Grati-Tuesday 18 October 16

As you read this I am in Canberra.  I have a packed schedule for the next couple of days so emails may be a bit slow. Please bear with me. 

Some great messages here, enjoy!
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Hi Carla!

Firstly, thank you so so so much for creating such a heart-felt and beautiful Aussie Hero Quilt for me. When my parcel arrived, I was in Afghanistan during a busy and tiring, but amazing time. To receive such a wonderful 'gift' just warmed my heart and filled me with such a sense of happiness and gratitude. It also made me feel really proud to stop and think that I could be considered some type of hero. Very humbling :)

You have created not just a quilt, but something that is so deeply personal and reflects many symbols of one of the highlights of my career, and life journey. I just adore it and have been so proud showing all my friends on deployment, and friends and family at home. I've shared a pic on my personal Facebook page (attached) of my quilt in Afghanistan, and I'm so pleased to say that it also made a cameo on the Channel 10 News story featuring Jan-Maree Ball and AHQ last month. Yay! Our quilt is famous!! It was posted on AHQ Facebook page on 22 September.  Fitting that the story highlighted Jan-Maree, who is a former RAAFie and the quilt is RAAF themed!

Thank you also for the lovely treats and letter about yourself and your family that accompanied the quilt. It was so lovely to read about you and your family.

My deployment was an amazing experience! The people I served alongside definitely made the deployment what it was. I love people!

I have two little boys who are 6 and 4, who I missed terribly, but I don't think what I experienced can compare to what my two treasures experienced in missing their Mummy. However, I am home and have enjoyed some wonderful quality time with them, after a very emotional arrival at the airport on my return! I don't think I have ever held my boys so tight. Ever!!

When I arrived home, I unpacked and had lots of little trinkets and mementos from my deployment, but the highlight was definitely the quilt which is now our special "Mummy and Boys" quilt that we snuggle under together on our family couch. They were so thrilled to have their names on it. It has made them feel part of the journey and included in the experience. We often look at all the aspects of the quilt and talk about each different part, like the poppies, the RAAF emblems, my travels and the vintage aircraft on the underside.

The quilt also provides a special snuggle place for my best friend (who I live with) and I to enjoy chocolate or cheese and biscuits and wine in the cool temps of Melbourne, whether we are just talking, watching movies or catching up on episodes of our escapism TV shows!! I would like to think that we share a pride in what we all went through respectively as part of my deployment, and having the quilt as a prominent feature in our home amplifies that. It's such a beautiful reminder of a really special and important time in my life.

Well, Carla. Thank, you again and keep up the great work. I cannot thank you and your whole AHQ team enough for the amazing and thoughtful work you do. It's so deeply appreciated :)

Take care and all the best,

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Joy,

I received you quilt last week and wanted to let you know that it is just amazing. I really do appreciate the time and effort you have put into the quilt and find your work very impressive. Sorry about the delayed response there may have been a delay with the overseas mailing process. Although I am very glad to have this memory that will stay with me for many years to come. Once again thanking you and I was happy to hear you had a excuse to buy some more fabrics.

Thanking you,

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Good morning Deidre! (though I suspect it is near on evening back in Australia)

Firstly, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for the wonderful quilt. I had no idea what to expect when I first ordered it. When I opened the box and unfurled the contents for the first time I was immediately filled with joy and excitement - you definitely made my day with this wonderful gift.

More importantly, however, I have to thank you on behalf of my mates onboard who took great pleasure in seeing that you understood the 'pineapple' reference and life in the ADF. We use it more as a joking phrase when days are tough but whenever we have hard days we just look at the quilt and smile. So already, your gift and small sacrifice has made more than one person's day/s brighter.

I cannot get enough good coffee whilst on deployment so the small treats are definitely greatly appreciated. It is through people like you that makes ADF service that much more rewarding.

Once again I cannot thank you enough for this gift. I hope you are well and keep up the fantastic work with the Hero Quilt team!

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Dear Jean

I must apologise for how long it's taken me to sit down and write a letter of thanks to the creator of my beautiful and much-treasured laundry bag.

To receive such a wonderful 'gift' at the end of my deployment just warmed my heart and filled me with such a sense of happiness and gratitude. It also made me feel really proud to stop and think that I could be considered some type of hero. Very humbling :)

You have created not just a laundry bag, but something that is so deeply personal and reflects many symbols of one of the highlights of my career, and a life journey. I just adore it and have been so proud showing my friends on deployment, and friends and family at home. I think your imagination perfectly captured the essence of the RAAF themes and colours! Thank you so much, it just so happens that my children and I adore dragonflies, so a lovely personal touch :) It definitely made me smile.

