Grati-Tuesday 1 March.....

It is that time of the week again.

Enjoy the messages.

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Dear Su,

Oh my G.O.S.H! What an absolutely brilliant quilt. I truly did not know what I wanted until my quilt turned up. I am in absolute awe and am so touched by the level of detail and care you have put into it. I love everything about it; but especially love that you put on the names of the actors, the year they started and the number of episodes they had.

I too, have been a Whovian for many a year, in fact I used to be a member of the Australasian Dr Who Fan Club way back in primary school. An elder cousin of mine got me hooked on the Dr Who novels that were sold through Target when I was a nipper. I still regard those novels as what got me hooked on reading all those years ago. Although I have many fond memories of the traditional series, I will admit that I absolutely love the new stuff.

This is my second Operational Deployment to the MER, the first being on HMAS Kanimbla for the second Gulf war in 2003. Unfortunately Aussie Hero Quilts wasn't around back then, but I am now so happy and proud to have the very best one ever (IMOHO).

  I have also received my Doctor Who laundry bag from Julie-Anne which I also love dearly. Such a funny coincidence that you live nearby and know each other.  ;-)

Best regards! 

Hi Julie-Anne,

It was with absolute delight that I opened the parcel which held my new Doctor Who laundry bag and saw it for the first time. I am so very, very happy with it; so much so that  I briefly considered it to be much too good to use as I laundry bag. I especially loved the Aussie flags around the drawstring and my name bold as brass on the front. Thank you also for the treats you included in the parcel.

It is mind-boggling to hear that you have made over 400 laundry bags; I'd be well chuffed also to pump out around 100 per year. Do not underestimate the effect on morale that receiving our laundry bags and quilts has. We only had our first mail drop the other day and everyone gathered around those that received theirs and watch with great anticipation and excitement. Each time someone gets one it brightens the day of all who see it.

This is my second Operational Deployment to the MER, the first being on HMAS Kanimbla for the second Gulf war in 2003. Unfortunately Aussie Hero Quilts wasn't around back then, but I am now so happy and proud to have such an awesome laundry bag and quilt. 

My son has become a massive fan of Doctor Who since I first introduced it to him two years ago. I tried to show him some classic Doctor Who but he only likes the new (2005 onwards) series, I have always been a massive fan of the original series, but must admit that I love the new stuff even more.  

Thank you again very much. I absolutely love it! 

Best regards!

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Hi Val,

I just wanted to say thank you for my amazing SHARKS quilt that you made me.  The effort that you went to make it astounds me.  It's quite ironic that you put the poppy on there as well as my birthday is the 11 November.  

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Jean,

Today myself and the team received the laundry bags/quilts you sewed up probably a few months ago.

The laundry bags look great and all the Americans we work with are very jealous. Most laundry bags here are either Dark Green or white mesh, so it will make it very easy to find ours in the pile of laundry bags when we pick them up!

They definitely brought a cheer to my day and its something that I will hold on to!

Thanks again for the laundry bag, I really appreciate it and so do the rest of the guys on the team here

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This thank you is for one of our BOM quilts... as pictured... which was sent to Butterworth, hence the reference to Malaysia.

Dear Olivia,

Thank you for your lovely card and for piecing together this beautiful quilt.

Please also pass my thanks to the wonderful ladies who have also contributed.

Please excuse the delay in my Christmas card, I bought it here in Asia thinking of you ladies, but have been unable to send until now.  I hope it has been enjoyable for you and that you have had a great start to the New Year.

I am 24 years old and we live on the Gold Coast in Australia.  We have been training in Malaysia for the last few months.  We are due to come home soon, and while I’ve enjoyed my experiences, I am very much looking forward to it.

It was interesting to hear about home, it’s been hot and humid here, rained many afternoons at first, weather varied little but started to rain less now.  I hope more rain comes for you!

Thank you again for all your time and effort, and for the chocolates (great choice by the way)! 

It’s appreciated to be thought of at this time.

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Good morning, Joy, 

Your packages arrived this morning. Words cannot truly say how honoured and happy I was to receive them, it was like Christmas morning all over again! 

Needless to say the mention of the words "Tim Tams" perked the ears of my colleagues in the Headquarters and we shared a treat thanks to you. 

The quilt is great, thank you for your efforts and generosity. I have spoken to the  Chief Clerk and the intent is for a group photo to be taken with the members who have kindly received quilts and laundry bags and I will  ensure some photos are passed directly back to yourself. 

