Wishing you all a very HAPPY SEW YEAR.....

Before anything else allow me to wish you all, wherever you are, a safe and happy New Year.  Before  I turn my attention to the challenges of 2016 I want to take a moment to think about 2015.

Regardless of how you saw the New Year in, regardless of where you were and who you were with, I bet you all spent at least a small amount of time reflecting on the year that was.

I think it is also time to do that here at Aussie Heroes. 

I have just done the tally.

As of yesterday our numbers are as follows...

In 2015 we sent over 2291 laundry bags 

bringing our total for the four years we have been running 

to over 7834.

We have also sent over 1682 quilts 

again bringing our total since we started to 

over 5212 quilts. 

Well done all of you who have switched on a sewing machine, bought thread and fabrics and dedicated time to making these items.   Whether you have made a block, a quilt top, a whole quilt or a laundry bag you have contributed to a fabulous outcome for the year.   Imagine how many smiles those stitches have created, not only from those who have received them, but also from those who have witnessed a recipient's delight when they open their package as well as the family and friends who are grateful someone else cares about their loved one.

I haven't done a count to work out how many people we have sewing quilts and laundry bags as that is a very time consuming activity to do and my focus is on getting quilts and laundry bags out, not keeping accurate stats.  I would say that, on average, we have about 150 - 200 people actively contributing to our end result.    Think about it.  That is not a lot of people to make that many quilts and laundry bags.  I think we achieve so much because much of what we do comes straight from the heart.  A little bit of each of us is sent off when we sent off a quilt or a laundry bag. 

We may not receive a message back from every parcel that we send but please take time to look back over the blog for the last week or so and check out the messages we have received that count for much.  This Christmas and New Year we have been spoiled with so many messages from the troops to thank us for what we do.  Just to name a few....

The flight deck photo from HMAS Melbourne

The mention in the Admiral's Christmas speech of "that most magnificent of organisations, Aussie Heroes Quilts"

The shout out by several of the troops from the Air Task Group

The wonderful surprise on Christmas morning of the  "Merry Christmas Aussie Hero Quilts" video 

The messages sent by past and present recipients to let us know that they appreciate what we do. 

Being mentioned in the address by the Captain of HMAS Darwin before they deployed

If you are new to Aussie Heroes you may not realise how special some of these messages are.  We have never before been mentioned by the Commander of the Joint Task Force in a Christmas Message.  In the four years we have been going we have only ever had two mentions in the Christmas messages that I can think of and this year far surpassed that.

and finally last night... 

I was humbled to see the following photo and a message on the Australian Defence Force in the Middle East Facebook page 

Thank You Heroes: Australian Defence personnel in the Middle East have sent a big Christmas thank you to Aussie Hero Quilts.

$1000 has been sent to the sewing volunteers, who handcraft quilts and laundry bags for troops deployed overseas, providing them with a welcome memento from home and humble recognition for the receiver’s service to the nation.

Funding for the initiative comes from donations, and our men and women in the Middle East are keen to give something back to their selfless supporters.

We give to the troops because we appreciate their service and they give back to us also with appreciation. I have for a long time now thought of Aussie Hero Quilts as "a circle of appreciation" and this is a perfect example.

As we move forward this year can I encourage you to think about the messages we have received this Christmas and New Year season and use them as inspiration to keep doing what you are doing. 

Finally I want to take a moment to wish each and everyone one of our serving members a very safe and happy New Year. 

May you have enough challenges to keep you on your game and satisfied, enough fun to make it enjoyable, enough camaraderie to get you through the not-so-fun times and enough family and friends in your lives to know you are cared for.  

And the same to the family and friends that support you and wait for you.  Thank you also for the sacrifice you make so that our troops, and they are OUR TROOPS, OUR SAILORS, SOLDIERS, AIRMEN AND AIRWOMEN, can play their part in keeping this country of ours as safe as possible and endeavouring to make the world a better place.

Till next time.........................................Happy New Year everyone.

With love

Jan-Maree xx