Grati-Tuesday 26th

Hi all, I hope you all had a happy day yesterday and another good one today. 

We have some great messages today so take a moment to sit back and have a read!

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Hi Jenny N,

I can't thank you enough for the amazing laundry bag that arrived the other day!

I LOVE IT!!!!

The fabric choices are fantastic; the flag is great; and those camels are the cutest little dromedaries in the world! I just love the little blanket and the sequin eyes- such intricate detail! Your craftsmanship is excellent, and this bag will certainly stand the test of time.

I've been in the Air Force for 9 years, and so far it's taken me on some pretty great adventures.

This one's been the longest and most difficult though.  I'm looking forward to getting home to Canberra to my boyfriend, our house, our garden, and my friends. Then I'll pop down to Melbourne for a bit to see my family, who I don't see nearly as much as I wish I did.

Here is a picture of me with the bag out the front of our Australian HQ on the base.

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Dear Cathy.

Firstly I would like to say a big thank you to you for the quilt that you have made me, I honestly love it, the design you have chosen is perfect, I am a massive Star Wars fan.

A bit about myself. I am 31, I will celebrate my birthday in Feb, another one away from home, since joining the Navy nearly 15 years ago I think I have spent maybe 4 at home, but that is just part and parcel of the job.

I am a Chief Petty Officer Marine Technician with a focus on Electrical systems, I am in a management positon and have about 20 personnel working for me, so I don’t get to get on the tools as much as I used to, but I still enjoy what I do.

I was born and grew up in a small country town in NSW, it is a beautiful little place with a population of around 1000, I never wanted to leave, but, as I have found out from a lot of my old friends, if you don’t leave then you never will, and I always had a burning desire to see the world.

My father pushed me towards the services, I always wanted to be a chef but there was no work at home for me, and it was going to take about 12 months before I could of joined the Army, so Navy won that race and I have never looked back, I will be celebrating my 15 years of service while away on this trip as well so that is a very big milestone for me.

Again, thank you for the effort you have put into the quilt, it really is amazing, and to be able to fit that in along with the school work and report marking is amazing.

I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends, good food and great presents.

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Dear Ruth,

I just received the laundry bag you made for me and I just wanted to say thank you. Mine was the one with the puppies and the kittens. I’m glad you enjoyed making it, it definitely made my day receiving it. I have a big ginger kitty named Teddy and we’ve always had dogs. I’m a huge animal person so the bag was perfect.

I’m 25 years old Maritime Warfare Officer and I joined the navy in 2011. My dad is also a naval officer and will have been in 32 years in January; I joined the navy on the weekend of his 25^th year reunion. My dad deployed to the same conflict that I’m on now 16 years ago, right after 9/11. I remember standing on the wharf waving goodbye then welcoming him home 7 months later, and now I’m getting the chance to be on the other side myself. This is the longest I’ll have ever been away from my partner, our cat and my family but we’re a bit luckier than we were 16 years ago. We have emails and a satellite phone so we’re not completely isolated.

The bag was a really nice part of a busy day. I hope you had a great day wherever you are whatever you’re doing. I hope you have a fabulous Christmas filled with family and friends. While I won’t be with my actual family this year I’m still lucky enough to be surrounded by friends and (my navy family).

Many happy returns,

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Hello Julie,

I am writing to thank you for the wonderful care package you have sent me including the laundry bag! You have done a brilliant job and it will be getting a lot of use whilst i am away as well as back home. Your kindness and generosity is appreciated.  I hope you and your family have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! Thank you again for your hard work, generosity and support!

Regards, 

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Good Evening Kaye,

Thank you very much for the laundry bag! It's absolutely awesome, all the guys and girls at 2 Squadron love the work you have all done over the past 3 years.

Unfortunately our dates did get mixed up but nonetheless cannot give enough thanks. 

Have a Happy Christmas!

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Dear Shirley and Noel,

Thank you for your generosity, I absolutely love my Star Wars laundry bag and quilt. I am glad we share a common interest, I grew up under the influence of my Dad who made it his goal to make me a fellow Star Wars fanatic. Mum and Dad saw the recent addition to the Star Wars story last week and they said it was just amazing. I myself hope to avoid all spoilers until my return to Australia.

