Aussie Hero Quilts Annual Thank You Dinner

Oh what a night!

Saturday night was the Annual Aussie Hero Quilts Thank You Dinner. What a great night it was! 

I would say the night was a huge success.... and there are a lot of people to thank.  So many people went out of their way to make the night a success.. whether it be spreading the word about the night, setting up the room, preparing the table decorations, buying the tea, coffee etc, providing the deserts, printing table brochures or packing up at the end of the night, too many things to remember. 

Thank you to all of you who helped out before, during and after the dinner. You are so appreciated. 

Didn't the room look wonderful.  Huge thanks to all of the team who worked on the room on Saturday morning to get it ready for the night. You really went above and beyond to  achieve the end result.   

How good do the quilts look on display. 

Below we had quilts spread over the billiards table and auction items displayed on top of the quilts.

We had laundry bags on display as well, so much colour in the room.

Our evening started with our MC, Chaplain Mark Willis, calling a few Lucky Door Prizes out.  All through the night, names were called in batches of five until the eighty lucky door prizes were given out to delighted recipients.  

Huge thanks to one of our lovely recipients, Ben, for your help handing out the prizes.  BZ mate!

Chaplain Robyn Kidd delivered the Acknowledgement of Country and then delivered a wonderful grace before the entrees were served.

Then it was time for me to deliver my speech...

Next came CAPT Phil Henry, the last commanding officer of HMAS Darwin.  Phil spoke about the impact of the quilts and the laundry bags arriving with the mail at each port when HMAS Darwin was deployed on Operation Manitou and how it also felt when his own quilt and laundry bag arrived.

Our third speaker was Dave, a recipient with a very special story. 

He gave a very moving speech but you really had to be there to hear it.

Then it was time for our Live Auction. Award winning auctioneer and military spouse, Alec Brown, was kind enough to donate his services and he did a wonderful job!

First up we had the beautiful Centenary of Armistice Quilt  made by Lynn and Wendy and displayed here by Invictus Gold Medalist Ben Farinazzo... 

The winning bidders were Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, AO, DSC, and Mrs Louise Hupfield, seen here with Wendy and Lynn.  

The special print from the War Poppy Collection, "Daddy's Home", donated and signed by the artist, Jacqueline Hurley from the UK was won by the Regimental Sergeant Major - Army, Warrant Officer Grant McFarlane and Mrs Tracey mcFarlane.

Ben Fariazzo again assisted Alec with the Auction of the 2018 Aussie Hero Signature Quilt made by Sandy C.  This hotly contested item was eventually won by one of our volunteers, Lauren, and her husband.

The next two paintings were created just for us and they were painted by Len Smith, a member of my RSL Sub-Branch but also an artist and philanthropist.  The first one was won by Mrs Louise Hupfeld 

and the second was won by Michael, one of our recipients.

Another hotly contested auction item was the right to commission an Aussie Hero Quilt and that was eventually won by Ashley, and his wife, and a past recipient, Kasey.  Congratulations to them. 

Bev U presented Alec with his own laundry bag for helping us to achieve record prices for our Auction Items!

There were quite a number of Silent Auction Items... teddy bears, ANZAC Biscuits, signed Newcastle Jetts Jerseys, an  Aussie laundry bag, an ANZAC Themed laundry bag and the right to commission an Aussie Hero Laundry Bag... many of the items very popular.  They all went to good home but too many to individually mention. 

My quilt group, the Gumnut Quilters had donated a quilt for us to raffle and Anna C did a fabulous job selling the tickets.  Anne was the eventual winner and was delighted to pack it in her suitcase and take it home to Tasmania. 

At the end of the night this quilt was presented to WO1 Andrew Shore,  the Regimental Sergeant Major Royal Military College - Duntroon as a thank you for welcoming us into the Sergeants' Mess.  The quilt was a joint effort with the RMC crest being created by Gail and the rank embroideries being created by Arthur and the rest of the work being completed by Bridget. 

In the end we sold 178 tickets to the dinner and I think I can safely say that the night was a great success, judging by the feedback I have received so far.   If you weren't there you missed a good night!

Bruce and Rhonda R and Caroline L

Jo H-S, Jo H and Di G

Lynn and Arthur, Lisa R, Wendy F and Jeanette G

Lynn and Arthur, Lisa R, Wendy F and Jan A

Jan A

Dot and Di R.... the makers of the ANZAC themed laundry bag that was auctioned. 

Susan M (designer of our wonderful new logo) and Charlie (mastermind, along with Lauren, behind our new Website (not yet launched but it is coming)

Caroline L with Melissa and Jessica L

Ben and Michael

Clarissa, Gail and Joan McK

Some of the WPH ladies, Clarissa, Bev U, Bridget, Gail, Joan McK and our newest recruit, Ashleigh

Stacey, Karl (Maree J one of your recipients) and Rich.... 

Alan and Joy... Joy created 90 mini tissue packet holders that were placed around the tables... they were just gorgeous and all made out of scraps she said were too small for quilts.  The best part is that I bet a few of the tissues were needed during the night....

Gerry and Ellen N

Gail and Bronwyn, 

Myself and our guest speaker Dave...

With Bronwyn who snuck down to Canberra to surprise me by being here for the weekend... what a wonderful surprise that was...

Kelly, Stacey and Bec....

Caroline, Alison and Caroline L

Morgan and Dave

Monika and Cassandra

Our Magnificent MC, Chaplain Mark Willis and his wife Lisa 

Leanne and Alan

Fiona and Robyn H

Phil and Janet 

Anne D and James 

Chaplain Darren Jaensch and his wife Julie with Jean B

Lou and Rita C

Ashley, Cath H, Kasey, Sid and Michael

Sheena and Alan

Caroline L, Lynn and Di G

Lynn and Wendy 

Caroline L and Rich

Mal F and Kate E

Mary and Barry 

Dennis and Shelley

Chief of the Air Force, Air Marshal Leo Davies, AO, CSC and Mrs Rhonda Davies

Andrew and Stef

Myself and BRIG Rupert Hoskin, Commandant of RMC.  I made Rupert's quilt and it now hangs proudly in the foyer of his home.  

If you missed the night can I suggest that you start thinking about joining us for next year's dinner.  Planning has already started and there were an awful lot of people who said they would be back for it next year so they must have had a good weekend. 

Again, a HUGE HUGE HUGE thanks to all those who contributed to the success of the entire thank you weekend.  It really would not have been possible without your contribution.

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

Jan-Maree xx