Thank you also for the lovely treats and notebook and pen (perfect size for cams!) and letter about yourself and your family that accompanied the laundry bag. It was so lovely to read about you and hear that you too love travel. Africa is definitely one of the top destinations on my wish list! I read your letter to my children and they loved it. They were very impressed with your animal encounters. The boys have just recently been to Werribee Zoo which also has an animal safari.

When I arrived home, I unpacked and had lots of little trinkets and mementos from my deployment, but the highlight was definitely my quilt and laundry bag. We often look at all the aspects of the quilt and laundry bag and talk about each different part, like the dragon flies and the RAAF colours from the emblems. 

The laundry bag is such a beautiful reminder of a really special and important time in my life.

Well, Jean. Thank, you again and keep up the great work. I cannot thank you and your whole AHQ team enough for the amazing and thoughtful work you do. It's so deeply appreciated :)

Take care and all the best,

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Dear Tanya S,
                  First of all thank you for your amazing quilt.  It shows that a lot of time effort and skill was used to make this gift for someone that you have never met.  Which says amazing things about yourself and your wonderful values. So thank you
Your gift of the quilt was very timely and has made my time away from home much more bearable.  Know there are people who even though they have never met me. Take the time to put so much effort and time into making something so beautiful as the quilt I received was an amazing feeling and I can't thank you enough.
That you normally only quilt for family and close friends makes this gift even more special.

The sourcing of material is an amazing effort and even though it arrived to late i do hope that it helps with your collection of fabrics.  Your addiction to different fabrics I'm sure just makes your quilts more unique as they are already amazing.

I love the movie Dead pool it is my second favourite movie and my favourite character, my favourite move is a Sci-fi flick called Fifth element. But this just goes back to the face that I'm a nerd.
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Good afternoon, Donna

First off let me say, I have received the quilt you have made me and a massive thank you is in order.
Hands down is one of the nicest things I've ever been given and will be cherished more than words could ever say.
The work you have put in and love behind it, is matched by my love of it, its going to become a piece in my collection to be put on display to give you an idea of how much I love it.
I love how all the jordans you have sewn on to the quilt are all some of my favourite retros and again I'm really pretty much speechless and bumbling on cause of it :D

I'm glad you got to see a little insight into one of my greatest passions (obsession) with the Air Jordans and sneakers in general

In your letter you told me a little about yourself, so i thought id give you a little insight of me
So again thank you very much and thank you to your husband Chris for the lovely package, the biscuits were very well received and eaten quite fast
Many regards 

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Dear Jean,

I received my new laundry bag today.  Thank you so much – it is truly great!  I especially liked the initials on the bottom.  I have to admit that I first thought it was “SA” for South Australia – implying that you may have been from SA or you thought I may have been!  Then it dawned on me……I guess I couldn’t imagine that someone could be so thoughtful as to personalise a gift like that for a stranger.  It was a wonderful realization….. (when it eventually occurred to me).

I really liked the design as well….Australia + Army!  200 laundry bags is a fantastic effort and very generous of you.

I too love travelling although have not, as yet, been to Africa…..perhaps one day.  It sounds great!

We are about half way through our tour here.  To be honest, time seems to fly by.  We are quite busy where I work (in the hospital) and there are always things to do.  I think that the mission we are here on at the moment is the most worthwhile for some time.

Enjoy your travelling in the future.

Thank you again for the laundry bag and your lovely message….it bought a tear to my eye.

Yours sincerely,

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Hey Thelma, 

Firstly thank you so much for the gifts and all that you put into it. 
They are absolutely gorgeous, and I will treasure them dearly.

I'm going well over here, at the moment and giving it all I can to do a good job.  First recipient eh, lucky me! Did a banging job at it.

I was really curious to see what the outcome would be when I put so many ideas down, and I must say (even if you did see a smaller design on Pinterest) you've done really well!

About me...

I was going to send a letter but honestly cannot wait the weeks it takes to get to you and what you've done is just a beautiful thing.

From the bottom of my heart thank you so much, bless your cotton socks and keep up the fantastic work. It's the small things over here that make it bearable at times!


Cheers,
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Hi Carla,

I received my quilt the other day along with a flag & some chocolate, thank you.

I enjoyed the chocolate & have donated the flag to the Anzac ward to be added to the other Australian military memorabilia. I hope that this meets with your approval.