It amazes me the amount of work you must put into Aussie Hero quilts and I can honestly say it has been appreciated and adored by all Australian troops here. We are so spoilt! I am half way through my time here in Afghanistan and I have learnt a great deal to develop my skills as a medic. Like what you and the Aussie Hero Quilts team do, we also play a major part in maintaining morale when things get a little tough, so thanks for being part of our team making our jobs much easier.

Please have a lovely Christmas with your family with the knowledge you have made many people very happy this year. Good fortune for 2018!

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Hello Julie,

I was lucky enough to receive your parecel you had kindly made for me!

I can't thank you enough for the time and effort you put in to making this for me!

The work that yourself and your team do is amazing, it makes being over here all worth it knowing that awesome people like yourself are back home! Australia is such a wonderful place full of wonderful people, we are very fortunate to have what we have!

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and hope your son is able to make it home with you guys!

Thanks again

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Hi kay 

I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to make me such a uniquely beautiful quilt. When i opened the parcel containing the eureka quilt i was the envy of the platoon - many of my colleagues continued to come back for a second look. it really did make my week. I have since returned back to Australia safe and sound and have seen more eureka flags then ever which i think is great. the quilt now hangs proudly in my home for all guests to admire. Sorry it took so long to thank you i lost your contact details whilst in transit thanks again wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Many thanks 

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Dear Ruth                                                                                                                                                                     

I am the lucky recipient of the laundry bag you made earlier this year.  I wish to convey to you how pleased I am with the laundry bag, it’s terrific, and much better than I’d hoped for.

This is my third deployment to the Middle East (and my most comfortable).  I’ve previously deployed to Afghanistan where conditions are austere and the weather even more extreme that the usual middle east hot days and cool nights.  I received your laundry bag a month ago but I was going through a rough patch of work at the time, so I elected to hold off opening the box until I was ready.  I’m glad I did, your laundry bag lifted my spirits and was a source of much discussion around my accommodation block when I was showing it off.  I think it’s the pride of the laundry block!

I was glad to hear you’re a POWER fan – someone has to be!

I thank you for your substantial contribution of time and skill towards the welfare of those of us fortunate enough to deploy and serve our country.  I wish you well.

Ruth, you’re an inspiration to us, thank you for the wonderful laundry bag, I will treasure it always.

Kindest regards,

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Dear Joy,

Firstly, a big thank you for my amazing quilt, I understand that this quilt would have been extremely difficult to make and the craftsmanship is second to none!  Secondly, I must thank you for the accompanying letter.  It was extremely heartfelt and made me exceptionally thankful for people like you.

There were two reasons for asking for such a colourful quilt.  Firstly, it is being used to brighten up my room, as it was very dreary.  Secondly, my wife and I are just about to have our first child, and I think this will be a great addition to their playpen/crib.  I have already sent pictures of the quilt to my wife, who is ecstatic with the design and now wants to start making quilts herself.

My gratitude to you is unfathomable; as it is people like you that support my team in our times of need.  I thank you for your effort, continued generosity and selflessness in giving up your time and money, it means a lot to us.  

Thanks you once again,

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Good morning Ruth,

May I start by saying thank you for the wonderful laundry bag.  I can totally appreciate the pain it may have caused you being a Power supporter.

The colour and style is perfect and brought an instant smile to my face, certainly has, and will continue to brighten my day.

I have been here in the Middle East now for about 2 ½ months, it has gone rather quickly, but like all of us, I certainly miss my family and three children.

Must keep running and get back to work, once again thank you.

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Dear Bridget,

Thank you for the amazing quilt.  I was so excited to receive it and it came in good time before Christmas. 

My team and I are responsible for ensuring all of the soldiers, airmen and sailors in the Middle East are paid correctly and ensure all of their housing, meal allowances etc are administered effectively.  We have fifteen soldiers in our small office and whenever a quilt has arrived for them, it really brings up our morale and makes us smile.  For this we are truly appreciative and I thank you dearly.

I enlisted in the Army at the age of twenty, and prior to this I spent a year living and working in London.  I am an avid traveler and have visited twenty seven countries to date (I think).  Funnily enough, I also worked at McDonalds McCafe when I was at University before enlisting.  I enjoyed that job too.

