Hi there,
How is your week? Mine is work, work and some more work. In between meetings though, I have excitedly booked in for my hair and lashes and first dinner date with my friends to be booked in for when restrictions ease in a few weeks. Excited and ready to safely return to some normality. I'm sure by the first weekend, Ill be ready to return safely indoors and retreat to the safety of my own company LOL...
More excited about having booked in for dinner and brunch for the volunteers weekend in March next year. Looking forward to putting faces to names. How lush to be able to book a weekend away, super excited! Plus ill be able to combine it with a visit to my niece and nephew, which I always love!
Enough from me, hope you enjoy the read!
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Hi Helen,
It gives me great pleasure to know people see ADF personnel as Heroes. I am very proud to serve Australia, and Australians like you. I see myself as a proud Aussie who is honoured to serve.
I am 39 years old, father of 2 boys (2 and 6 years). Happily married and live in Queensland with our 2 dogs - both 9 years old.
Aussie Heroes are amazing and it's people like you that continue to put a smile on my mine and ADF member's faces.
Today, RAAF personnel were given one laundry bag each. I am really happy with my bag as this was the one thing I didn't cater for very well. Also I am big footy fan and being from Queensland, the symbol on the bottom left of the laundry bag looks like a 'Q'.
We are doing training at the Barracks for the next 2 days and then head out to start working with the public.
Take care and God Bless to you and yours.
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Good Morning Ben,
Thank you for organising a quilt for Captain. I spoke to the quilt maker, Philomena on Thursday last week and the quilt arrived today. Thank you for the expediency that the quilt was made and arrived.
I had the CO from the Unit present the quilt today.
Thank you for all you do for our Soldiers, Sailors & Aviators.
Kind Regards
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Dear Thelma,
I have recently returned from the Middle East and was overwhelmed to receive the quilt you have made for me. I am glad you are a GOT fan and can appreciate the intricacies of a very involved storyline.
I love it so much and the skill you have is clearly on display. I am humbled by this gift and the thoughtfulness that has gone into it. It will be treasured.
As the news has no doubt been showing, the evacuation has had many highs and lows with the last chapter shortly to end. The ADF continues to do amazing work in the ME and we have now impacted 1,000s of Afghans lives for the better.
Let me thank you again for the support you provide to the ADF (80+ quilts plus LBs!!) and wish you the very best for whatever you get up to.
Kind Regards.
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Dear Sue,
Thank you so much. You have blown me away with your talent. The timing was perfect as I had to go into isolation due to COVID and was not allowed to go and socialise. So to receive your blanket and washing bag really made my day.
Being away from my children is so hard but knowing people really do appreciate us is an amazing feeling. You can tell you put a lot of thought and love into what you do. The addition of the mother and child was such a beautiful touch and really shows you are a wonderful person.
Thank you again.
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Dear Sheena,
WOW! I just received your quilt today and you nailed it. It is perfect. Thank you so much.
I hope you and your family are coping ok with the lockdowns in NSW at the moment. It must be quite a struggle especially for those with children.
Thank you again for the quilt. I really do love it. We all really appreciate the time you guys take to make us feel special.
Respectfully.
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Dear Toni,
I would like to start by saying how grateful I am for your beautiful laundry bag.
Looking at the care you put into the design and hearing about your amazing fabric collection brought a tear to my eye. My late Mother-In-Law was also an avid sewer and scrap-booker and she always had such a collection of bits and pieces she picked up for sewing.
As a wife I have watched my husband deploy time and time again. This time I leave, my beautiful children in his capable hands as I embark on my 1st overseas deployment. Their courage and strength astounds me and makes the sacrifice all worth it.
I called them to show them the bag you made me. My daughter is a big Harry Potter fan and thought the Phoenix was gorgeous, and my son who loves Outer Space said the space fabric was amazing.
What I look forward to most is going home to them, heading to the beach for a holiday and watching the stars together through our telescope.
Once again, thank you so much for your hard work. Please pass on our thanks to all at Aussie Heroes. It truly makes our day and whole trip to receive your care packages.
With Thanks
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Hi Bridget,
I would like to thank you so much for the wonderful, amazing quilt you have created for me. I really did not expect such a wonderful piece.
When I provided all the list of themes, colours etc, I didn't think you would be able to include them all. I thought I would give you lots of options, but I think you have included everyone of my suggestions and have made them all work together in such a beautiful way.
