Grati-Tuesday 16 May 17

Grab a cuppa and enjoy these messages.

I am off to write covering letters and address labels so that we can pack a few quilts on Thursday... See photo below.

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Dear Margaret,

A big thank-you for the quilt I received in the mail the other day. I love it, it is totally fantastic and the work you have done I really appreciate....it put a big smile on my face for the day......the quilt is everything that I was wishing for....the chocolates and puzzle book is also greatly appreciated......I have attached a photo of myself with the quilt for you.....

My background, I am in the Royal Australian Navy as a Nursing Officer...been in the navy now for 30 years.....

The work you have is absolutely perfect and the colours are amazing as well.....

Please take care and keep up the great work you do......

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Good morning Clarissa,

it is with profound thanks that I am writing to you for the time and skill you have applied in creating my wonderful washing bag I received through 'Aussie hero quilts' today. Your interpretation of my request for a Dr. Who-themed bag put a much needed smile on my face and a few whimsical thoughts in my head of home life in Australia. Thank you.

Thank you also for sharing a little of your family life with me through your letter. You sound like a very active and engaged family who contributes to the community and Australia across multiple fields and disciplines for the betterment of all - well done! I am humbled that you have been able to spend time sewing for me and the other members of the deployed ADF forces.

I also noted that you are a military family yourselves and therefore share the pride whilst enduring the pain of absence from sending loved ones away on operations and exercises. My appreciation go to you and your family for your own sacrifices in your support and service of and to our sailors, soldiers and airmen. I've been in the Air Force now for over 32 years - yes, I love it! As a result, I'm somewhat institutionalised I guess, but believe that the ADF really does look after and prioritise its people very well. I've moved around a fair bit over the years and found excellent community support and respect everywhere I have 'landed'. There have been a lot of changes over my time, but I am pleased that  the Services have marched in parallel to recognise the individual and the team just as much as the mission. I hope your father-in-law managed to participate in the ANZAC Day March, it always fills me with an incredible amount of pride and unfettered emotion to see and participate with our veterans young and not so young alike - the Spirit of ANZAC is a tangible thing.

Thank you once again for my Dr Who laundry bag - I smile every time I see it!

Kind regards,

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Dear Jan-Maree and Sherrie

I am currently deployed on HMAS Arunta. I was lucky enough to have received the most wonderful kombi and glasshouse Mountain themed quilt.  I fell in love with the quilt the moment i saw it, so to yourself and Sherrie, thank you so much.   The support we have received from all charities and especially Aussie Hero Quilts has been overwhelming and greatly appreciated. You've made my fellow crew members and my days brighter.

Again from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of my journey.

I will never forget the generosity of the wonderful charity you started.

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Hello Jean, 

Firstly I'd like to thank you for the wonderful laundry bag you made for me. I love it.  It is such an amazing thing that you guys at Aussie Heroes do, its very special receiving something from back home whilst on deployment. 

I live in QLD, (close to Ipswich), i have been in the RAAF for 8 years serving as an Airfield Defence Guard. I recently got back from my deployment which was 7 months. I was excited to be finally home, seeing my partner and my fur baby, i missed everyone.

Thank you once again for the laundry bag. I really appreciate it! 

Kind regards,

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Dear Sandy A

I am in the Infantry Corps and I have received your lovely laundry bag. I really like the design, colour and pattern which is what made me choose that one. I am currently in Malaysia with my unit doing various training activities mainly in the jungle. This is my first time spending time overseas and the thought of people caring and thinking of us helps us maintain morale, so thank you I consider you, Sandy, and Trevor, to be Heroes. I also work in Adelaide at RAAF base Edinburgh. I only recently moved down there from Sydney at the Start of the year and I am really enjoying it there.  

Thank you again for thinking of us. 

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Hello Debbie,

Thank you so much for the quilt and laundry bag, this made my day today. It is better than I ever thought.

I'm glad that you and your children are close, I hope after this I don't have to spend this amount of time away from mine again. I have been in the RAAF for 4 years now and have a four year old daughter and wife at home.

Thank you again it really does mean a lot,

Ps makes my room not feel like a hospital room now lol

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G'day Ruth,

I'm a recipient of an Aussie Hero Laundry Bag that you made for me. Firstly thank you so much! I absolutely love it. There's a hard copy letter on it's way to you somewhere between the middle east and south Australia so I won't waffle on too much but just wanted to share this photo with you as I couldn't print it. Thank you again! You are incredible for what you do for all of us.

Kind regards, 

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Hi Sue,

Just wanted to drop you a quick email expressing my thanks for the wonderful quilt and laundry bag you sent me, upon reading the letter I realized the effort that went into getting the materials was somewhat more adventurous then just a quick trip down to the local Spotlight, something that I'm very grateful for, both to your family immediate and extended, please pass my gratitude on to your nephew's family . (and the shirt fits fine)

So I'm from Toowoomba, up in the sunshine state but currently posted to the 7th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, we a located in Adelaide so that where I live along with my wife ( who's a Kiwi as well) and Son.  I've been in the army 7 years now and still loving it. My wife never lets it go unsaid when you beat us in the rugby lol

So the reason for me following NFL, well as a young fella I played rugby league in QLD for almost 10 years once I was out of school I joined the army, I then posted to Adelaide and being an AFL mad state they don't really play NRL nor watch it therefore I fell out of the game abit, On my first trip to Afghanistan in 2012 my mate who was mad about NFL got me into it, ever since ive been a fan and picked The Greenbay Packers probably most because of the colors being Green and Gold.

