Grati-Tuesday 13 August 19

Hey all,  

Every now and then we get an extra special message... this is one of those days.. 
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One of our recipient's won the silent auction at our dinner for the right to commission a laundry bag which he requested be made for his wife..... Nicknamed SLAM, that laundry bag is now on her biggest deployment..... 

Welcome to the world beautiful little one....



And Dad's laundry bag, AL, is a long way from where he first did duty in Iraq...
I think he prefers this duty.... 

Congratulations on your beautiful little bundle SLAM and AL.  
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A  couple of weeks ago we handed over 230 laundry bags to HMAS Brisbane. we have already started to receive some lovely messages so it is good to know they have begun to be handed out.  Sit back and relax and enjoy all the messages. 

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Good evening Helen,

Firstly, I would like to thank you for the beautiful laundry bag you made for me. It will be well used and appreciated. The designs on the bag, being of Aboriginal nature, speak volumes to myself being an Aboriginal man. It was lovely to see this among the choices, and I knew this would be the bag for me.

Secondly, thank you for being a member of Aussie Hero’s Quilts, it means a lot to myself and other servicemen and women. It does bring a little bit of cheer to us as we spend time away from our family and friends. It’s even more amazing that you are a member of multiple sewing groups and helping to bring that cheer to many other people, so thank you!

I’m glad you’ve had good experiences with your tours of the Navy ships. I still enjoy getting a tour on other ships that aren’t my own.

We’ve had so much to do in such a short amount of time, but it’s been a great journey and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’m currently on my second deployment and will be away for a number of months. My first deployment was over in Persian Gulf in 2017. I met a lot of great people while working there and learnt a lot.

I can’t believe you’re so active! Your family must find it hard to keep up with you. J I think we might have to make a few phone calls to get YOU recruited. Haha.

You’d be a great asset to the Australian Defence Force.

As you can imagine, they like to keep us fit as well. We have Physical Training sessions during the week and even do our own.

Yours sincerely,

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Hello Chris,

Firstly I would like to thank you for the amazing laundry bag you made, as soon as I saw Bob the Builder I had to have it. After 15 years serving in the Navy this is the first time I have received something from Aussie Hero Quilts and I have to commend you on the great work you do for our troops. Receiving a gift and a letter from someone such as yourself reminds us that we are doing the right thing and keeping our loved ones back home safe, thank you.

I have been in the Navy for 15 years, I grew up in  Sydney and I am fortunate to live back there. I currently serving on HMAS Brisbane as a Petty Officer and deploying for the few months. Our ships is the newest destroyer on the block and Australia’s most lethal defence asset, we have the capability to bring the best of the Navy to the fight and hit them hard. It’s an amazing feeling to serve on such a powerful vessel and fly the Australian flag.

I have been happily married to my wife for the past 8 years. In my 15 years in the Navy I have spent 13 of them at sea. Growing up on the ocean as a kid I am always drawn to the sea, I guess that’s why I have spent so much of my life away. There is something about the sea breeze and watching the sunset every day that never gets old no matter how many times you have seen it. In saying that, I have 18 more months attached to this ship then I am fortunate to have a posting ashore for 2 years. My wife is excited I must say.

I also enjoy watching cricket, we watched the first innings of the ashes yesterday. I must say the lads played well, fingers crossed we can take it home. I also love to snowboard, I have been all over the world chasing the winter. When it’s not snowing, I also enjoy playing golf with my Father. We manage to have a round nearly every time I’m home, it’s something that we can enjoy together. I have say though I’m not very good, but neither is he so it makes for a good laugh.

Thank you for everything that you and the team from Aussie Hero Quilts do, I will be honoured to use you laundry bag.

Kind Regards,
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Good Morning Chris,

I have been in the Navy for almost 12 years now which always keeps me busy.

I would like to thank you very much for my Daffy Duck laundry bag, we got these early on our 5 month trip so it will be put to good use!

 ..... this was such a lovely newsy letter but I did not feel I should share it as it was all personal but it is obvious that the recipient enjoyed the letter his volunteer included...

Thankyou, again for the laundry bag.

Regards,

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Dear Lesley,

Thank you so much for taking the time to sew me a laundry bag. I love it – the poppies and rising sun are great. It will be one of my special mementos from Afghanistan. I have been here for a few months and am looking forward to my mid-tour leave. I am married with 2 small children (5 & 6). My husband is at home at the moment keeping house while I am away. He is from Sydney and I grew up on the New South Wales coast north of Sydney.  You should be very proud of your son, what a great contribution he is making to the RAAF. The ladies and other volunteers who sew for AHQ make a big difference to deployed members. Thank you again for serving those who serve.

Kindest regards,

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G’day Jan-Maree,

I’m the Chief Petty Officer Combat Systems Manager on HMAS Brisbane.

Firstly, I’d like to say, thank you for your service, and thank you for the laundry bag I just received. You and your team do a fantastic job supporting current and past serving members.

We’re a few days into our deployment, and the crew have started received the laundry bags you provided us. A few of my troops were lucky enough to receive a personal letter, and are keen to respond over the coming days.

I last served operationally in 2009 (Middle East Area of Operations), so unfortunately you guys weren’t around at that time. I spoke to some of my troops this morning and they were telling me about when they received theirs, what the design was, and how they still have it onboard now, or given it to their little ones.

Please keep up to good work and know that the hard work you and your team put in is greatly appreciated by us all.

Kind regards,

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Hi Anne

Thanks so much for the quilt that arrived the other day! You're right, I am serving in South Sudan at present, and it is hot. Fortunately we do have air conditioning in the rooms, so the quilt is getting some use (it is always nice to sleep under weight).

