Grati-Tuesday 21 April 2020

Hi team!

Hope you are all well and safe. Has been a interesting week, looks like we are starting to see a glimmer of a hope in our battle against COVID-19. Fingers crossed we see more change for the better as the week goes on and we keep doing staying at home as much as we can. 

I know that our deployed members who are counting down the hours until they get to come home are counting on us, as you will read below. 

Speaking of which, here is our next batch of letters home, I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do. 

👍

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Hello Anne and Alan,

Firstly, I would like to say Thank You for the amazing Laundry Bag, it’s greatly appreciated and has made my laundry tasking ever so much easier.

My role onboard the ship is working with Stores and everything logistics. I have a few people in my team that work for me and they have been doing a fantastic job so far. The trip so far has been interesting with COVID and everything going on, but we are all doing well and cracking on with the task at hand.

I have been married for 5 years now to a beautiful wife and together we have 2 beautiful daughters. One is in Year 4 at school and the other is in her last year of daycare and starts school next year. My wife is ex-navy and is currently working as a nurse at a GP Clinic, we met while we were both in the Navy and the rest is history. She has been doing the tough job of raising our 2 girls, working and doing uni so she has been extremely busy. We live in WA, close to the Navy base HMAS Stirling where our ship is based. I am originally from SA and I have been in the Navy about 18yrs; my mother and father still live there but I don’t get a chance to go and visit as much as I would like to, because as I am sure you know life gets busy. Both my wife and I are avid sports fans and as you know we support Port Adelaide in the AFL and Sydney Roosters in the NRL, when I have free time, I enjoy playing golf or keeping fit.

Thank you for your letter it was interesting finding out about your life/family and thank you for your commitment to Aussie Hero Quilts, it means so much to us out here receiving these packages.

I hope this email finds you well and thank you so much again for the Quilt and Laundry Bag it is very much appreciated, I will treasure it always.

Kind Regards,

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Good afternoon Jan-Maree, Lynn and Philomena.

I am writing to you today to thank-you immensely for the beautiful work you have put into my quilt.

I cannot thank you enough for your efforts and how much work you have put in to making my quilt and getting it sent out to me.

I love it so much! It has everything I wanted on it and really brought a smile to my face. The work your organisation does is something you certainly should be proud of and I know of many people that absolutely have had the same experience.

I have a laundry bag coming and am so excited to see how it turns out, I already know how amazing it will be.

I also hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend.

Kind Regards,

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Thank you for making my day Ruth 😊❤️

I will treasure this for many years.

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Dear Lynn,

I am currently deployed to the Middle East.

Firstly, I want to thank you for all the time and effort you have put in for Aussie Hero Quilts and the selfless act of creating the individual works or art for our service men and women.

After a few detours around the country, I finally received the quilt you and your family created for me. When I initially submitted the order, I was unsure if I had asked too much in my request as I wanted something personal and to remind me of home. Amazing effort on reaching over 950 quilts

Congratulations to you and Arthur on your wedding anniversary, my wife and I will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this year in April which I am fortunate enough to be home for. Since being married we have had 2 beautiful children, 4 and 1 who will be 1 a day before our wedding anniversary. We also have a 16-year-old teenager, who keeps us on our toes as much as the little ones.

It is a crazy time across the globe with this Corona-virus pandemic which has me thinking of every person around the world and hoping we get a break through soon to help with it. Home for me is in Queensland so hopefully the heat helps us in some way.

I read that your eldest son is a Police Officer, that is something I have thought about but for now the Army is currently working out for me. This June will be my 12th year enlisted in the Australian Regular Army. I have traveled extensively with the units I have been posted to with places such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and now the Middle East, this also includes living in the NT, South Australia and New South Wales.

Once again, I appreciate all the work in which you do and have done with the Aussie Hero Quilts and very much appreciate the quilt you have produced for me which I am sure will be enjoyed by my family on the lounge.

Kind regards,

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Good afternoon Sandy,

I had the privilege of receiving the quilt you made for me. I asked for a family service style of quilt that had my grandpa, dad and myself on it.

I was so pleased with the outcome, you absolutely nailed it. It pays great respect to my grandpa’s and my dad’s service. Although my pa has passed away, I’m sure he would’ve loved this, I can’t wait to get home and show my grandma and my father the great work you have done.

I like that you left my date open so one day when I discharge I can fill in the last part to finish it off.

I would like to thank you and everyone else at Aussie Hero Quilts, the work you do is fantastic and it brings so much joy to people on deployment.

Kind Regards,

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Good Morning Gail,

I was so pleased with the outcome, it’s exactly what I was after. A few of my mates were a little jealous of my laundry bag and wished they’d thought of it.

Can you please thank your granddaughter for picking that picture of Pingu for me? I’ve attached a picture of myself with the laundry bag.

I really do appreciate the time and effort you do for us. The Aussie Hero Quilts are a great idea and it brings joy to us.

You thank us for our service but I thank you for all you have done for us.
I hope you had a great Easter long weekend.

Kind Regards,

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Good Morning Kaye,

 I am from Brisbane originally but I am posted to RAAF Base Richmond  and live with my two long haired sausage dogs.

I would just love to thank you for your amazing care package full of goodies! I am in love with my laundry bag!!!!

I hope you and your family are keeping safe during this massive pandemic which is now seeming to be the new norm by staying in and only heading to the shops when required.

I honestly couldn’t thank you enough for the amazing effort you do to keep deployed members sane. It feels like Christmas when we receive goodies.

I am due back home in the middle of the year but with COVID-19 we may be extended so I do hope people stay home taking the preventive measures seriously.

Nothing makes me prouder knowing we are making a difference and keeping our country safe :)

Sending my love from the MER to Australia xo

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Hello Hilary

I was so happy to receive the laundry bag you made for me in the post today!

The colours in the poppies are so gorgeous and rich, and I love the paw print trim and my initials on the front.

It's so strange to read yours and your husband's background, I was planning a post deployment holiday to Canada before the madness started, and I definitely hope to get there one day!

Thank you again, I wish you and your family all the best 😊

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Hi Rita,

Thank you for your box of goodies, I love the laundry bag. The bunny has become somewhat of a game within the team, where we hide it in each other’s gear (it has popped up in some random funny places). Just what we needed at this stage of the deployment.

It has been 12 years now since I joined the army. Initially I joined full time and now I am a reservist. My full-time job back home is a firefighter. This is my fourth deployment with the Army and the first time I have received a quilted laundry bag, hero quilts are a great initiative. I can’t wait to see the quilt.

I hope you and your family are well during this crazy time. I’m sure you have had plenty of time to sew whilst in isolation. It feels like we will be coming home to a very different place.

Kind regards,

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Hi Jenny, 

just a quick note to say thank you for the laundry bag I received. I like it so much I don’t want to use it for dirty clothes! J

I hope you are well and keeping safe.

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Have a great week everyone, stay safe and take care!

Kylie