Spring is well and truly in full swing here in Sydney, with a long weekend full of sunshine and beautiful blossoms sprouting all over my garden.
Lots of gorgeous messages below, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
....
Hi Pennie,
I just wanted to let you know that the Aussie Hero Quilt you made had arrived safely in my hands and it is perfect. The level of detail you have put into it is truly appreciated. I particularly like the three patches at the bottom with the kangaroo, the soldiers, and the ode to the land down under, but I think the most special part for me is the RAE Corps Badge with my name and Operation. Overall, the blend of Australia and Middle Eastern culture is a true memento for my time spent here and I thank you for your efforts.
The mail arrived today after a number of weeks delay due to the Evacuation operation where all the cargo space was being used by incoming stores and people. Receiving this only a couple of days after we sent the last load of evacuees home is a great reward for what's been a massive effort by everyone here.
For your information, I am the Project Engineer and was responsible for the construction of the temporary evacuee accommodation areas whilst they transitioned back to Australia. The experience has been humbling to say the least and certainly a career highlight - seeing the innocent and playful kids and women knowing they've escaped to a better life. Truly rewarding!
Thank you for your efforts back home.
Regards
....
Dear Clarissa,
Thank you so much from all of us here at DFCC for the beautiful laundry bags you sent us recently.
I know they will be so appreciated when they are presented via zoom to their recipients tomorrow afternoon.
Thank you also for the spare patches, they will be great to include with the laundry bags for those chaplains who have not yet received them due to course changes etc.
Once again, thank you, if you could please send on my thanks to those that spent many hours on them; they are really gorgeous.
With Kind Regards.
....
Dear Beverley,
I would like to say thank you for the wonderful quilt you have sewn.
I didn't pick the colour or theme as I wanted to let the person making mine put a little bit of themselves and tell a story of them. I think the pattern you have chosen expresses the colours and sights you may have seen on your travels. It inspires me to travel within our own country. Whilst I have been deployed a couple of times, and explored the sights the world has to offer, I often forget to take a moment to explore our own backyard.
I am moving from Victoria to Western Australia at the end of this year, so before I leave WA I am planning to hire a camper van for two weeks and travel the south west corner, whilst I would love to visit the Kimberley's, I feel like it would be an easier and closer drive from Darwin than Perth. So i'll keep it in mind if I ever get posted to NT. I hope to get to have some funny experiences and meet some interesting people on my travels.
I have been in the Navy for almost 7 years and joined when I was 25. I work as a supply chain sailor and have always worked in the supply chain industry (mostly retail). My previous job was in Kmart's headquarters and I helped source products for the Garden and Outdoor Furniture department. I loved working for Kmart, but I wanted to adventure, so I set out for the Navy to travel the world.
My first posting was the NS and I was able to go on deployment with two trips, back then travelling on deployment we were able to stop in places and explore the local culture, and eat some amazing food. My last posting in NSW was to the main warehouse, then three years ago I moved to WA, I love it here, the beaches are beautiful and so are the sunsets.
I have been on HMAS ANZAC for the last two years, unfortunately this deployment, because of COVID19, we have not been able to leave the ship when docked in a foreign port. It's sad that some of the new joiners that have never been to sea before will only get to see the port of a country, and will not have the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds, but I hope this won't be the case the next time they get to go to sea.
Kind Regards.
....
Hi Diana,
Thank you for making the quilt for me. It looks awesome and 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
....
Hello Ruth,
I just wanted to send an email quickly expressing my thanks for my laundry bag that you have taken time to personally sew. I absolutely love it, it's PERFECT!
Thank you for your little personalised letter, it makes hard days at sea a little more exciting when we know people are thinking about us.
Warm Regards.
....
Hello from Asia!
First, please let me say thank you so much for the wonderful work that has been done with quilts and laundry bags for our deployed men and women all over the world. I just recently watched the Better Homes and Gardens special that was made a little while back and wanted to echo the sentiment expressed there and by so many emails, letters and conversations; this work you do is such a blessing!
I posted into the Chaplain position here last year and was greeted with an amazing sight. There were many, many bags and boxes of laundry bags for distribution to the Rifle Company troops here, and it has been great to pass those out and see the smiles as they've been opened and used. We've had three rotations of RCB through since I started, and the bags go to any who would like them, on the proviso that they write back to their maker. That said, I'm now starting to see the bottom of the pile of boxes and bags. Each roto is 100-130 people, so we tend to go through them fairly quickly. Most of those on rotation are younger, and haven't deployed, and now that we're less involved in the Middle East, for many it's their first deployment out of the country. Their time here is around 4 months, but the last three have most been confined to base due to COVID restrictions, which has been rough.
Blessings
....
Dear Dianne, Heather and Dot,
Thank you so much for your homemade laundry bag. I am currently deployed on Operation COVID Assist in NSW. We are doing our best to support State Police here to lower case numbers as well as delivering hampers to those unable to shop.
