Grati-Tuesday 4 Oct 16

G'day, 

Some great messages tonight and some great photos! 

Enjoy!

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For a wonderful quilt made by Lisa N 

Hi Jan-Maree,

Sorry it has taken me this long to send you a picture of the quilt. I have been busy here. When I received the quilt I was amazed and stunned that it had the two signatures on it. Whoever I have shown the quilt to has also been surprised with the notes and signatures from the two Storm players. To say it has been uplifting to receive this wonderful quilt is an understatement. As you can see by the second picture I have it next to my bed and I am delighted to see it every time I enter my tent space.

We are going home soon and with great pride I will be taking this quilt with me and the next thing to do is to find a special place to keep it at home.

Thank you very much for your support providing these quilts and laundry bags as they are a very welcomed and morale building delivery when they arrive.

Cheers

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Dear Lynn, 

Thankyou so much for my parcel that arrived this week. The excitement to see that it was from Aussie Hero Quilts is indescribable. I have had the joy of watching my troops and peers receive theirs, and they certainly are not only a morale booster, but a talking point that everyone proudly loves to show off and snuggle up to when it is time for bed. 

Of all the things I imagined you creating, it is everything and more. I cannot wait to get home and have it draped over my lounge for couch time, or even on my bed next year as I am posted separated from my husband for 12 months, so will be a nice reminder of how lucky I am. 

Thankyou again for my quilt, and for being one of those people that CARE! Have a wonderful weekend, 

All my love, 

Kind Regards, 

.....

For a quilt made by Jenny P, using an embroidery by Cheri and quilted by Keryn M 

Hi Jan Maree,

I finally got my quilt about a week and a half ago, and the laundry bag only the other day. Thankyou, thankyou so much for the time and effort put into it. The embroidery of the poem would have taken a fair bit to do. I rang my partner as soon as I could and he was surprised, and rather chuffed that you were able to put it on the quilt. As we are in a dormitory accommodation it sits pride of place over the bed. 

Yourself and the other volunteers do such a wonderful job for us. No doubt that you may not hear from everyone that you send a quilt to but, please take comfort in the fact that when a parcel does arrive there isn't one that isn't paraded around. We tried to get a few of the other team members in the photos that received either bags or quilts but due to the nature of our work (shift work with aircraft) that we simply couldn't organise 5 minutes to be together. 

Please pass on my gratitude to all the ladies that worked on my quilt and laundry bag. 

Kind Regards,

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Dear Lynne, 

Thank you very much for the laundry bag. You have done a absolutely incredible job. My little girl loves the Ninja Turtles at the moment and is convinced that I am working them over here. She will love that bag and I am sure it will last her a long time. Thank you also for all the hard work and effort you have put into the AHQ program over the years. I am sure you have made many young families just that little bit happier during a difficult period with your work. I am hoping to take a photo of my daughter with the TMNT bag and send it to you when I get home. I hope you and your family are safe and well and thankyou once again for the wonderful bag and lollies, the guys have eaten them all already. 

Regards,

......

Dear Lesley

I have just taken possession of one of the laundry bags you have made for us deployed soldiers.

I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for this gift.

A laundry bag being one of the few items I neglected to bring, but found a need for within days of our arrival.

The one I have here is teal coloured with the DC characters, Batman, Aquaman, Superman and my personal favourite, The Flash on a strip across the middle.

                                                                                                                                                                          

I hope this note finds you well and may it give you extra motivation to continue crafting more, as the ones received here were quickly snapped up

and we are now being jealously coveted by those who weren’t as fleet of foot.

Thank you again,

.....

Good morning Tamsin,

I'd like to thank you so much for the quilt and laundry bag. It's awesome and most definitely brought a smile to my face. 

Tour is coming to a end. 

T

I'm currently in the RAAF and serve as a Airfield Defence Guard.  I've done 3 years so far not long at all. :) haha. 

I can't thank you enough for the effort you put in. Not just with me, but everyone you write to and make things for. It doesn't go unnoticed and it honestly does mean a lot. You juggle a job being a mother, grandmother and a wife. It's extremely amazing. 