Forty years of nursing is impressive, and I hope that you had a great and fulfilling career in the industry.  My sister is a nurse at the Gold Coast hospital (where I am from) and she has recently finished her Masters Degree in Nursing.  I have big shoes to fill and am also studying a Bachelors Degree in Business, wishing to major in Human Resources and Management.

Once again, I thank you for your generosity and for bringing a smile to my face.  I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year.

Peace and love,

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Dear Bridget,

Thank you for making the fantastic quilt you sent to me!  It was waiting for me when I got back from a trip out of country.  It is better that I could have hoped for!  It is the envy of many of the team over here who are now wishing they had personalised their quilts a little more.  It has also inspired a few for their quilt designs.

You have done an incredible job getting the badges and emblems just right, but I have still not figured out how you hot the lettering so neat!

I can’t thank you enough for what you have done for me and what you are doing for our deployed troops.  I have noticed that whenever I visit the troops in their accommodation blocks (usually either bombproof concrete buildings or armoured containers stacked on top of each other, and 1-4 people per room), the rooms are usually brightened by a dazzling and colourful array of quilts from Aussie Hero Quilts.  Some are personalised for the individual, some (a lot!) depict sporting teams, and some are just intricate patterns.  Some of the quilts are used on the beds, some hang on the walls and some are used to create a barrier to make least a little privacy in the cramped accommodation.  They are all very much appreciated and the subject of much banter.

I have also written separately to Jan-Maree to thank her for her tremendous effort and great talent in putting the whole program together.

Yours faithfully,

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Dear Clarissa,

Firstly, a big thank you for my amazing laundry bag.  I understand that this laundry bag would have been extremely difficult to make, and the craftsmanship is second to none!  Secondly, I must thank you for the accompanying letter.  It was extremely heartfelt and made me exceptionally thankful for people like you.

There were two reasons for asking for such a colourful laundry bag.  Firstly, it is being used to brighten up my room, as is was very dreary.  Secondly, my wife and I are just about to have our first child, and I think will be a great addition to their playpen/crib.  I have already send pictures of the laundry bag to my wife who is ecstatic with the design and now wants to start making sewn goods herself.

A bit about myself and what we are doing over here.  I have been in the Australian Army for 15 years as a Communications Officer.  My team and I are currently deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.  We are on a six month tour and hope to better the communications support over here by upgrading the technology currently used.  I am extremely proud of our accomplishments thus far and hope to continue this into the next four months.

My gratitude to you is unfathomable; as it is people like you that support my team in our times of need.  I thank you for your effort, continued generosity and selflessness in giving up your time and money, it means a lot to us. 

Your family sounds like what I want in the future.  Lots of dogs, chooks and we hope a menagerie of farm animals.  

Thank you once again,

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Hi Ruth, 

My son is serving in the Middle East with the ADF.  I am guessing that you were the one that sent him a laundry bag which we greatly appreciate.

This isn’t the first time he has been away over Christmas, but it doesn’t get any easier for my wife and I.

Anyway, thank you for making his time away a bit easier for him.

I know he is very proud of the support everyone back in Australia is giving him and his mates.

Hope you and your family have a safe and lovely Christmas.

Regards,

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Dear Beverley,

Thank you so very much!!! The amazing quilt and laundry bag that you so generously put your time and effort into has been a highlight of my tour.  I cannot express how much it means, and the gratitude I have for you and all the amazing quilters that work as part of Aussie Hero Quilts.  One of my colleagues here told me how much time and effort goes into each quilt, I feel very fortunate to have people such as yourself looking out for me and the other guys currently deployed.

I love the fact that the material for this quilt has travelled the roads of Australia with you, what a cool story.  As a keen lawn bowls player myself I think playing the random and isolated greens of Australia to be an awesome idea, one I might steal if you don’t mind?

This is my second deployment, my last being an 8 month tour in Afghanistan in  2012-13 where I worked with the US and Canadians mentoring the Afghan Army on supply chain operations, a very rewarding job indeed.  During this deployment, I have run the Joint Movement Control Office.  This has been both a challenging and rewarding experience.  

Thank you so very much, I wish you and your husband all the happiness, and hope that you enjoy your next adventure.

