Incase you needed some inspiration, or a gentle reminder of why we do what we do... Look no further... The impact each of you make with your time, imagination, talent and love really is immeasurable and personally I'm still in awe at how clever each of you are.
Enjoy the read, as always, don't forget to like, comment or share away!
Alex
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Hello Sonia,
I am currently posted to HMAS Parramatta; I have been in the Navy for the past 17 years. My role in the Navy is a Helicopter mechanic. I have one of your washing bags.
During my time in the Navy I had never received any care packages, until I received one of your washing bags, this was during our most recent deployment in Asia. This deployment came with it's challenges as it was during the initial Covid19 restrictions and quarantine requirements, not knowing what was actually going on at home was more worrying to myself and others than actually being where we were in the world.
I would like to say, however, that recieving your washing bag was a highlight of my deployment. I also enjoyed reading your letter inside. So thank you.
I am thankful you made and sent your laundry bags out; rest assured my bag will be used well.
Cheers.
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Hi Aussie Quilts and Laundry Bags,
Just wanted to email on behalf of my partner. He is away doing border patrols for COVID and when he came home yesterday and showed me the letter and laundry bag, it really warmed my heart. Thank you so much for all you do.
I think it is truly wonderful.
Regards.
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Dear Sonia,
Thank you for the laundry bag you have made. The bag was blue and has dogs on it. I am missing home and my new pup Labrador.
Anyway, I needed a cool laundry bag too!
I am in NSW on COVID Assist helping with State Police.
Regards.
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Hello Lisa and Ann,
Thank you so much for making and sending me my hero quilt. I received it safe and sound on the last mail delivery and it is now proudly displayed on the wall in my room.
Thank you for also sharing some informaiton with me about yourself and your family. The service you provide volunteering your time and skills tomake Hero Quilts for deployed personnel is greatly appreciated by myself and the others here on deployment and you should be extremely proud of yourself. I absolutely love the quilt you have created for me, it will be a lasting memory of my deployment and something I will cherish for years to come.
This deployment is my fourth deployment overseas, I am a RAAF Chef and have served for 25 years. I am the first in my family to join the military, whilst it can be difficult to be away from family for extended periods it is something that I have enjoyed and am very proud of. I have a wife and two adult daughters, my youngest daughter turned 18 shortly after I departed for my current deployment. Missing milestones like birthdays etc can be hard, luckily I have a very understanding family. My mother in law makes quilts also. I can't wait to show her the quilt you have made for me. My wife is a registered nurse, her father served in the RAAF for over 20 years.
I currently live in the ACT, and am a devoted Brisbane Lions Supporter and enjoy snow skiing in my spare time in winter.
Thanks again for the amazing quilt.
Kind regards.
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Dear Sonia,
I cannot thank you enough for your thoughts, appreciation and efforts for the amazing laundry bag! I am a huge dog lover, and am missing my dogs everyday, so your dog themed laundry bag is perfect!
I am also missing my family very much and they too will be amazed to see other people supporting us. Thank you for making me smile.
I will always remember the kind gesture from you.
It is Aussie's like you that make us proud to serve.
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From facebook messages;
Thank you, my husband loved it! A very thoughtful and beautiful design.
Take Care.
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Dear Sonia,
Thank you so much for the amazing laundry bag you generously made. That is an amazing service that you do! It is an absolute beauty! I am currently on Operatio Covid Assist on the NSW border as part of the Army response to assist State Police.
I hope you are able to stay safe during these crazy times. Thank you again, for your amazing generosity.
Regards.
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Dear Janice,
As recently deploying onto COVID assist, I was given a laundry bag, where I discovered yours and just read the letter inside.
I haven't been able to see my family for a year now (and won't be able to until atleast mid next year) as well as now going away from my partner for a few months, I found your letter comforting and also an amazing gesture to receive a laundry bag you made for us, it is so greatly appreciate.
Kind Regards.
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Hello Chris,
I have just found your beautiful letter tucked so neatly inside the gorgeous laundry bag, you have made. I am the reciepent's wife.
When my husband received your gift (of which I was unaware), he was upto his neck in COVID Response duties, and it was neatly placed with his special Defence memorabilia for later attention. Today I have been tidying up in this (usually no-go) area and am equally delighted and chagrined to discover this treasure. Please accept my sincere apologies, on his behalf for not responding sooner.