Life here is different, makes you appreciate Australia a lot more, even simple things like having everyone know a basic set of road rules that everyone obeys (subject to State)

Once again thank you so much for your lovely work, the boys here appreciate the work you and all the other ladies do a great deal, A little taste of home is always nice. Ill try to get a picture back to you of myself  with the quilt and laundry bag 

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Dear Rosemary.

Thank you very much for your kind gesture. It was a very nice surprise and much appreciated....

It is very nice to read your story and hear what you do for the troops.  You'd never believe how much a small package with a laundry bag and a parcel of timtams can turn our day around out here!  The morale it brings to us is amazing.  So I thank you very much.

I am 23 years old and also from Adelaide originally, my mother still lives there.  I joined the army in May 2015, so in a short space of time I am surprised to be overseas already serving our country.

Once again I'd like to thank you for your kindness and support..

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Dear Shirley,

I am currently serving on HMAS Arunta.

I have been very blessed and I received a beautiful kombi laundry bag sewn by you,

I just wanted to send this card to say that it was the most wonderful gift, and

I am so grateful for all your time and effort.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I hope your repairs to you home are going well.

Once again, thank you so much.

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Hi Pennie,

  

Firstly I must start with a very sincere apology for my extreme tardiness in sending this thank you for making my laundry bag.

[Stupidly] I did not sign up for a laundry bag until very late in my deployment but I can advise that both the laundry bag and myself are now safely back in Australia. I saw numerous bags received whilst I was deployed and although I may be very biased the Dr Who themed bag I received was clearly the best one.

I love it! It is so evident that you have a love of all things Dr Who that likely exceeds my own. I also have no doubt that your own son will love his. Interestingly my youngest son is also in the Air Force and currently lives in Adelaide.

It is very humbling to receive the bag from someone I have never met, the thought that you would put so much effort into making something for somebody you have also never met is amazing. I truly appreciate the time and effort that you have put into the bag and I will treasure it as a souvenir of my deployment and will take it on my next one - which will be my last!

I did not take an extended period of leave post my return to Australia, something which I am now about to address with an extended touring holiday including parts of your own lovely state starting tomorrow. 

I wish you all the best with your fabric 'habit' and your continued service to the community as an emergency nurse.

Kind Regards

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Greetings Janeene,

I am indeed doing well on my deployment so far. It has been something quite different for myself, this being my first deployment.

Thank you very much for the great laundry bag. North Melbourne aren’t doing so well this year, but I do still love them through all the bad times… Of which North seems to have a decent share of in the last 17 years.

I think that what you and the rest of the Aussie Hero Quilt & Laundry Program members do is amazing. It meant a great deal to me to receive the North Melbourne and Disney themed laundry bag and it meant a great deal to my team to get to munch down some Tim Tams. It made me feel great pride to be representing good people like yourself.

I married the woman of my dreams last year after 7 years together and we have a fur child, puppy named. Unfortunately this deployment has meant that I will miss our first wedding anniversary, but hopefully I will be back in time for my wife’s birthday. 

Once again thank you for your generosity and hard work. It means a great deal to me and I am sure it means a great deal to everyone else you have made either a quilt or laundry bag for.

Thanks again!

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Hi Ruth,

It was with great pleasure and surprise that I received your package in the mail. I would like to thank you for the laundry bag that you have made for me the quality of work is exceptional, almost too good to use, the laundry bag depicts me down to the ground, I love fishing and the outdoors so thank you I really love it, I especially love the initials it adds a very personal touch. As you know we are away from our families & friends for quite a long time and any mail that we receive is always appreciated, especially when it has surprises in it.

I would also like to thank you for the Tim Tam’s, I absolutely love Tim Tams and so does the rest of my section, so from all of us thank you. 

Once again Ruth thank you for the laundry bag, I know that everybody that receives one really appreciates the effort and time that you put in to provide us with an excellent product, this is my fifth deployment and believe it or not is the first time that I’ve actually requested a laundry bag, I now wish I requested one earlier.

Thank you for all your efforts, I really appreciate it.

Sincerely, 

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Hi

Our deployed son just received his quilt and laundry bag which he is extremely proud of.  We received a photo of the quilt on his bed and of the laundry bag.  What joy AHQ have given to brighten up his bed.   I am retiring from a family business later this year and will be putting up my hand to help out to give joy to other deployed soldiers.

With kind regards. 

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Dear Colleen and Aussie Hero Quilts Team,

Thank you so much for my laundry bag!  The colours are just fantastic it will really brighten up my room!  I’m sure it will get jealous looks when I walk the 100m or so to the laundry facility here to do my washing.

It absolutely made my day to receive this in the post and to know that there are people like you thinking about us back home.

Thank you also for the journal, such a lovely gift along with the bag!

We really appreciate all that you ladies do, something so simple really means the world to us.

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Great messages as always.

and now back to those covering letters.....

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

Jan-Maree xxx