely 

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For Pam Y 

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR MY LAUNDRY BAG! I JUST LOVE IT!!

It was so special to receive my laundry bag the mail!! Really I love it and I can't even tell you how much it meant to me! It one of my most treasured possessions now!

Actually, funny story... I had it in my office when something at work went a bit pear shaped, in any case I had nothing else to use except your laundry bag as a massive hankie. Hahaha!!! In front of my Officer-In-Charge too. Yes, it has multiple uses that you never even thought of!

How coincidental Pam...I am also a Nurse!! I'm in the Airforce, originally from Brisbane, but currently posted to Newcastle! I love my job in the Middle East and having a good time but it's not always easy that's for sure. The good thing is that I work with some awesome people here and they are really good at keeping me smiling!

You sound like you've been on a journey of your own too since injuring you hand. Don't worry I'll hold fort for you and keep nursing. Us sisters need to stick together and keep supporting each other as we do.

I hope maybe even to say g'day when I get back home and I'd be more than willing to get involved in your cause where I can. I may be a terrible sewer but Nurses are generally multi skilled in other ways.

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Thanks again for putting the sunshine in my day and a bunch of other service men and women!

God bless you Pam and keep up the hard work!! 

Kindest and Warmest Regards,

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Dear Sue,

Firstly I would like to thank you for the work you put into the laundry bag and blanket. I am a 43 year old Warrant Officer Class Two male who also has a wife and two almost grown children. I am honoured to serve my country and have for the last 25 years. I want you to know that your gift is greatly appreciated and to know that people like you re-reinforce my faith in the human race in these trying times. Please do not under estimate the comfort and pleasure you and Aussie Hero’s are providing our serving members. I would not stop short of saying you are an Aussie hero in your own right.

Thank you very Much

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Hi Ellen, 

My husband is whom you made the Scottish Quilt for. I can not express how thrilled we both are! He is home on R&R at the moment so it's lovely having him home, albeit for 2 short weeks. He brought the quilt home with him, it is truly a wonderful piece of many hours work! 

Your group Chocolyn Laughalot Ladies and township sound a friendly and wonderful place to live,

If you're wondering about the Scottish theme, we are both Scottish having emigrated here 6 yrs ago after my husband transferred from 22 yrs in the British Army...and is proudly now an Australian Soldier, Army in his blood! Lol

Once again thank you, it really showed what kind and amazing support there is for our service men and women  in Australia! You ladies do an Awesome job...lifting the spirits of our military with your beautiful quilts...you ladies rock!😊

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For Gail,

I am the lucky sailor to receive the beautiful quilt you made.

I just wanted to let you know that I absolutely love my quilt! It is perfect! I love the colours, the design and I love (and was very surprised to see) my rate badge of the Boatswains Mate category sewn on. I think it is amazing and very well done.

I would just like to thank you so very much for taking the time to make a quilt for me. It was such a nice gift to receive out here while being away for so long. 

Also thank you for the lollies and lip balm as well. I will admit that the lollies did not last very long! Haha

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The next few thank you messages are all from HMAS Success. With the help of the Ship's Warrant Officer I have been tracking down the last of the recipient s to make sure that all the quilts arrived.  There are still a few to confirm but some have left early so that they can look after the ship when it comes home.  All these messages are addressed to me but I did not make the quilts.  They have all been passed on to the relevant quilters, I just forgot to not the name of the quilter when I copied the mesages on to the blog.  

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Hi Jan-Maree

I received the quilt today, they have done a fantastic job.  A big thank you to Evelyn and everyone who was involved in making the quilt. It will definitely brighten up my tent.

 

Regards

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Hi Jan,

I'm pleased to let you know the quilt arrived safe and sound and has taken pride of place on my rack keeping me at the perfect temperature on our passage back to Aus.

 Could you please thank the quilter and let her know because I have misplaced the letter with her contact details that  I "decoded" the flags on it with the signaller onboard and was a nice surprise and what a FANTASTIC job she did on it and could not thank her enough, it will definitely be cherished for a long time.

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Good Morning/Afternoon Jan-Maree

Yes thank you very much I have received my Aussie Hero Quilt. I love it, its awesome! I received it a week or so ago sorry for the delayed reply 

i would really like to thank you for all the time and effort that has been put into making this quilt I really think what you guys are doing is great!

Thank you heaps for my Aussie Hero Quilt

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Gday Jan Maree, 

Thankyou for the quilt I just received, it is fantastic. 

I am currently putting together a pack and will mail it as soon as we get into port, to say thank you to the sender of the quilt. It is much appreciated with all the effort they have gone to !!! 

Once again thanks and very much appreciated. 

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Good Evening Jan-Maree,

I just wanted to say a massive thank you for organizing the quilt I have recently received. My mother organized this as I was caught up with other tasks and kept on missing deadlines to order one. 

I want to show my appreciation for this sneaky surprise by my mother and I assure you that it has already kept me cozy on board. 

I have not yet emailed my quilter but I assure you that I will in the next day or 2 to also show my massive appreciation. Just wanted to let you that it arrived safe and sound.

Thank you again!!!

Warmest Regards

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Hi Jan-Maree

Yes and thank you, I received my quilt on the last day of our port visit in the Seychelles. I'm so sorry I didn't get back to you earlier.  I've been drafting up a letter for the ladies that made the quilt for me. I'll send that on soon.

Thanks again for all the work, I also received a laundry bag last year - It was my only Christmas package which was a great surprise. The work you and all your volunteers do is amazing and it makes a really big difference for all of us out here.

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G'day Jan,

I received the quilt earlier this year and was very grateful.

You guys are doing a great job, keep it up 'thumbs up'. I know personally that all the guys in my mess who received either a quilt, or laundrybag were very pleased - you made our day.

I would just like to say thanks for all the effort you guys have put in, not just for me or my ship, but for every other serviceman and ex - serviceman (and women) you have lifted spirits for.

I wish you all the very best and once again thank you for everything.

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I apologize for the late reply in receiving my Aussie Quilt, I have been a little busy this trip then expected.  I absolutely love my quilt and washing bag and i appreciate the time you and your team have taken in producing such quality quilts to myself and the rest of my ship mates.  As we head home now i'm sure to use it a lot more.  Nothing beats snuggling up to a warm quilt with a hot chocolate in the rain and remembering all the times had on deployment.

Once again thank you very much.

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Til next time..............keep spreading the word and happy stitching!
Jan-Maree