I was thrilled with my quilt. I appreciate the Red Cross in the centre, it was exactly as I had imagined it would be like. I will take it with me next time I go to sea.

Your efforts are very much appreciated.

The internet is a bit hit and miss over here & I have had trouble attaching the two photos of me with the quilt & the flag.

Regards
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Hi Kim W

Thank you so much for my quilt I really like it and it is not falling apart and the 
size is good . You guys are doing such a good job all the guys are very excited when they receive there quilts, thank you so much .I have just come back from leave it was very good to see the family .Thank you for the sweet treats hmmmm really good .

Thank you for using your talent(which you have heaps off )and time making quilts
it is really appreciated.



All the best

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Hi Joy,

Would like to thank you so much for our Laundry Bag, Quilts and box of goodies. It was an awesome surprise when we pulled into port and got all our parcels. 

Your parcel was the first one I opened and I was ecstatic to see the quilt and the goodies as well. The socks fit by the way.

It's great to know that there are people out there that appreciate the work we do and the sacrifices we endure. I'm really looking forward to getting home and seeing my new niece which was born whilst i was away on my birthday. My wife will really like the quilt to keep her warm during the Perth winters as we struggle a bit being from Darwin.

Again thank you from the bottom of my heart and thank you to your organisation for bringing smiles to everyone.

Regards,

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Good Afternoon Joan & Robin,

I would like to express my appreciation for the laundry bag I received from you both today. I think you both did a fantastic job and I'm extremely pleased with it, I can't wait to have to do some laundry now so I can show it off.

Its a shame the Storm didn't get the win in the grand Final a few weeks ago, however I'll be proud to represent them with my new bag none the less. It was a great game and I was lucky to be able to watch it all the way over here.

Thank you very much for the bag and also thank you for the great support you are both providing to deployed ADF members. You both should be very proud of your commitment to the Aussie hero organization, it is a fantastic organization and a great cause you all support.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

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Good morning Noeleen, 

Thank you very much for the lovely laundry bags. My team and I will find them a nice home when patients come through. It will be a lovely comfort for them when they are sick/injured and so far from home or any comforts. 

I cannot believe that WA had their coldest winter in 30 years. I hope it has started to warm up for you. In the last week, the temperature has dropped here. You can feel the chill of winter in air. Like you, I do not like the cold (I run cold naturally) but I have my fingers crossed for a white Christmas here.

Thank you very much for the lovely treats in the box. The biscuits and lollies were very appreciated by the whole team. 

Thank you very much again. 
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Hi Katie,

Today I received my care package containing lollies, Tim Tams and most importantly an amazing laundry bag.

I just wanted to say a massive thanks for this package, it really made my day.  Everyone in our group always looks forward to a parcel, it means a lot.

Thanks again.

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Lyn K

Greetings from the Middle East. I wanted to send my thanks and appreciation for the laundry bag and quilt. lt provided such a boost after being out here for such a long time. So thankyou so much I can only imagine the time and effort that goes into something like this and I really love them. They are already getting some heavy use.

Onboard the ship we get into quite a standard routine which for me consists of L or 2, 4 hour
watches a day on the bridge followed by anywhere between 1-5 hours of administration and I have been able to get in one PT session per day at them moment which keeps me sane. The crew onboard is great to be a part of and makes it much easier to be away from our families for such a long period of time.

I am a big fan of the AFL and obviously a North Melbourne supporter since I was 6. I started
supporting them after winning a competition to run out with the team at the first ever AFL game in Canberra. So that was very exciting and started of my love for footy.

Again l wanted to say thankyou for the wonderful laundry bag and quilt I really appreciate it and it will get a lot of use during my time in the Navy and beyond. Thank you for all the effort that you have gone through to get this to me. lf you are ever in Sydney please look me up and hopefully l will be able to give you a tour of the ship (or different ship if I happen to move on, this one only has about a year left) and say thank you in person
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Good morning Joan and Robin,

I would like to send my belated thanks and appreciation after receiving my Aussie Hero Laundry bag. It suited me too a tee and came in very handy. I received it whilst deployed but have since return to Australia to my posting in Darwin.

Thankyou for supporting us. It is such a nice thing you are doing. Many are busy and might not get the chance to say thankyou but please know everyone is very excited and very grateful for all that you and many others do.

I hope you have a fantastic end of the year.

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Lots of great messages. No wonder we keep sewing! 

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

Jan-Maree  xx