Kindest and warmest regards,

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Hi Tamsin how are you going?

Thank you very much for the RAEME Quilt. It looks amazing. Your husband is going to have to get you to make him one for his man cave.

I am currently in Afghanistan and it started to snow here the other day so it will definitely come in handy as it is starting to get really cold.  

Your husband will be happy to know we still use the saying ‘Twist To Open’ but haven’t heard ‘Fix ‘n’ Fight’ for a while.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thank you once again I love the quilt,

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Dear Bev and Geoff,

Thank you very much for my quilt. It is absolutely lovely. I love how it came together with all the colours. It is a pity that it gets hidden if I keep it on my bed (it folds up during the day). I can appreciate the love and care that went into it as I am a quilter myself. Hopefully one day I may run into you at one of the craft shows, then I will be able to thank you in person.  I will send through a photo one we have taken them and loaded them onto the computer system.

The quilt will be getting a lot of use as it is quite chilly at night here (coming into winter it is about 25deg so can’t complain too much). 

Thank you for the effort you put into making quilts for our deployed members. They bring a lot of joy with them when the guys get to see what they have had made for them and it brightens up our mess decks with the different quilts and laundry bags.

Hope you have a great Christmas

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Dear Leanne, 

 You wonderful, most amazing human. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for the quilt you have made me. I just received your parcel including the quilt I requested through Aussie Hero Quilts. You would not believe the difference it has made to my room. 

 I was very moved by your letter and so honoured to have received one of your quilts. 110!! The quilts that you and the other quilters make are the source of so much joy (and envy) around the camp. To have received it so close to Christmas makes it all the more special.

 I do hope you get to spend some quality time with your mum and family over Christmas and have plenty of cheer. Give your loved ones a hug from all of us over here. I do hope you have a blast on your cruise and your visit to Ireland. That all sounds very exciting. 

 I can't say thank you enough for the quilt. 

 Stay safe and keep up the amazing work.

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Hey Jan,

Received the quilt and the laundry bag the other day and have already put them both to good use. Really appreciate Maree putting in the time and effort to make both of these for me. It really has helped make things on here a little better. Oh and thank you so much for the TimTams, was a very unexpected surprise. Cheers and take care.

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Beverly,

Thank you very much for the quilt and laundry bag, I was overwhelmed with how awesome it looked and placed it straight on my bed. I have placed the cards in and around my work area for high exposure to incoming troops.

I have been in the Army now since 1989, I enlisted because my father served in the CMF and grandparents on both sides served in previous wars, there is a strong Military history in my family and as such I am proud to say I serve my country and its people in any way even if it only makes a small difference. I also have a niece serving and nephew about to enlist in Army.

The support from your organisation is humbling to say the least, my moral hit the roof, as your parcel arrived yesterday, so now my room looks nice and bright.

Once again thank you for the time and effort you have taken to do theses kind acts, I hope you and your family have a safe and merry Christmas break and new year.

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Dear Robyn,

I am writing to pass on my sincerest thanks for the wonderful Laundry Bag that you kindly made for me. It is perfect. Better than I had hoped for. I particularly like the image of the Mighty FFH 152 Warramunga: The finest fighting frigate in the Australian Fleet. At the moment I am unable to send a photo but I’ll work on it.

We left home on the 8^th of October and won’t be home until mid 2018. We’ll be operating in a huge patrol area throughout the middle east region. It’s a long time to be away from family and friends. That’s why little acts of kindness like the package I received from you mean so much to us here. That was a luxury that men like your brother unfortunately didn’t receive. It means a great deal to have the support of our countrymen back home whilst we are on the other side of the world flying the flag and working hard to contribute to the security and justice in foreign lands. It helps me to justify my absence from the family to  myself, particularly over the Christmas period.

On that note, I hope you have a lovely Christmas back in Australia. As usual, I believe it is going to be a hot one. We are all really hopeful to get some coverage of the boxing day test match on board, but as yet we have been unable to receive any of the Ashes series. I hear we are giving the poms a good licking.

Thank you again and Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Warm Regards,

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Hi Chris,

Firstly I want to say thank you so much for the generosity of your gift. The laundry bag is awesome & I appreciate the time gone into making it for me. I'm halfway through my deployment & it will get plenty of use. I'm not sure my baby blues will beat Essendon or Melbourne this year but maybe in the future.

