Grati-Tuesday 17 May 16

G'day all,

Lots of lovely messages tonight. I feel like I say that every week but I never tire of reading them and there are always a few that really seem to go to the core of why we do what we do.  

Enjoy!

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I just love sending people emails to let them know that their quilt and bag are on their way... especially when I get a response like this.....

The post delivery anticipation has never been greater over here! Everyone is always very keen to see what each other has received and the great stuff all of your volunteers have been producing.

Very much appreciated!

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One firefighter had a special delivery this week. His quilt was not able to be sent to him whilst overseas and so he had to wait til he came home to get it back here....  The quilt and bag were made by Jenny P and handed to a dear friend of mine, Drew, to present to him.  Drew and I go waaaay back to the early 80's when we were both baby Air Traffic Controllers together.   He volunteered to play courier for me with this quilt. Thanks Drew.

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I just love getting these messages after people have received their quilts and returned back home.....

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Hi Guys

I received my quilt (made by Keryn) just over two years ago, it had been after a very trying week I was tired, worn and wanted to be home. I loved that you guys made it and it was lovely to receive.  I thought I should show you its current home.  Over the end of my bed.  That is when my adorable daughter doesn't steal it to snuggle up with and watch tv.

I just wanted to let you know it meant a lot for me to receive it and I still look at it and remember my time away.

Kind regards

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This next quilt is one of our Mystery Quilts.

Dear Lyn & Arthur,

First and foremost I would like to THANK YOU for the amazing quilt that I received. As your aware I had it made for my daughter as a comforter for whenever she is feeling a little down or missing me just to remind her how much I care. 

With the quilt I also received a letter from Jan-Maree addressed to XXXX, when my wife opened up the letter and read it she was moved with emotion. Reminding us all that out there in the big bad world there are some genuine, caring people who really are selfless, considerate human beings. Knowing that you receive as much joy making it as we get receiving them. Once again thank you. 

I am looking forward to being a full time parent not only living with my family but being able to be there for every single family event. I have missed all of my daughter's bdays except her first due to my many commitments, knowing the sacrifices I've made ensure she is given every opportunity in this world is all that matters to me.

Once again thank you so much for the quilt. Every single one of you ladies has made a difference to every single person who have received a quilt. Keep it up, god bless.

Thanks 

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Hey Julie-Ann,

Thank you for my laundry bag. It looks amazing. I love my personal mugrug as well, and the tim tams are worth their weight in gold on a deployment. Thank you for your effort and work for Aussie Hero Quilts. Looking after your husband, grandson and soon granddaughter too is busy enough. Then volunteering to AHQ, you are an amazing woman. I thought a little miss teacup would go well with my mugrug.

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Hi Karen,

I have received the quilt and I am extremely happy with the result. I do not have an email address for Clarrisa so if you can could you please pass on just how pleased I am with it I would appreciate it. She told me that your families know some of our better southern imports over the last couple of years (Lachie Turner and the Faaingas). The season doesn't appear to be getting any better but at least we have a win on the board. 

The trip is going pretty well.  Even though I have been in the Navy for near 15 years this is my first deployment to this region and we have been to some pretty interesting ports. I had better get back to work so again thank you for the laundry bag and quilt they are fantastic.

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Dear Jo B

THANKYOU for my beautiful quilt. It looks perfect on the end of my bed here and really brightens up the room!

We are all so grateful for the love and effort Aussie Hero Quilts put in to supporting us while we're away from loved ones.

Once again THANKYOU so much for the Quilt & making my day!

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Dear Pennie,

I received a lovely surprise in the mail today, a beautiful laundry bag from you.  I cannot express the joy and happiness you have brought to me.  The bag is exquisite, the detail is amazing, and I absolutely love it.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the time and effort you have put into this, I will certainly cherish it.  You have no idea how much all of our eyes light up when we receive these packages from lovely people like yourself on behalf of Aussie Hero Quilts.