Thank you furthermore for the beanies, pass my regards and thanks to your sister. We had another cold snap in the weather and they were quickly appreciated by our cold ears. 

The chocolates have been hidden away in my drawer and will be distributed when my colleagues need that little sugary boost to get them through the day.

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Dear Pamela,

Today I received your wonderful quilt.  It is absolutely fantastic!!

I really wasn't sure what to expect, but you have certainly exceeded anything I could have imagined.  Thank you so much for the effort you put into it.  It's obvious you get great pleasure from producing the bags and quilts; I'm glad this one passed the RSL test!  While I really don't know who specifically might have received one of your laundry bags or quilts, I can say for certain, the folks who have received one will be very grateful for the effort and enthusiasm people such yourself put into them.  What a lovely lady Muir Lawrance must have been.  I will be sure to wear the poppy this ANZAC Day, which I'll spend here in South Sudan.  I'll send you a photo of our service. 

My job here is working with a Japanese military construction engineer company.  I'll show them the quilt and explain what you do.  I'm sure they will be amazed by the great support that the ADF has from home.  Perfect!

Kind Regards,

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Hi Jenny W,

Thank you so much for the laundry bag, I am extremely pleased with it and all the thought and effort you have put into making it.

It is also very nice to know that people appreciate what we do.

Unfortunately I was unable to make the last mail drop, but I will send you a postcard from my next port visit.

It is a privilege to receive your first laundry bag.

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To Jenny W and Steve,

I would like to thank you for the laundry bag which you made, it did bring a smile to my face and will be something I will treasure and use.

Being from Canberra, I know Cowra, and have visited the site of the camp.

Standing there overlooking the site and trying to visualize it and of course the Peace Precinct.

It is a testament to the Council in preserving history to help others remember that we had a place in history in that we had our own POW camps.

I think not many people realised that we had a number of camps in NSW.

Once again, thank you for the laundry bag and all those other goodies you put in.

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Hello Australian blankets, 

THANK YOU SOO MUCH! The blanket is amazing, blue, swimming, Melbourne and medical! It is a welcome addition to my office at the moment as I am too scared to lay down on it. Every patient comments on the amount of effort and amazing work that has been put into it. I myself haven’t been home for over six months, nor had a holiday, so seeing this everyday in my office is amazing. 

To Lisa my heartfelt thanks, this is something I will cherish for years to come. The quality and detail is amazing. 

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Good morning Su,

I recently received a laundry bag from you in the mail. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to email you but as you can imagine I've been quite busy.

I just wanted to thank you for the effort you put in with the bag and the time you took out of your own life to put a little bit of joy in mine.

Just so you know the bag has definitely been getting a workout over here and it's something I intend to hang on to for many years to come and happily show to my family and friends.

Thank you so much Su.

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Good afternoon Jan-Maree and Helen,

Thank you so much for my blanket and sorry for taking so long to reply as I have been away for my two week vacation. 

Thank you for all the extra goodies that you put in my box they were much appreciated and a nice surprise!

Once again thank you so much for all the effort that you, Jan and everyone else puts into making us blankets! 

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Hi Dianne, Heather and Dot,

I just wanted to say thank you for my amazing SHARKS Laundry Bag and my little treats that you sent me.  The effort that you girls went to make it was amazing.

I have 2 wonderful boys 13 and 8 ( who are both mad sharks supporters as well they were given no choice Sharks or the orphanage Lol) and twin girls on the way. 

Well thanks again for the gifts and safe wishes and we are proud of what we do but we are also so proud of people like you girls for your selfless acts of kindness.  It may seem like a little thing to you do but I can assure it means so much to us and its those little things that get us by and get us home to our loved ones.  Please keep up the good work that you do for Aussie Hero Quilts as you three girls are great examples of "Great Australians" thank you so much and I wish you and all of your families a wonderful and safe Easter.

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Hello Pennie,

Sorry for the late reply to the care package and laundry bag.  Thank you for taking the time to make it.  The small things like this help make us aware that it’s not only our families and friends that know what we do.   

In all of my 34 years of service this is the first time I have been lucky enough to receive anything like this.

Thanks again,

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Hi Karin,

Sorry it has taken a while to respond.

Thank you so much for the Laundry Bag I love it. Its amazing that you guys put in so much effort.  It is very much appreciated. And to know that people outside our families and friends would go to such lengths for us really humbles me and enforces the reasons I do what I do . I am always proud to serve but things of this nature takes that feeling to another level.

Again thanks so much.

Take Care 

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This is part of an email I received this week..