I think the craftsmanship in the quilt is lovely – it is a skill that I could only aspire to. I am always impressed by anyone who has an artistic habit, and I appreciate the effort tin the stitching and design.

I think that the support that the AHQ group provides us is amazing, and I speak for many fellow serving soldiers in offering my humble thanks.

I wish you well in your retirement – it sounds like your retirement will be characterised by the same antics as my parents in law – although Peter plays golf exclusively!

I hope you manage to avoid the worst of the big freeze that we hear is coming to Southern parts of Australia.

Thanks again

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Hi Chris,

I received your lovely dobey-bag (laundry bag) back in June.

I’m so sorry it’s taken so long for me to thank you – I’ve had quite a lot on but we’re now on the tail end of our 8 week deployment in South East Asia.

I absolutely love the bag – it was picked out for me while I was away on my promotion course by a friend who knows I love pigs haha. My mum actually made be a bag a couple of years ago but I prefer yours as the draw string works better and my mum used a material with glitter on it (I often ended up with glitter on my uniforms).

Sounds like you have a very fit family! What sport is the Lions club? I’m not very sporty myself – quite clumsy really. I enjoy hiking though and participate in volleyball, netball and badminton whenever I can. On the ship, I go to the gym every morning and do weight lifting. I’m trying to increase my strength as I’m quite small but am part of our Fire & Emergency Party. I have the responsibility of carrying out casualties and conducting firefighting if necessary. So far, so good.

I live in Cairns currently, but I’m from WA. I just posted here this year so it’s been a bit daunting making new friends and learning about a whole new state. I love it though – so many things to do outdoors. It’s really beautiful and I’ve made a lot of friends on the Ship. I’m 24, an only-child and single – perfect for the Navy since we travel so much. It’s been an amazing journey so far. I love travelling and we’ve done a fair bit of that this year already.

It’s very touching to hear from you and to hear about your contributions to the community. Your work is truly appreciated and I wanted you to know how grateful I am for the bag and your letter.

Have a lovely weekend Chris and hopefully I’ll hear from you again soon.

Kind Regards,

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Hi Chris,

I am the senior Catering Manager for HMAS Brisbane, one the Navy’s newest DDGs recently built in Adelaide. I was born in Tasmania and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 2005 at the age of 18. I have now been in for 14 years and am on my 8^th deployment. I live in Sydney and the ship is based there; we are currently deployed over in the USA to conduct testing on our weapons systems and participate in other activities. We have only been away for a week so far but we will be away until the end of December which will be nearly a five month deployment. I received your laundry bag yesterday which brought me great joy to receive such a kind and heartfelt gift, along with you letter, so early into our trip. We sailed on a Sunday with families on the wharf which is always an extremely difficult time, so to receive this gift so early really makes being away and doing our job that little bit easier.

I also want to thank you for your support to the ADF and for participating/supporting special events such as ANZAC day and the lions club. You are an inspirational person who is clearly an important key member to the local community.

Again, thank you for the laundry bag and I hope this email finds you well and that you have fully recovered from your shoulder surgery.

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Doris, Barbara, Sylvia, Judy, Marilyn, Rhonnie, Lola, Cathy and Carol, and Jan-Maree (Aussie Hero Quilts)

Good morning, 

I am the Electronic Warfare Manager on-board HMAS Brisbane (Known as the Steel Cat) currently on deployment in the Pacific. I have been serving in the Navy for almost 21 Years (Since Sept 1998) Joining as a 17 Year old from Hobart in Tasmania. I am married to my amazing Wife and we have 3 children between us, the oldest at 22,Daughter 8 and our youngest son 12. Although we are based out of Fleet Base East in Sydney and live in darling harbour my family resides in Canberra.

The reason I am writing to you today is to thank you all for laundry bag I recently received with the letter from you explaining the sewing day that is undertaken and the generous time that you all put in to provide myself, our crew and other deployed personnel with such a lovely gift. I must also let you know how important it was to me to receive the laundry bag from you as my son had decided that my issued laundry bag was more appropriate for his football gear and as such had taken out of my bag prior to us deploying, without the laundry bag I now have proudly hanging in my cabin from you I would have been forced to use a pillow case, so from the deepest part of my heart I say thank you.

I cannot thankyou enough for the donation of time, effort and materials that go into supporting my deployed brothers and sisters that you support, The small gift that we are presented means a lot to us both physically (for the obvious reason of holding dirty laundry) but also emotionally. Knowing that people like you are willing to do this for us gives us all a greater sense of pride and knowledge that although our families are thinking of us and supporting us on deployment, people like you are also.

I again thank you for the lovely laundry bag, support and kindness you have and show for not just myself but all those on active deployments in support of Australia. I read in your letter that for the materials that you use, you rely on donations or items supplied by yourself. With you permission on return to Australia (around January) I am hoping you will allow me to help with that by providing some materials for your sewing day, to allow your excellent work to continue and maybe something for lunch. If you are happy for me to do this I would love to have that honour, again thank you and I hope the sewing days are filled with laughter, fine coffee and tea, and a hearty lunch.

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Did you know that you often require additional versions of a logo to be created just for social media - they're called avatars.  This is our Avatar for our Social Media Pages. 

Huge thanks to Susan from SMACK Design for her great work with our new logo. 

Dont forget.....

Tickets are on sale HERE for our Annual Aussie Hero Thank You Dinner....

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Till next time... keep speading the word and happy stitching.

Cheers  Jan-Maree xx