Good Evening Melissa,I am an Infantry Soldier of the 16th Royal Western Australian Regiment, currently served 3 years thus far as an Army Reservist, dedicating around 6 months of the year and now aiming to continue full time this year.
I very much appreciate your work and the letter provided inside, as it reminds me of the vast effort and support that is given to the members in and out of direct service.
I thank you for the bag.Regards
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Dear Amazing Anne H,
I received the beautiful laundry bag you made me today – and I am in awe. Thank you so much! It’s absolutely perfect…and Wonder Woman was definitely a humbling suggestion. I love it! Hahah
I’m a Mum of two. My daughter, is 5 and started kindergarten this year. She’s incredibly curious, sassy and communicative. She’s loved a good old chat since the day she was born. My son, is 3 and loves trucks. His existence revolves around trucks and all the accompanying equipment that can load a truck (MHE). Which is very fitting because his mum is a Transport Officer so he and I get into the details of payloads and convoys. Haha
I’m missing them terribly but they are safe and healthy with their dad.
In my spare time I’m a founder (I can’t think of a better way to describe it, haha). I co-founded a publishing platform. My co-founder and I were beyond excited to get recognised at the Australian Defence Magazine Women in Defence Awards a few weeks ago.
Thank you again for my beautiful laundry bag and letter – it’s made my week!
Lots of love
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Dear Laura.C
Firstly I just wanted to say thank you for your time, skill and thoughtfulness in making something for me.
As of July 2022 I will have been in the Navy for 27 years, multiple deployments, operations and trips away from home but the amazing Aussie Hero Quilts were not around when I was doing them unfortunately so it's not something I ever thought I'd be lucky enough to receive.
Yes I have always been fascinated with the stars, moon and planets and I think secretly this is what drew me to the life of a sailor as I wanted to be at sea and see the stars, to navigate by them even. Unfortunately I was instead marked for a life in the engine room, thus the propeller, it is the symbol of the Marine Engineering (mechanics) trade, or Stoker. And yes traditionally this colour is indicated with purple within the field. If you are not aware the term Stoker was traditionally used when ships were steam powered and the men in the engine rooms would 'stoke' the fire with coal. We have moved on quite a lot from there these days but still hold tightly to the term and the heritage and pride behind it. For the last 4 years I have been working within the engineering policy space, quite dry and boring but someone needs to to the 'dirty work'.
As my husband will be yet again away quite a lot this new year (and for next 3 years) I won't be going on any deployments in the new future but I'm OK with that.. I feel that I have done my time and will now let him experience that pride in serving his country.
So now that means I am a sailor who is landlocked in QLD (FYI I don't like humidity haha) with those same two beautiful daughters and a Solider who is away a lot of the year. I miss the sea and my time on a ships, but all that considered I wouldn't change a thing.. we both chose to serve this amazing country and its people and this is how we do it.
Again thank you.
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Hi Marilyn.S
First I wanna say thank you for the laundry bag! Has really come in handy and heaps better then the ones we are issued!
I’ve been in the army for two years and enjoying every moment of it and looking forward for the years to come!
I joined up with my best mate from my hometown which is in Victoria. While my father was from Melbourne! I have made many friends whom I can now call family an hopefully I can make many more in the years to come, this is also my first time overseas for the army but I always have loved travelling and have been overseas many times before.
Again Thank you for making the Laundry bag! Really was a booster an even more the letter! Just like me you are from a big family and hope they are all doing well.
