Grati-Tuesday 10th September 2024

 

Happy Tuesday Friends!

The wind has blow in quite a few thank you's this week! 

So find some shelter, grab a cuppa, sit back and relax while you soak up some well deserved gratitude. 

Only 45 sleeps until the Thank You dinner.  

Hope you see you there!

...

Recently Fran T and Marg B represented Aussie Hero Quilts and presented personalised LBs to the latest Chaplaincy Course in Canberra. Bags were made by Fran, Marg and Bev U.

...

Hi Sonia J,

 

I’m posted to HMAS Adelaide and was the lucky recipient of one of your handmade laundry bags – one covered in dogs, which I love.

 

Just dropping a line to say thankyou!   It’s awesome, and will certainly take pride hanging up in my cabin, reminding me of my dogs at home while I’m deployed and at sea.

 

Thankyou again and take care.

...

Good afternoon Ruth S,

I was sitting next to Jan-Maree at the 50th birthday of the RACT last year when I mentioned to her that I was attending a reunion of 85 Transport Platoon in Darwin in August this year. She said that maybe she could have something special done to help commemorate the event and asked for her details to be forwarded to our reunion coordinator.  This was done and of course you know the rest.

We had a great gathering and all attendees were surprised and delighted to receive their personalised laundry bags. There was obviously a lot of research and personal skill in the construction of the bags and provided without cost to us. Thank you and your fellows, not only for this delightful presentation, but the sterling effort and generosity of you and colleagues provide in the support of veterans. It is most appreciated and you are to be commended for your work.

Could you also please convey my gratitude and congratulations to Jan-Maree.

Thank you very much; I am most grateful.

Best wishes,

...

Good morning Cath Hpr,

 

Firstly I would like to apologise for the delay in thanking you for the special quilt you have painstakingly made specifically for me. The last couple of months have been a very busy time preparing for the return of myself and the rest of the contingent from Egypt to Australia and then reintegrating back at work and home.

 

Now back home and returning to normality again with my wife, son (28 Special needs) and regular face time chats with my daughter and the 2 grandkids. I have had some time to reflect on the amazing piece of art you have placed a lot of thought into and then toiled over for many hours for myself. My wife and I are trying decide where it will take pride of place, either in our motor home to travel this amazing country with us or we to hang it on a wall in our home for us and visitors to enjoy.

 

I to have a dog (Border Collie, Archie 4) and two cats (Cassie 11 & Roxie 10) who’s affection and companionship I have missed greatly.

 

While I have been provided the opportunity to represent our country within this multinational environment I am glad to be home, leaving behind a country that does indeed have a war torn feel about it, the oppressive conditions they live with daily, the drabness of the environment and yes the hawkers. Our experiences only makes us appreciate more what our wonderful country has to offer, vibrant colours, varieties in environmental options, beautiful county side, good working conditions, housing and financial stability.

 

Please keep up the amazing work you do with the quilts, I can tell you from experience that it is a highlight of my deployment to have received the beautiful piece of art that has come from your heart.

 

So very appreciative of all your thoughtfulness and time it made my deployment all the better.

 

Regards

...

Dear Ruth S,

Firstly, I must apologise that it's taken me so long to get around to this - I returned home from the Middle East in late July to the Laundry Bag waiting for me, but only had 2 weeks back in Australia before I deployed again with the ship, so life became very hectic all of a sudden!

Thank you so much for the Laundry Bag, I love it, especially the Richmond Tigers inclusions (even though it seems our season is already over for the year!). I met Jan-Maree last year when I arranged some Laundry Bags for my ship before another deployment, and have kept in touch with her since. She mentioned you were making my Laundry Bag, and were one of the most experienced LB makers out there!

I'm sure you've heard it before, but the LBs and Quilts really do make a difference to us. It's lovely coming into my cabin on the ship and seeing the LB hanging up, and the Quilt on my rack, and knowing the time and effort that has gone into making them.

I've been in the Navy for coming up 9 years now, joining straight out of High School, and have loved (almost) every minute of it. I'm currently posted to HMAS Brisbane, and we're deployed on an Interchangeability Deployment. This is my now my third deployment in 12 months, which is great, but I'm also really looking forward to getting back home for Christmas and seeing my parents and sister down in Canberra again!

Thank you again! I've promised Jan-Maree that I'll be at the AHQ Thank You Dinner next year (after missing last years and this years due to deployments), so hopefully I might run into you there and get the chance to say thank you in person.

All the best,

...

Hi Kirsten (Bindy) O,

 

Firstly, my sincere apology for taking SO long to send this email.

 

Thank you so very much for my beautiful quilt. It sits proudly in my office and people regularly comment on it. I’m about to finish my command tenure after 3 years and it’s a wonderful momento for me.