Thank you also for the lovely goodies you included, I will make sure I share them with the rest of my team over here.  A little about myself, I'm 43 and married with two beautiful daughters aged 15 and 12.  They are both in high school and I miss them and my wife terribly.  I look forward to seeing them in another 4 months.  

I am always completely amazed by such amazing and generous people like yourself, especially hearing that you work as a nurse in an emergency department!  I don't know how you get the time to do it.

It's an honour to serve for people like you and I know these acts of appreciation are well received by all of us over here.  We won't ever forget it.....

Best wishes to you and your family.

Kind thoughts,

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From the Cape Byron Starboard Crew....

Good afternoon Jan Maree,

I am writing to say thank you very much for the laundry bags we received having come off patrol. When issuing the bags, I gave a brief outline of your organisation and what it meant to be shown such great support. I wish I had a photo of the lads on the day as it was quite humbling to see these men receive their gifts.

It is a great thing that your organisation does and just wanted to give you our heart felt thanks.

Kind regards,

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Hi Carolyn,

I received the quilt you made for me about a month ago when we were in port (sorry it has taken so long for me to reply). Thank you so much! It is such a wonderful work of art and is something I will treasure forever. I really loved the personal touches. Thank you also for all the goodies, it is so great to have a few snacks and sweet things..

All the best, I hope your business continues to be a thriving success and that you keep up with the quilting.

Thankyou again,

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And how about a thank you from a mother whose daughter has returned home...

My daughter has returned from being deployed, she received one of your lovely quilts.  Thank you to the great people who make these for our defence personel who are deployed.  It made her room that much brighter & now it is on her old single bed, I've painted her room to match her quilt.  Thank you 

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Hi Jan-Maree,

My quilt has arrived safe and sound. A big thank you to you and your band of volunteers, especially Maree J who did my quilt.  It is overwhelming the kind thoughts and words of support we getting from back home and it is much appreciated. 

Cheers,

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And for Maree J 

Hi Maree,

I would like to say a big thank you for the quilt you made me and the kind letter that you wrote. Your quilt made me a bit homesick as I live at XXXXX and I go fishing a fair bit. I do miss seeing the water everyday as the scenery isn't as nice here.

We arrived here in time to see the torrential rain which turned the place into mud and flooded the place a foot under water. That bought out the mozzies which grow to the size of horses over here. Now it is really starting to get hot during the day and warm at night. Luckily we have aircon in our tents which makes sleeping a bit easier. We have been very busy and have been able to get into town to see the sights, have a good meal and a bit of R&R as well.

Thank you for your support while we are deployed on operations and giving up your time as a volunteer for Aussie Hero Quilts.

Cheers,

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Dear Pennie,

I  recently received the quilt and laundry bag you made for me, and I had to send you an email just to say thank you; I think it is just the coolest thing I have ever ever received on deployment. I feel honored that people back home like yourself value and admire the work Australian soldiers do on deployment. My wife is also a fellow emergency nurse in major hospital so I can appreciate the time you have spared to make the fantastic quilt and bag for someone you have never met, I am so chuffed, so from the bottom of my heart thank you.

  

Kind regards,

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Hi Anna,

I'd like to say a massive thank you for my quilt! You did a wonderful job, it is exactly what I was hoping for. I have stored it away safely for use when I get home.  Thank you for everything you do for the troops, it certainly means a lot to us that yourself and Aussie Hero Quilts support us. 

Kind regards,

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Hi Sue S!

I would like to thank you so much for the quilt!  I received it on Sunday 08 May (Happy belated Mother's day to you!).  It's always very exciting when something comes in the mail, usually it's from my mum.  I had no idea what to expect with what I requested but I am so pleased and I honestly love it.  So thank you!

It's always nice to hear about the real people who are putting in all the time and effort to make these quilts. 