I really must apologise as well. It has taken me some time to sit down and write this thank you letter to you.
I grew up in NSW and am the son of a Vietnam Vet, and although my father never really spoke of his time in the Army, I had always wanted to join the Air Force.
I joined the Air Force at nineteen as a Radio Technician, and a few years later we amalgamated with some other trades and became Avionics Technicians. After my training I as posted to Bomb Disposal and I've been involved in things like ordnance, ejection seats, bomb disposal, explosives safety and governance for the past 20 years.
I am married, with one stepdaughter and two grandchildren. My stepdaughter has adopted me completely as her 'dad', so much so that her father and I both walked her down the aisle at her wedding. We also have a Lhasa Apso and a King Charles Cavalier, both are such characters.
I am amazed at how well you incorporated my themes together. I am very proud to serve in the RAAF and I am sure you can understand that we are currently doing some of our most important work right now here in the Middle East. I think you have absolutely nailed it, bringing all my random colours and themes together.
I am so glad you were able to include the small tree of life. I would like to explain why. On my wife's birthday last year, our son (yes my son but he is the only son I will ever have) was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. He was 36 years old at the time with a 10 month old son, our first grandchild, and a wife of three years. He was an arborist, and we had a fairly good Christmas together. Although, he was reacting quite well while on chemo, we lost him earlier this year. When he passed, the hospital put up a small tree of life on his door. It must have been a subtle sign for the staff, but now will always remind me of him.
I hope you can appreciate why it has taken me so long to sit down and write this to you, but I really wanted you to know how much I appreciate your kindness, and the beautiful work that you have created for me. How much it will always mean to me.
Thank you again Bridget, for all the work you do for the Servicemen and women. It is a wonderful feeling to know that people back at home, do think of us, when we are called to carry out our duties, far from home, away from our loved ones.
Sincerely.
Good Afternoon Clarissa,
I hope this email finds you well!
I received the laundry bag that you sewed for me, and I can truthfully say that the sentiment of being supported by other Australians is rewarding enough, but the excellent quality of the laundry bag you created for me, is astounding. Thank you very much for taking the time to make such a high quality item.
I found it fascinating reading your background.
In terms of my background. I am originally from Victoria, where I lived with my father and brother until 2011, when I heard the call of the Army. Eventually, joining the Royal Australian Corps of Transport. Whilst it's been a couple of years since I have visited home with COVID19 lockdowns I suspect there are many of us waiting for the chance to visit home again.
My hobbies include scuba diving, sky diving, sports of any type and travel both in Australia and abroad. I very much look forward to doing more of all of these once I return home.
I wish you and your entire family all the best into the future, and thank you again for taking the time to think of us who are deployed.
Kind Regards.
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Hello Ellen,
I have just received your beautiful quilt that you have made me, and I cannot express how much I love it!
It is absolutely beautiful, and sums me up to a tee.
I am currently deployed on HMAS ANZAC and have now been posted to this vessel since 2019. I have been in the Navy for 5.5 years and love my job and being out at sea.
I was born in Victoria but moved to the country lifestyle in WA when I was 6 years old. I am now 23.
I don't come from a family that has served in the military but myself and my eldest sister are both in the Navy and based in WA.
Thank you for absolutely everything you guys do for us deployed people.
It is amazing to know that people are thinking about us.
Warmest regards and many thanks
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Hello Diana,
Thank you for making the quilt for me, it looks awesome. I love it. I will use it at sea on my bunk bed and will remind me of home.
Keep going with the quilts if you can, they are such a good idea, and mean a lot to people.
Regards
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Dear Bridget,
Thank you for the laundry bag. I enjoyed reading your letter, it gave me some time to let my mind wander from other aspects of my daily routine at sea.
I am on board HMAS ANZAC and we are doing a deployment to maintain Australia's border and patrol our partners and allies waters from other nations.
I enjoyed reading about your family and life. I joined the Navy to do communications and Information Technology. I talk and coordinate with other ships and nations, and maintain the information network and computer systems on board the ship.
Due to the high tempo, and limited internet connectivity the ship gets at my work, it has been hard to get this thank you email out - but I greatly appreciate the laundry bag and please thank Diana for the quilt. I love it very much.
Thank you
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That's all for another week. Hope your week is full of goodness and things to make you happy.
Stay safe, well and happy stitching friends. Alex
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