My husband is a Reservist, and is due to retire this year after over 40 years of Service (although he has a special extension due to his skill set). He is coming up to his 65th birthday and is fit-as-a-fiddle due to his involvement in Army, Cycling and Scuba Diving.
Your laundry bag is extra special as it incorporates a tea towel (very clever) with a Great Barrier Reef theme; he has a great love of the reef and has spent many happy hours diving there. We have had the joy of spending two holidays together in Queensland, the second of which was a chance to meet during a deployment to the Pacific, for the wind-up of Australia's assistance operation. Another of my husband's trips to the reef gave him an opportunity to swim with Minke whales... a truly memorable experience for him.
Throughout his time in the Reserves (he started as a Gunner and will end as Major), he has maintained a civilian career encompasing Structural Engineering, Logistics and Warehousing; currently in the field of Servicing and Certifying breathing apparatus for both diving and emergency service sectors.
We have been married for 41 years; he had a full beard and mustache back then, so I had no real idea what he looked like until he joined the Army Reserves (too late for me to back out ;) one year later. We have two children and 4 grands; the youngest of which is 8 weeks old (she's just gorgeous). Life has been good to us, with all the ups and downs; we live modestly and moderately, and enjoy our good fortune to have been born and live in such a wonderful country - despite our collective grumbles, Australia is the best place on earth!
New South Wales has been our home for 18 years; prior to that we lived in Victoria for 5 years. We seem to cycle back here having started our married life here before moving around, according to my husband's work.
Thank you for sharing your story, and your generous creativity, with us. The laundry bag is in for some heavy use from here on in.
Be safe and well. Best wishes to you and your family.
Kindest and most grateful regards.
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Hi Sonia,
I received one of your laundry bags that you have made. I cannot express my gratitude enough. It has brought great joy to the boys and I here in the Northern Territory.
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to sew us a robust laundry bag. I shall use it even when I get out of Defence.
Sincerely.
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From Facebook Page:
Thanks again to the Aussie Hero Quilt team for a perfect quilt expertly themed. Such an incredible organisation! Thanks especially to Janet, the quilt is spot on!!
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Good Afternoon Janice,
I am a Lieutentant on HMAS Launceston.
I am writing to you to express my deepest thanks for the quilt you have made for me, it is a very treasured item for me, that I now take on all deployments.
I apologise for the delay of this email, I was planning on getting a picture with my entire creq with their quilts whilst we were deployed at sea, however, this is taking longer than I had imagined to arrange and until such time I can send that photo I wanted to express my gratitude in writing.
A little about me. I am 25 years old and joined the Royal Australian Navy six years ago. I posted on HMAS Launceston in late 2019. Prior to joining the Navy I grew up in Tasmania where I spent the majority of my spare time Boxing. Having grown up in Tasmania I am very proud to not only serve on Launceston but I was also lucky enough to serve as Maritime Warfare Officer / Officer of the Watch on HMAS Huon which is also named after a river in Tasmania.
Again, thank you so much for the amazing quilt, I really do treasure this and it will remain with me at sea for the rest of my career. I hope to send you a picture of the quilt at sea with me in the near future.
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Hello Toni,
I am sorry it has takne me so long to thank you for my laundry bag that I received a few months ago, it has been a constant addition to my cabin since I received it.
As a ship, we have been deployed for a significant part of the year, and having something like this does actually go a long way to make our time away more enjoyable. I'm especially happy that you and your fellow members of Aussie Hero Quilts have extended this offer to Patrol Boat crews, as in my belief they have been somewhat of the forgotten deployed members of the ADF.
As a whole, Patrol Boat sailors are deployed for a significant part of each year. Often at short notice and without a certain date of return, which can make it challenging. But this extension of your generosity of time, material and effort go a long way to showing the guys up here that their efforts are appreciated. And for that, I thank you both for your gift to me, and as whole to the rest of the fellow sailors up here.
Once again, I am sorry it has taken me so long to thank you, but this gift is hugely appreciated and will be treasured.
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Hello Beverly,
I am the very lucky reciepent of a fantastic quilt you designed and made.