I would like to personally thank you and all the ladies that take their time to give us a smile on our faces. The work and quality reflects their individual pride in what they create and the care taken to make such heirloom pieces that I  believe we all here who have deployed will cherish.

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Hey Avril,

Just a quick thank you for the amazing quilt and laundry bag. Your laundry bag has already been put to good use :)

Well I little about me,

I'm currently over in the middle east working on the jets that you have probably been hearing abut in the news. I get to play with all the Computers and wiring all day.

Thank you so much for the quilt and bag. Makes my little corner of the tent so much brighter. You have done an amazing job.

Thank you.

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Carolyn G,

Today I received an amazing parcel in the mail - a fantastic quilt! 

Words can't begin to express how much I appreciate the time and effort you have clearly put into making such an awesome quilt.. I'm by no means an expert but.. it is really quite brilliant and will remind me of my deployment every time I travel away from home for work from now on.

Thank you so much. I've seen my guys get theirs over the last few months, so to finally have yours arrive is brilliant. 

It blows me away how patriotic Australians are towards the Military - we all really appreciate it!

Thank you for taking time out of your day and dedicating it to making a few Aussie Hero Quilts in support of the ADF's deployed members...!

Wishing you and your family health and happiness always..

All the best.

Kind regards, 

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Dear Joan & Robin,

I have just received my Laundry bag that you have sent, it is awesome - I really like it.

It was a surprise considering that I had not ordered one. I think that your guys work is 

Awesome and you should be proud of your efforts.

Thankyou,

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Good afternoon Su,

I hope this email finds you fit and well. I want to take the time to thank you for your kind generosity and time in sending a laundry bag - through the Aussie Hero Quilts Organisation. I received the bag when we arrived in XXXXXX after close to two months away from home. It was the first mail I have received since deploying and you really made my day. I'm currently deployed on board HMAS Darwin conducting Operation Manitou, which is the Australian Government's contribution to stability and security in the Middle East region.

The bag was well received, and frankly far too nice to use as a laundry bag. At the moment it's storing some of personal affects at the foot of my rack (navy slang for bed). I'm sure a lot of time and effort went into the making of it, and the kind gesture is very much appreciated. It was a truly kind sentiment and I know the other guys and gals onboard have appreciated the out pour of gifts from strangers as well. It's lovely to know, that albeit I am a stranger there are people back home thinking about us and wishing us the best. I know you've experienced you're daughter away on deployment and have heard stories, but it's the outreach from back on the Homefront which really makes the job worthwhile. Frankly it can be a sh*tty working environment and the disconnection from home hurts at times. That's why your generosity is such a great reminder that what we do is of importance to those back home.

Su, I hope you are well and look forward to maybe hearing from you in the future. Stay safe and know that all of us on HMAS Darwin are appreciative of the work that Aussie Hero Quilts does. Your bag will is a treasured item and will be a perfect souvenir of my time living and working in Australia.

Yours aye,

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Hi Maree W,

As my time in the Middle East draws to a close I wanted to say a final thank you for your amazing quilt that has kept me cozy at night through our winter.  It has brightened my room and each time I come back at night after the long day it makes me smile.  It reminds me of the good things in life and the amazing people who genuinely care.  My hubby who is a paramedic thought it was very suited to my personality and my children were equally impressed.  Thank you 

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Good morning Jo,

Just a short email to say thank you for the quilt. After 25 years of marriage I can't keep a secret from my wife, clearly she still has the ability to keep a secret from me! The quilt was a pleasant surprise which really made my day! I've just clocked over half way  through the deployment and the quilt really did give me a lift.

A more formal thank you is in the mail; however, I thought that I would send a photo via electronic means.

Regards 

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Dear Jan-Maree

Hi there, just emailing to let you know my quilt and laundry bag have arrived safe and sound. I would like to thank you and your organisation for all you do for us guys and girls overseas.
These quilts and laundry bags are a great morale boost and I know that everyone over here really appreciates you and everyone involved.

Thankyou so much for everything.

Regards, 
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Hi Jean & Wendy B (Galston),

Thank you very much for the hard work and hours you have put into making my quilt and laundry bag. Our boss here surprised us with them and I was over the moon!

I am currently in XXXXX and it's still very much winter over here so the quilt will get plenty of use. My new laundry bag which is awesome, makes me stand out among the Americans here whenever I go to the laundry.

Again, I thank you kindly for your support and work, it is little gifts like these these that raise our moral when we are away from home!

Thanks,

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

Jan-Maree xx