I hope the COVID situation is better for you. Your bag has provided me with an easy way to wash all the COVID out of my clothes.
Yours Sincerely,
....
Good Afternoon Clarissa,
Thank you for the quilt and your lovely letter of introduction. I have enjoyed reading about your family. While the quilts and bags have been a huge hit. I have to say it is the accompanying letters that make the biggest impact. Receiving a gift from the heart, one that includes personal purpose, brings something sensational to a member who has left their family behind.
I have to admit, in my mind, I have pictured sewers with time to spend, retired or semi-retired. Your letter has expanded my perceptions. It seems you are a very busy lady, and I am blessed that you have taken the time, I pray you are blessed by the time you spend. You have inspired me further to continue to serve my ship mates, wherever I can, regardless of time and place. Thank you.
I often spend time in the laundry, I'm trained in Ship's Medical Emergency Response, and I can often be found 'loitering with purpose' being available for the crew anywhere from the engine space, the workshops or upper decks. During this trip, I am studying a 'critical research and writing' class towards a Masters. But, all is done, where people can find me as needed.
At home, my retired husband is holding the fort. We have four teens; two boys and two girls. The oldest about to turn 20 and the youngest, 15, with his mind firmly entrenched in online games and skateboarding. All have followed my husband into weight lifting and spend lots of hours in the gym.
Jan-Maree came to HMAS Kuttabul to personally deliver laundry bags to each of the Chaplains on my Chaplain's Initial Course in 2018. She is a woman of great purpose. Now, in the fleet, I have also worked with Catherine, and am delighted to find that purpose is deep within the larger Australian community.
As you have expressed, we are a uniquely small population and all of us have connections to members who have been involved in conflict. While the mission we serve today, is vastly different, we hope and pray, it will prevent the possibility of conflict in the future.
Thank you for your kind and beautiful gift and thank you for sharing your story.
....
Hi Clarissa,
I've delayed my response until I received the quilt and laundry bag. I just wanted to express my gratitude for the service you provide and highlight my appreciation for the uniqueness and amazing quality that both the laundry bag and quilt have arrived in.
I have emailed Pennie (who produced the quilt) directly as she provided her email address with a lovely letter. Unfortunately, Laura, who produced the laundry bag, did not leave any contact details, but did provide a really heartfelt hand written letter. If you would be so kind as to pass on my message, I would be very grateful.
....
Hi Laura,
I just wanted to let you know that the Aussie Hero Quilt Laundry Bag you made has arrived safely and in my hands, and it is perfect. The level of detail you have put into it is truly appreciated. I particularly like the engineer corps badge and the silhouetted camel and Burj with a desert backdrop. Overall, the blend of Australian and Middle Eastern culture is a true memento for my time spent here and I thank you for your efforts.
The only arrived today after a number of weeks delay due to the Evacuation operation where all the cargo space was being used by incoming stores and people. Receiving this only a couple of days after we sent the last load of evacuees home is a great reward for what's been a massive effort by everyone here.
For your information, I am the Project Engineer and was responsible for the construction of the temporary evacuee accommodation areas whilst they transitioned back to Australia. The experience has been humbling to say the least and certainly a career highlight - seeing the innocent and playful kids and women knowing they've escaped to a better life. Truly rewarding!
Thank you for the hand written letter. It was a nice personal touch to the gift and I was really pleased to hear about your experiences.
We are relatively confined to base over here due to COVID19, like you back in Australia, because of this, but we are well protected. I do hope we'll get the chance to get out and see a little as my trip draws to a close at the end of the year, and that the situation at home has come to pass so we can all get back to some form of normality.
Wishing you all the best, and thank you again.
Kind Regards
....
Good Morning Ellen,
I have recently returned from COVID Assist deployment in NSW where I was issued your beautiful laundry bag. I could not of done without it. A very big thank you for making and sending it.
Rest assured all laundry bags were snapped up on the first day of deployment. They are in big demand.
I am currently posted as a GMETECH. I manufacture replacement aircraft part for the fighter jets.
Thank you again for all your time and effort in producing the laundry bags. Very much appreciated.
Kind Regards
....
Received via text for a Fallen Warrior Quilt:
I wanted to reach out and extend our thanks and love for the beautiful quilt we received to honour my husband.
Our boys think it is amazing.
Thank you so much. It came with me when I needed to lay with him last week for our wedding anniversary and again on Sunday for Father's Day.
Beyond grateful.
....
Received via Facebook:
Hello, this message is from my husband to Lyn, for his appreciation of the quilt he was sent.
"Thank you Lyn, from Aussie Hero Quilts, for my amazing hand crafted Tassie inspired quilt. I absolutely love it and was made extra special having been created in my home town.
You are truly talented.
Thank you".
....
Well that's it for another week, wherever you are reading from, I hope you are safe and well.
Please don't forget to like, comment and continue sharing the word. Happy Stitching friends!
No comments:
Post a Comment