I cannot express how amazing the quilt is, and the amount of joy it brings to my life. You may recall, my grandsons name is on the quilt. He loves it too!
Your quilt is going to bring enduring happiness to our lives. I cannot thank you enough. Both you and the quilt are amazing!
Thank you so much!
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Dear Janet,
What an incredible and thoughtful surprise to come home to today. I LOVE IT! So thoughtful and very special.
I hope to christen it with Parra and the Reds this weekend. Thank you so much. I fight tears thinking about what you have done.
It is perfect! Thanks very much again, we all appreciate the thoughtfulness of such a personal gift. It makes those hard times away during those 30 years disappear.
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Dear Sonia,
I am writing to inform you that I have recieved a laundry bag from you and that I really appreciate you putting the time and effort in to make it.
As a member of the Defence Force, it is always uplifting when members of the Australian public appreciate our efforts and show their gratitude. I would like to return that gratitude to tell you that your laundry bag and letter has really brightened my day.
I hope you and your family are well, and I wish you all the best. Please keep up the good work.
Thank you for sending me such a unique and beautiful laundry bag.
Regards
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Dear Jacqui,
I am writing to thank you for the lovely quilt you made me and without a doubt it fit the brief.
I love it! It looks lovely on my bed here and will look even more lovely in my room at home. I have had several compliments from my colleagues at work too. I am very grateful for the time you took to make it for me.
I am a legal officer in the Army. I am currently posted to NSW. I have been a legal officer for around four years now and a lawyer for seven.
This is my second career in the military. I have also spent 19 years in the RAN and Army Reserve.
When studying law I had no intention of becoming a legal officer, yet here I am. I enjoy my job very much and I am looking forward to my job in ACT next rotation.
Life isn't too bad here. This is now my fifth deployment and by far the most comfortable, even with all the C19 restrictions.
I'd like to thank you again for making my quilt.
What you and all the Aussie Hero Quilters do is amazing, and I am deeply grateful.
Kind Regards.
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Hi Toni
I hope this email finds you well and you are navigating COVID challenges of 2020.
I wrote this letter to you at the start of the year, but for some reason I recently found the email sitting in my 'draft' folder. My apologies for not getting this to you sooner.
The laundry bag you made for me was brillant and a welcome surprise while I was deployed last year.
Thank you for your support. I wish you all the best for the rest of 2020 and beyond.
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Dear Sonia,
Greetings from the west. And a big thanks for your generosity. They look great so well done.
On behalf of the Commander, Brigadier and myself, thank you very much for your fantastic work in making and sending the laundry bags over the west to support the service women and men who have been doing a great job working with State Police and Government in containing the virus.
It is a stressful time for many and the presence of the ADF members is very reassuring in these times. As the Defence support is now diminishing, a significant number of our ADF members (myself included) are being demounted and will be heading back to our civilian employment for those that still have a job. In many cases, it is after serving continuously for the last twelve weeks.
Your laundry bags will shortly be presented to the sailors and soldiers of the Brigade who have supported the Defence through support to the Government. Those that have finished their rotation were presented earlier and they were very sought after and a must have item. I am sure that this will be the case for yours also.
Again, thanks to you and all of our friends at AHQ for your support and encouragement.
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From the Facebook Page:
'To the awesome team at Aussie Hero Quilts, my wife and I really want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the amazing quilt that we received in the mail today. It was made by Jenny, and she has done a pearler of a job and it is exactly what I would have asked for in an Aussie themed quilt. Along with our two daughters, we have been posted over to the US for an exchange posting and we are really missing home after nearly 2 and half years overseas. I am currently serving on USS Pinckney, and we deployed in January of this year, and due to COVID and other tasking we are still deployed and due to get back to San Diego in approximately 2 weeks.
It has been a long 9 months away from each. So to receive this amazing quilt in the mail just before my arrival home has helped ease the pain of separation and it truly demonstrates the love and care that people back home involved in Aussie Hero Quilts have for all the members of the Australian Defence Force.
I will proudly use this quilt for my remaining time onboard USS Pinckney until our return to Australia in January 2021.
Keep up the great work team, and I am truly grateful to be a recipient of this quilt.