I have been in the Army for four years this month and it's been crazy and awesome at the same time.  If you had asked me in high school if I would have considered joining Defence I would have laughed in your face!  It was something that never and I mean NEVER crossed my mind.  A few years down the track, after some travelling and trying university, when my younger brother enlisted I had a change of heart.  Initially I wanted to join the Air Force but the waiting list was too long, so Army it was.  Now I have been lucky enough to be deployed to the Middle East and I'm just grateful that I got this opportunity!   It's what most people want when they join up, and who knows if I'll get the chance again.

We have it really good over here, there isn't much we go without, we are well looked after.  To attend ANZAC Day over here was something special and memorable, also the people I work with really make the trip fun.  Funnily enough I don't find it too boring over here as one might think, we work every day, have bingo and trivia nights, lots of movies and TV shows available to us to pass the time, we also have a volleyball court, and of course a lot of time is spent at the gym.

I think what Jan-Maree and all you ladies do is really admirable and selfless and trust me when I say, everyone over here really appreciates the love and effort gone into the quilts and laundry bags.  Since I’ve been here I started knitting with a bunch of other deployed ladies, we knitted a heap of small blankets for a charity organisation called Angel Blankets Australia.  They provide hand-sewn/knitted blankets to distribute to hospitals in NSW to wrap deceased or miscarried newborns in before giving to the parents.  Obviously a very awful and traumatic experience to go through, so I thought that as Aussie Hero Quilts are making something for us, I would also love to give something back.

Sincerely

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Dear Su J

Thank you kindly for the Spaceship/martian Clothes Bag. It is amazing how things in life workout. When I was a kid I always enjoyed watching Bugs Bunny vs the Martian. Obviously, Bugs won repeatedly. The Clothes Bag brought back great memories of my childhood which I dearly cherish. Morale is high.

The idea of making Clothes Bags and/or quilts for the lads and lasses on deployment is a wonderful commitment that creates more smiles than you can imagine. Not just the fact of receiving something by mail or that the gifts are quality made. It is also the banter between each of us after receiving them, like: ‘Hey I have always wanted something to do with space-ships…and the Martian….you are so lucky; I can’t wait to see what mine is!’

Again, thanks again for the gift. It will be used on this deployment and future ones. 

All the best

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Dear Bridget,

Hi! Thank you so much for the wonderful laundry bag what a great thing you guys at Aussie Hero Quilts are doing.

This is my fourth trip over here and I think things like this are a great idea. I added the Facebook page and my Mum has some friends who like quilting and they are now on board. 

We are over here for 3 month tours and are about half way through. We are celebrating the SQN's 100th anniversary over here this year. It's amazing that 100 years ago the SQN was formed in the Syria during World War One.

Once again thank you so much for your efforts in support of all ADF members on Operations and I wish you and your family all the best in the future.

Best regards

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Hi Janeene,

I am currently deployed and today I received a nice fishy laundry bag in the mail. I just wanted to say thank you.  I go fishing a fair bit in my kayak so it's perfect.

This is my 5th time to the Middle East region, my 3rd full on deployment.  It has been 5 years though since my last trip over.

We arrived here in time to see the torrential rain which turned the place into mud and flooded the place a foot under water. That bought out the mozzies which grow to the size of horses over here. Now it is really starting to get hot during the day and warm at night. Luckily we have aircon in our tents which makes sleeping a bit easier during the day. Things have been very busy here but we have been able to get into town to see the sights as well.

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Good evening Don and Lynn,

My heartfelt thanks for the wonderful donation of the quilt and laundry bag. The care and attention to detail is fantastic and quite humbly received. I'm so pleased to hear that your dogs Percy and Vala were on hand to deliver assistance as necessary.

The airplanes and star wars combination will certainly bring out the child in me as it lays in pride of place atop my bed. In the coming months, It will certainly add much character to my room after returning from long days and nights.

It is certainly flattering to receive such a wonderful gift and I will certainly treasure it for some time to come.

Warm regards,

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Hi Robyn,

Thank you so much for my beautiful quilt and laundry bag I absolutely love it! It'll make my room look so much nicer as well and more homie than I've already tried to make it!

