Grati-Tuesday 6 October

A very special start to the blog tonight with a photo of a quilter with her recipient!!!  Talk about a small world.  Carol made the quilt for this lovely fellow only to discover that she and his mum live in the same town. They got together for a cuppa and then recently they go together again, this time after HMAS Newcastle had come home so her lovely recipient was able to be there too. How often do we get to meet someone we make a quilt or laundry bag for??? Not very often so what a lovely treat for Carol.  Great photo too.

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A message from the Sinai in Egypt.

Afternoon Joan and Robin,

I wanted to say thanks for the laundry bag, I really appreciate it.

I love the design and it does help to remind me that I’m in the RAN, as there are only 2 RAN members here at South Camp and we work with hundreds of American Army soldiers.

I’ve attached a photo of me holding it here at South Camp. I’ve been deployed with the MFO since May and I’m due to return back to Melbourne in November.

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And from the same recipient to say thank you for her quilt which one of our Block of the Month quilts.....

Afternoon Jan-Maree,

I wanted to say thanks for the quilt I received today, I really appreciate it.

I love the design and how much effort was put into making it. I also received my laundry bag and have emailed Joan and Robin Carter.

I’ve attached a few photos from here at South Camp. I’ve been deployed with the MFO since May and will return home to Melbourne in November.

It’s great seeing all the quilts and laundry bags on the website and how creative all the sewers/quilters are. I’m sure every deployed member appreciates it as much as I do, and it helps to remind me of home.

Cheers,

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Hello Jan-Maree and Joan,

I can't thank you both enough (and the North of the Yarra Quilt Group) My wife asked for you to make a quilt and laundry bag and she must have given you some great insight into what i like because they are both perfect. I was so excited to see them come in the mail and i can tell you everyone here that i have shown have been very impressed and jealous. I only got them yesterday and they have both been put to use. 

Everyone involved do a great job and you do give us a great boost when we get to open the packages after working some long hours. Again thank you so much, it has really made my week. I hope you enjoy doing what you do because you put smiles on so many peoples face.

Regards, 

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Jean 

Thank you for the laundry bag you made for me it is amazing, you done a great job and you should be very pleased with you work and yes, you choose the right type of motor bikes and cars. 

It brings great joy and happiness to everybody over here to know that we have the support of so many lovely Australians, like yourself, back home. 

Thank you again for the lovely laundry bag, I will take it everywhere my job takes me. 

Thank You, 

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G'day Joan and Robin,

Thanks heaps for the laundry bag and apologies for the delay in responding. 

The laundry bag is amazing and I will definitely share a picture on the Aussie Hero Quilts blog. I am due to return to Australia in 2 weeks time (after a long six months) and cant wait to show it to my wife.

 Thanks for your support - It really makes a big difference especially when we are away from our loved ones.  Take care and I wish your son all the very best in his future endeavours.

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Dear Jean,

How are you?

The laundry bag you have made for me is exactly what I pictured. I am very happy about it and thank you very much to taking your time and skill to make it for us.

Although I am away from home, family and friends, with the great support provide by people like you from home, the time on our deployment is much easier.

Originally I am from China. I was an overseas student when I first arrived in Australia in 2004. A few years later, after I obtain my citizenship, I joined Army  because I believe if a country is worth to living in, it is worth to fighting for.

I’ve attach a photo of me with the laundry bag. Again, thank you very much for your support.

Yours 

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Hello Pamela,

                Unsure of the protocol for responding to receiving my quilt, so apologies up front for contacting you direct (your email was on the letter enclosed with my quilt), however I felt the need for a more personal thank you for the marvelous quilt that was waiting for me when I returned from deployment. It was without understatement, exquisite. I posted a photo of the quilt on our Artillery Locator’s Association website and have been swamped with ‘likes’ for the work done and of course the Locator Logo received particular kudos. It will be displayed with great pride among my other military memorabilia and at Locator Association gatherings. I hope you won’t mind me attaching a place-card next to the quilt with your name on it letting everyone know how much I appreciate your work.  

                             I have been on the Aussie hero quilts website in order to make a contribution to your efforts but am unsure of how best to achieve this, so I would be grateful if you could let me know how best to show my appreciation for my quilt and to assist you with continuing the great work you are doing.  

                Once again Pamela from me, and on behalf of past and future recipients of your great work; a heartfelt thank you very much.