 

Thank you again – your generosity is very much appreciated and cherished.

...

Hello Ruth S.

 Just wanting to say what a marvellous job you have done with the Laundry Bags. Unfortunately we could not attend the 85 Transport reunion in Darwin as there was a family wedding. 

Last night we flew back from Maroochydore visiting friends and a parcel was at home waiting for me amongst other things your Laundry Bag. I belong to the South Coast Veterans in Victor/Goolwa so will be displaying the Laundry bag at our next meeting. What a coincidence you only live 15 minutes away. Thank you again and hopefully we may catch up or invite you to one of our Veterans lunches.

...

 Two crew members from HMAS Adelaide recently called on Jan-Maree to collect 250 random laundry bags so they could take them away with them when they deploy.

The Commanding Officer sent along the below certifiate of appreciation which reads

I extend my personal thanks and sincere appreciation to your team for kindly presenting HMAS Adelaide Ships company with handmade laundry bags to use on our upcoming deployment. Tht time and effort you have put into making these laundry bags has not gone unnoticed and we are extremely appreciative of your generosity.

Your ability to create such an amazing product is a testament to your dedication to your craft and shows the care taken with each laundry bag to ensure that they are of the highest standard.

Once again, thank you sincerely for your hard work. We look forward to utilising our new laundry bags

...

Hi Ruth S, 

I just received your hand made laundry bag in the mail today. Thank you so much for making it for me. 

It is certainly a unique design and I can tell how much love you put into it. 

I am a Combat Engineer Officer. I have been serving for almost 12 years, since I was 17, straight out of high school. I'm currently posted to Brisbane and have recently been on deployment to Solomon Islands and a field training activity in Shoalwater Bay, QLD. I live with my fiancé and our two fluff balls, Archie the Maremma sheepdog and Phillip the Lhasa Apso x Maltese. 

We love to adventure, go for walks and spend time at the beach in our spare time. I'm a huge GWS GIANTS AFL supporter too - they have made the finals! They just need a few more wins for the Grand Final at the end of this month. 

Thanks again Ruth. 

Regards, 

...

Dear Sue N,

I am 18 years of age and have been in our countries proud Army for 5 weeks and I have received your beautiful laundry bag and letter today.

I grew up in Kalgoorlie boulder WA and have been on fire to join since I was a kid.

The bag is so lovely made I had to choose it, I love the use of colours, stitching and the quality of the bag is wonderful.

The letter was very well written and somewhat refreshing from the training.

I wrote this to thank you for the bag and to wish you and your family all the best.

Prayers and blessings 

...

Dear Anne H,

Thank you very much for my laundry bag I appreciate it very much, I also wanted to thank you for your story it was very lovely to read.

My new laundry bag will definitely come in handy and I love the designs put into the laundry bag.

However I would like to share a bit of my story with you. I enlisted in the Australian Army at the start of August and am currently doing the Army Indigenous Development Program, it is a 17 week course. After AIDP, I will go down to Kapooka to start my initial recruitment course. When I’m done at Kapooka I’m going into the Infantry corps.

I am very excited to take the laundry bag throughout my journey in the Australian defence force and it will always be a great memory, again thank you.

Yours sincerely

...

Hi Sue N, 

I am a proud father of 2 beautiful boys and a fiancé to my beautiful partner of 8 years. Joining the ADF has been a big dream of mine that I never thought would come true and to achieve it has been an incredible feeling. Thank you so much for making the handmade gift it is something I will cherish and remember for a long time & thank you for what you do for the ADF. Enjoy your time with the grandkids as you know they grow very quick. Thank you so much.

...

Dear Anne H,  

Thank you so much for the bag,

We don't get much personalised stuff here and we all have the same stuff and we all look the same, and it's a big thing to me that my bag is different from everyone else's.

Thank you so much,

PS The boys here are jealous of it, and have already tried to buy it off me.

...

Dear Sue N,

I'm currently attending an Indigenous Development Program that the Army offers. 

I am 18 years old, and from Tasmania. I've flew a very long way to Darwin to continue my dreams alongside my partner, joining the ADF has been a dream of mine for a while, and I enlisted when I was 17. 

This evening, we were all given some amazing laundry bags, and I was lucky enough to have received yours. 

I wanted to extend my thanks and appreciation for your time and efforts to make this bag, as it is lovely.

Thank you very much Mrs Niven!

Warm regards, 

...

Until next week keep your letters, emails and photos coming in.  

Tuesday's would be so totally boring without them!

🌳🌷🌹🌻🌼🌺🌳🌷🌸🌹🌺🌻🌼