I really appreciate all the time and effort you put in to making this quilt and laundry bag for me! And 

I'm 20, this is my second year in the army I am the youngest in my family by

13 years I have a brother and two sisters which leaves me with 7 nieces and

2 nephews.

Thankyou so much again, receiving your parcel has made my day

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Hi guys my quilt has arrived and it is amazing! The finer detail sewn on is awesome as i didn't notice it all straight away but when I had a closer look batmans utility belt I could see how the detail had been added.  To Jacqui. Thank you so much! You have easily made my week smile emoticon. Not only for sending me such an amazing quilt but including the batman torch from your grandson really means a lot to me.

Thank you so much

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Dear Sandy and Trevor, 

I was lucky enough to receive the beautiful laundry bag that you so kindly made as part of the Aussie Hero Quilts and Laundry Bags. The laundry bag encompasses a lot of things that are important to me so I feel very fortunate that it made its way in to my hands. It came at a time when I was going through a few ups and downs and it was able to bring a bit of 'home' in to my life over here. I am very grateful for all the love and time that you have put in to making such a beautiful thing. The work you and all the volunteers do is immeasurable and greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

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Dear Anna,

Thank you so very much for the wonderful quilt you sent me recently, it was so personal and something I will cherish for many years to come.

I had 20 years as a PTI (physical trainer), so to send me a quilt which represented such a significant portion of my life was indeed very special and something for which I am truly grateful.

I have already passed my thanks to XXXXX for going that little bit extra to communicate with you all to try to make things so unique and special.

You will be happy to know that it is already on my bed, but I have placed it inside a doona cover so it does not get damaged before I take it home.

My wife and daughter, who I was able to show the quilt via skype, and who spent so much time with me when I was a PTI, have also taken great delight in seeing the quilt.

Thank you for all your support, not just for my gift, but for all of the quilts and other things you make for my fellow service men and women.

I am constantly humbled by the support we are receiving.

Take care, and once again, thank you.

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Dear Ginny,

Thank you so much for the beautiful quilt that you created for me.  It is beyond my expectations, and is proudly displayed on my bed.

With the temperature starting to rise now (today was 38 degrees) it does come off at night.

Luckily I return home in two months so I won’t be here when the real heat hits, but back with my husband and two sons – 8 and 4.

Whilst I am counting down the days, my time here has been an amazing experience.

Thank you again,

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Dear Raeleen,

Thank-you very much for the lovely quilt that arrived at my house last week. It was promptly stolen by my seven year old son as soon as he saw it. He is particularly proud that it has my name on the reverse side and the word “hero”.

Thankfully, the kids didn’t see the chocolate block hidden in the laundry bag!

Your notes about food in your letter struck a chord with me, my Grandfather was a chef and I too have the foodie bug. I’m not a chef but love cooking – I’m pretty sure I’m the only person I know that can gain weight in a country suffering from famine. I took on the role of resident chef for a few of us during the deployment. I had an American officer working alongside me who also loved cooking so between the two of us we covered most cooking requirements during the deployment. I was also lucky to have a French colleague who would go home every 6 weeks and return with some amazing food to share and cook.

Thanks again for the quilt and the laundry bag, please be assured they are appreciated and I can vouch for the fact that they are used.

Regards,
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Hi Su J,

I just want to say a very big thank you for the laundry bag you made for me. I love it and you absolutely nailed it! A few of the other guys are a bit jealous of the one you made, so that is a compliment to both your sewing and creative abilities.

It definitely brought a pleasant smile to my face when I opened my package and saw what you had created for me. We all really appreciate the support and care that yourself and others of similar organisations show to the deployed troops.

Again, a very big thank you for brightening up my deployment, and I sincerely encourage you to continue your good work as it really does make a difference to our time here. 

Take care and keep up the good work,

Regards,

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If you are not on Facebook you will not have seen this photo.... this is a quilt that Raelyne made..... Don't you just love that smile!!!

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

KEEP SMILING!

JMxx