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Good Evening Beverly U,

Just to let you know that the wonderful UK themed quilt arrived back in Australia today from Afghanistan to me. I missed it arriving in Kabul, but the team forwarded back to my home address for me.

I gave it to my wife (as I had it made for her being a Brit and doing a wonderful job back home while I was away) and she is totally in love and awe of it and has to fight the kids who gets to sleep under tonight!

It will be coming with her on the flight to the UK at Christmas and she can't wait to show it off to her parents and the rest of the extended family of hers in the UK along with the wonderful Landry bag as well that you made and sent to me earlier. I am not sure if you may have got my email about the Laundry Bag.

I can see the time and dedication that went it to making the quilt and I have had the same reaction each time I have seem them overseas as well when they arrive to my soldiers.

So from me, my wife and the kids thank you so much again.

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Thank you very much for the amazing quilt!

I appreciate the time and effort you took to make it (and customize it!).  Thank you also for giving me some background on where it's from and your own family. I am also from country NSW so I appreciate the native country theme.

Keep up the good work ladies, we love it!

Thank you

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Dear Bridget,

Thank you so much for the awesome laundry bag! Its so cool and I can't wait to show it off to my mates. You brought such a smile to my face when I opened up that parcel, I am an absolute Marvel comics nut. This will bring a smile to my face everyvtime I do my laundry, making my day a lot better :)

Thankyou again and please pass my thanks on to Lisa K who started the laundry bag :)

Regards,

......

Good Afternoon Joan and Robin,

I am writing to express the deepest gratitude for the Laundry Bags you have sent to my section.

All members have now received their laundry bags, and it goes without saying, everyone is extremely chuffed at receiving a beautiful one-of-a-kind bag from yourselves.

We have been deployed to the MER for just over 6 mths now, so not long until we shall be heading home. It's safe to say these bags will be taken with us and are definitely something to look back on and use long after we have returned home.

Again, thank you for your efforts. All the best to you both, and to your son in the RAN.

Kind Regards, 

.....

Hi Helen,

Thank you for the laundry bag you sent me. It was a very nice surprise. Thank you for the effort you put into it, it looks awesome and I am using it immediately.

I’m glad you enjoy doing these sorts of things, and know it is much appreciated.

I have a wife and 3 older kids at home and receiving gifts from them and selfless people like you make being here easier without missing them too much.

Thanks again,

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Dear Julie-Ann,

I was delighted to receive your package, it was a great surprise. Thank you.

It was just as nice to see that it was made from someone from my home town, having grown up playing basketball for the Rockets out of XXXX and going to school not far from there. My parents still live down that way and i try to make it back for Christmas and special events.

Thank you for your time and sentiment, it's greatly appreciated by everyone that receives such a package.

I'm soon off this ship only to post to another in December.

kind regards,

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Good evening Lynn and Lorraine,

I just wanted to send you a quick note (and photo) to let you know that I recently received the wonderful quilt you both made for me - I love it :-) I particularly requested DC Comic Heroes as they are my son's favourites and I know how much he will appreciate inheriting his Dad's quilt on my return to Australia. I am married to my wonderful wife and we have four children. We currently live in Brisbane and have loved the city, climate and countryside. It is a most wonderful part of the world!!  I found out half way through my deployment to Iraq, that we are being posted to the USA (Maryland) next year for a period of 3 years, so that will be an interesting adventure for us all.

Thank you for taking the time to make me the quilt - it is very touching to have someone take the time to make something for you to remind you of home, when you are away from family and friends for such an extended period of time. 

God’s blessings to you both.

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Dear Janine

Thank you very much for the dobie bag and for the time and effort you spent making it for me, it really made my day when I received it! It's fantastic! Also thank you for the letter that was enclosed along with the bag, it brought a big smile to my face when I read that you were " off to our little village post office to send it away", because my dad works in the XXXX Post Office! I could just picture him there, I will keep this bag always, as it is very special to me, of all the places in Australia from which I could have received an Aussie Hero item, this one came from home. 

Once again Janine, I thank you so so much, not only for giving up your time to make me this bag, but for making my day on the day that I received it.

I hope you and your family are well, and of course your little Staffie.

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

Jan-Maree