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Hi Sonia,
I was thrilled to receive a very unexpected gift from my Chain of Command in the form of a beautiful laundry bag.
I am a junior leader in an Army Reserve Infantry Battalion; I am currently on task of assisting all of Government in the National fight against COVID-19.
Firstly, I hope this note finds you, your family and friends safe and health. As am I and my family.
I read a lot of history of all sorts, and i am currently experiencing a scenario that I have seen in print probably since the first armies left home to serve. And that is of wives, and partners staying home to keep the 'home-front' running and functioning well. My wife works full time (from home at the moment) while trying to juggle a 3 year old girl and 1 year old lunatic in our son. Modern pressures around costs of living mean that our household she is the 'main effort'.
The reason I mention this, as although my wife is proud of me and my service to the nation, I could see in her tired eyes, the smile I love, growing when I described the gift I received. The letter I read to her that you sent, made her realise in a real sense that we as a family unit are not alone, and that the people I serve and my ultimate boss.. the men and women of Australia, are thinking of us, are thinking of her, and thinking of that service is important and worth recognising.
Sonia, I have met so many great Australians during the last 6 months as Australia has suffered through tragedy and 'challenge'. I hope that when you and your family hear our leaders and others thank people for their service, and contribution and that 'we are all in this together'... That you realise they are talking about people like you and your family. A pride I hope you share with me.
My children loved the laundry bag, and I therefore doubt it may ever be used as it may have been intended by you. But if you are happy to have it used as a cape, or a cave, or a hiding spot, or even as perfect tablecloth for a princess tea party between deployments and operations, it will have succeeded in its mission.
If your intent was in a quiet way to say thank you to someone for doing a little bit to serve our nation and let them know you were thinking of them, then yes. That is very kind of you.
Sonia, I am honoured to have received your beautifully crafted, and thought-out gift and note of explanation. It is humbling to have people say thank you for something I love to do. But I would be lying if I said it did not make me feel very special.
From me, my family and colleagues, Thank you for the gift and significant contribution to the country that we all share and love.
Gratefully and respectfully.
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Dear Sonia,
I am the reciepent of your wonderful, creative and fabulous bag. Thank you for your time in creating a wonderful and memorable bag for the Australian Defence Force - Royal Australian Navy.
I am also very touched by your letter. I forgot the feeling of receiving a letter that is written with heart and warmth. It brought tears to my eyes. I am so very grateful to you and your family.
I immigrated to Australia and recieved my Australian Citizenship in 2015. I felt the call of duty for my new country and left my civilian job. Joining the Australian Defence Force in my mid-40's was not easy and there were many times I wanted to return to the civilian sector. However, my desire to serve my country outweighted those challenges I faced.
I love living in Australia. This is really the lucky country. I love the people, the communities, and the Australian spirit. I am single with no children, but jokingly tell my family and friends that I am married to my country, my career and faith and I serve this nation with all my heart.
Thank you for your gifts and your kind words. I am truly touched by your gift and words.
Respectfully.
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Melissa,
I just wanted to write to you to thank you on behalf of my friend for his awesome new laundry bag.
The way you were able to combine the two completely opposite themese and tie them into one laundry bag in a way that looks absolutely awesome is a tribute to how clever, creative and talented you are. Incase you were wondering, the themese are a little nod to his little girl and son, and the things they enjoy together when he is home. So a fitting reminder of two of his favourite people.
Honestly, we can't thank you enough for the time and effort you have taken to put into making the laundry bag, it means a great deal.
In his 15+ years of service, this is his first every laundry bag. So thank you again for all the work you put into this and the completely awesome end product.
Keep doing what you do, and thank you from the absolute bottom of our hearts.
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Hello Catherine,
Sorry for the delay in replying I have ben away, have received the amazing quilt.
Please pass my thanks to all involved. You are all amazing people and I appreciate everything your organisation does for ADF members.
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Jan-Maree / Clarissa,
Many thanks for the parcel which I received last night. A most pleasant surprise for me.
Many thanks for the laundry bag. It is most humbling as I don't consider myself a hero - merely just doing my job!
Obviously my passion for Collingwood means I love the Pies look of my laundry bag.
Keep up the great work you are doing in support of the ADF!
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