Kind Regards
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G'day Anne.HI write to thank you for the fabulous quilt you made me. it is now proudly hanging on my office wall.I really do appreciate the incredible time and effort you made to make such a wonderful quilt, I understand that you make these quilts as a labour of love and they truly are a work of art. Hanging my quilt on the office wall has already drawn very favourable comments, it seems right that I can show it off.I also appreciated your letter, enclosed with the quilt and the information about yourself. I guess that you already have an idea about me from the detail on the quilt; I am married, with our son and daughter living in UK and Germany. I served in the British Army for over 33 years and joined the Australian Army as a Military Police Officer in 2008. Most of my deployments have been with the British Army, having served in Northern Ireland, Germany, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Australian Defence Force deployment to the UAE was my first with the Australian military and likely to be my last. It was very comfortable compared to my previous deployments; the ADF really look after their personnel, the living conditions were excellent. Whilst on the deployment I was heavily involved with the Afghan refugees and their move to Australia.My wife and I have a house in QLD with our Rhodesian Ridgeback, Shumba. We are both totally in love with Shumba, he is a big muscley goof ball that looks tough but is a real softy - he loves everyone and all animals and always wants to play.Once again, thank you very much for the incredible quilt, I will cherish it and will continue to hang it on my office wall wherever I serve.Best regards
Dear Shirley.D
Thank you for the letter and personalised laundry bag that you made for me as part of the Aussie Hero Quilts organisation. I am a current serving member in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps. I have currently served for 18 years.
I enlisted into the Australian Regular Army in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps in 2003. I have had the opportunity to deploy three times in service to the Australian Army.
Throughout my deployments I have seen the fantastic work that is delivered by Aussie Hero Quilts, however until now I have not had the opportunity to be a recipient.
The Challenge Coin, if you are not aware can draw its origins from World War I in the United States Army Air Service. As the legend goes, one of these very wealthy Ivy League lieutenants had a set of solid bronze coins minted to hand out as mementos to his fellow pilots. The coins were gold-plated and quite valuable. One member of the squadron decided to carry his coin around his neck, even wearing it on missions. Sometime later this same pilot was shot down behind enemy lines and captured by the Germans. One evening during a bombing raid the pilot managed to escape the POW camp and elude the German forces until he was spotted by a French patrol. Stripped of all of his identification, was taken by the French as a suspected German saboteur and set to be executed. Desperate to prove he was an American pilot, he had one of the French soldiers examine the coin he had hidden. The soldier recognised the insignia on the coin as an American squadron and he was spared certain death.
Today Challenge Coins are commonly used as, proof of membership to foster a sense of pride and belonging, certification and award of upgrade milestones and achievement, commemoration of special occasions and events and marketing and brand awareness.
Once again thank you for your contribution to a great cause and for my laundry bag. Through the current pandemic and isolation requirements I am pleased to hear that this as with gardening is able to keep you busy.
Yours sincerely
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Dear Jenny,
Thank you so much for the beautiful laundry bag. It definitely bought a smile to my face- it's hanging on my wall (it's too pretty for dirty laundry!).
This was my first deployment- RAAF Pharmacists seldom get the opportunity, although it was only a short one. I am very grateful for the experience. The unique environment and small teams bring their own challenges but makes it all the more rewarding.
I have just returned home to SA, where I am posted with my partner, who is in the Army. We are both from QLD but moved here 2 years ago. In that 2 years we have spent as much time apart due to work, as together. Next year he moves to NT while I stay here, so I am looking forward to spending as much time as possible with him before that happens.
Thank you again...
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Hi Pam,
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We received these beautiful stories of interactions with serving members by one of our wonderful volunteers. We thought they were worth sharing.Thank you Diane G
"Garry wears his cap on many occasions. It often draws queries about his navy career. He always replies that he served in the Air Force, and the cap is a gift from a sailor for whom his wife made a laundry bag. She sews for Aussie Hero Quilts (and Laundry Bags). On this day the response was one of tears and joy from the young navy wife whose husband had received a much prized custom laundry bag. After a lengthy chat we learned she is alone in Sydney as he is at sea and her family live in another state. Through the common bond of a laundry bag, have become good friends (like grandparents) and we have opened our home to a couple who are strangers no more."
I love men in uniform and often approach them to thank them for their service. On this day two army fellows were buying their lunch. I offered my usual greeting of thanks and asked if they had received a quilt or laundry bag from Aussie Hero. They both enthusiastically said "yes" and that everybody who has a laundry bag loves their gift and that others who do not have one want one. Before we parted ways, they spoke to my husband about his Air Force service during the Vietnam era and, rather than just a good-bye, they both hugged me and asked me to continue creating beautiful laundry bags and quilts that mean so much. As my late father would say, "Hows 'bout them apples?"
"These special encounters make my sewing worthwhile."
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On that note....
Till next week...
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