 It's obviously a hard time of year to be away but I look forward to seeing them all in the new year.

It sounds like you are a very busy person with family engagements as well as supporting the local community. May you & your family have a great christmas. I hope you all enjoy the festivities & each other's company. Really cherish this special time together and make some everlasting memories.

Once again I just want to say thank you so much & I've attached a photo to put a face to the person.

Thanks,

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Dear Robyn,

Firstly, I would like to send my appreciations for your time and efforts in creating a beautiful quilt. Thank you!!

It’s not only amazing getting some love and appreciation from back home, but it’s very heart-warming to read a letter and get to know who you are and where you come from.

I can’t thank you enough for what you have created. It really does suit who I am and I absolutely love it. The detail you have included in the quilt is just remarkable. I am also based out of Sydney (for the time being) so it is lovely to see you’re from Penrith, not too far away. Please send my thanks to your friend Keryn for helping out with creating the quilt, you both have exceeded my expectations.

It’s an honour to be onboard HMAS Warramunga and involved with Operation MANITOU. We pride ourselves as being the Finest Fighting Frigate in the Royal Australian Navy. Although, it is sad to be away from our loved ones, I am very lucky that we have an amazing and professional crew, so the way I see it, I am indeed with my family.

When I have some more time, I will arrange a photo to be taken of me with the quilt and forward it to you.

Thank you again for your kindness and I wish you, Michael and the rest of your family a very Happy Christmas.

Yours Aye,

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Hi Jan-Maree, 

I just received my gorgeous laundry bag (made by Jean) in the mail and it made my day!! It is so beautiful! I have already christened it with a load of washing and it is just perfect, I have already had so many compliments on it as well!

Thank you so much to you and all the lovely caring people you work with! 

Kind regards, 

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I cannot thank you enough for the quilt we just received, my son Riley will have a very special Christmas indeed.   Thank you for all you do, you make the sacrifice that much easier.

Merry christmas and big hugs from a very happy 2 1/2 year old, Riley.

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Hello Jan-Maree and team!

I have just received a care package containing a masterpiece of a quilt! I am honored to have received one of your quilts and look forward to using it during my deployment in Iraq. Please extend my thanks to Norma and Philomena for their hard work!

As a previous follower on social media I have always been proud of the work you and your organization does for our troops. To be on the receiving end of your work has put a massive smile on my face and those around me. Rest assured that your kindness, generosity and selflessness is appreciated over here.

I wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas filled with joy, happiness and good times!

Thank you,

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Sue,

Thank you for your recent parcel containing a quilt made by yourself. 

I was very impressed with the quality of the work; however, more so, the willingness of people such as yourself to take the time to conduct this wonderful work on behalf of our Service men and women. You would be amazed at the sense of pride they are filled with every time a new quilt or laundry bag arrives, you really make their day.

Whilst it can be difficult for members to be away from home for extended periods, it's great to know that we have the support of the Australian public, namely people such as yourself.

This is my 26th year in the service, and to be honest, never get tired of pulling on this uniform each morning.

Finally, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas on behalf of the entire Air Task Group 630 airmen and women, and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Love your work - you're truly making a difference. There should be something in the post for you in the New Year, so apologies for the delay.

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Dear Jo,

Thank you very much for the beautiful quote that I received. It is very touching to know there is so much support out there. This was my fourth time in Middle East but first time away from all three of my kids and my wife which made it all the more difficult. Please keep doing what you’re doing as it is very much appreciated knowing that there is the support at home and the sight of your quilt bought a tear to my wife’s eye.

Thank you and hope that you have a merry Christmas.

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Hi Catherine

I just want to take the time out to say a big thank you for the laundry bag. It’s such a kind gesture and it made my day receiving it on Christmas day.

Sound like you have an amazing family and you are truly a kind hearted person. 

Thank you again you don’t know how much these little thing mean to the guys over here, we don’t get thanked much for want we do and we don’t expected it, but receiving these items that so much care has gone into, the letter and card makes us know that people back home are thinking of us. 

I would like to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and a safe new year.

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

Jan-Maree xx