Best regards,

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Good morning Su,

I have received a wonderful package today in the mail.  When I saw it was from you and Aussie Hero Quilts I was delighted to receive it.  Upon opening the package I was delighted to see what a wonderful job you have done with both the quilt and the laundry bag.  I do like how you have made the quilt into a jigsaw pattern of the flag, Thank you for the tim tams, we will enjoy them.

Thank you again for your quilt and the laundry bag, and especially for thinking of us while we are deployed.  It does means so much to know that we are not forgotten and people like you still think of us and take the time to give such wonderful and thoughtful gifts

Kindest regards.

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Bev and Geoff,

Thank you very much for the quilt, laundry bag and kind words. They just arrived today - the mail system isn't always the fastest.

They are very much appreciated and will significantly improve the look of my accommodation. Also my previous laundry bag had been broken for some time!

I know all the guys who have received things through the program have very much appreciated the time, effort and quality of the items received.

Thanks again,

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Dear Sue N

 A few weeks ago i received a package containing a quilt and laundry bag that you so thoughtfully sewed for me. They are both wonderful, and have already been receiving plenty of use.

I am a Marine Corps pilot on exchange to Australia and currently deployed with the Royal Australian Air Force. I never cease to be amazed at the awesome support we receive from the Australian home front. Your time, care, thoughts and prayers are all warmly received on this end.

Please accept my sincere thanks, and wish you a wonderful summer ahead.

Kind regards,

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Good Morning,

            I was recently deployed and had requested an Aussie Hero Quilt (AHQ). On my last day prior to leaving I received my AHQ and have been back in Oz for just over a week and have had a chance to reply. I would like to pass on my thanks to the AHQ organisation for the great job you do and especially to Lisa N for the great job she did on mine.

          The quilt is great and the caravan at the beach encompasses all those things that I love about Australia and my memories growing up visiting my grandparents at the beach. Also the farm tools and the motor bikes are perfect. Also I would like to say thanks for the lego that you sent me as I waited until I returned and built it with my young twins and it is now up on top of the shelf in our lounge room.

         Please pass on my thanks to Lisa for her wonderful stories of where she lives and her memories of growing up with aviation buff parents - that would of been a great experience. Whilst I am in the RAAF I can only imagine growing up with parents flying around the country side. I wish AHQ all the best and also the same to Lisa and her family in their future endeavors and their idyllic lifestyle in the Victoria country side. Such a lifestyle is something I am holding out for once I stop traveling around in the RAAF.

Kind Regards,

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Hi Amrit,

Thank you for the amazing quilt. It has come at a perfect time with the rugby world cup being played and can now show my support. My daughter (3) calls me Batman so she will love to see that side when I get home (I am sure she will claim it soon enough).

Thanks again, it is more than I hoped for.

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Only recently I have started directing a few laundry bags, as they are available, to the patrol boats in Darwin. I can't do much more than that at the moment as we do not have the resources to send quilts as well and as they have no AFPO address we have to pay the postage.  When you read a thank you letter like this however, it reinforces just how much more than mere laundry bags these are!

To the beautiful people at Aussie Hero Quilts,

First of all, thank you. I am an Able Seaman Marine Technician in the Royal Australian Navy.

Thank you for putting aside much of your own time and effort to create not just a laundry bag, but a tangible reminder of why we are sacrificing and giving up so much of ourselves. To me receiving the laundry bag was not just a new laundry bag but a constant reminder that someone, anyone out side my immediate world, appreciates the contribution individuals make to the greater good. After reading your letter that came with the laundry bag, I can't help but be inspired by the story and the amount of bags and quilts you have supplied.

To the lovely ladies of the Belrose Patchwork and Quilters, my laundry bag that I received takes pride of place at the end of my rack (bed) hanging next to my towel. Every day its is one of the first things I see when I walk into the cabin, and without failure it gets used twice as much as anything else. When I walk around the other cabins I can see that the other sailors and Officers on board our boat have also embraced the laundry bags. Hanging them in a similar sort of fashion, and I only hope that they, as much as I do, appreciate and are as thankful for the contribution the bags represent toward our current serving.

For every bag you send, and every quilt you make, just know that every recipient is ever so thankful for the reminder of home.
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And finally, for the non-Facebookers, there is a great article in the current issue of the Navy News.
You can read it here.

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